Outreach Notice

 GS-0430-09, Botanist

Forest Supervisor’s OfficeDuty Station: TBD

Colville National ForestGS-0462-[Select Grade], [Enter Position Title]

Republic Ranger District

OUTREACH RESPONSE DATE: February 1, 2021

PERMANENT VACANCY CLOSING DATE: TBD

USDA Forest Service is an equal opportunity provider and employer

About the PositionThe Colville National Forest will soon be filling a Botanist (GS-0430-9) position. This outreach notification is being circulated to inform prospective applicants of this upcoming opportunity, as well as to help the Responsible Official gain insight into the potentially interested pool of candidates, and the best way to advertise this vacancy for the strongest candidate pool. This position may be considered for a non-competitive reassignment if there is qualified person in the same grade.

This is a permanent full-time position and is part of the natural resources staff on the Colville National Forest. The position will be supervised by the Forest Botanist and the duty location may be either Tonasket or Republic, WA. The forest is very progressive regarding restoration activities and timber sale work which encompasses several resource areas working together. This is a great opportunity to work with a dynamic team.

Major DutiesThis position is responsible for performing a variety of duties in support of the Botany Program. The primary duties for this position include inventory and monitoring of sensitive plant populations and habitat, documentation of surveys and monitoring, update and maintenance of applicable databases, participation on Interdisciplinary Teams (IDTs), creation of specialist reports to meet environmental assessment requirements, and supporting the Native Plant Materials Program. The individual selected for the position is also responsible for, but not limited to the following duties:

Serves as a botanist with staff responsibilities for developing, evaluating, and monitoring threatened, endangered and sensitive plant species and plant community and vegetation management programs.

Participates on interdisciplinary teams to provide the documentation and coordination necessary for the effective management of threatened, endangered and sensitive plant species.

Develops and/or modifies established procedures for recording plant survey information in order to meet environmental assessment requirements, botanical baseline data requirements, and for maintaining plants. Assists others in plant identification, as well as conducts training to help assigned field personnel recognize, identify, and locate plant species.

Conducts and oversees vegetation inventories, population, and community monitoring in compliance with selected protocols to contribute to the project's baseline data for botanical resources and coordinating surveys for special status plants.

Maintains plant surveys and monitoring records in appropriate data base files, in addition to collection and preparation of voucher specimens for plants. Is responsible for the analysis and

 

interpretation of population trend and community composition monitoring data and the preparation of summary reports. Assists unit personnel or contract personnel in conducting botanical research and studies.

Assists in the development and implementation of management plans for the protection and enhancement of habitat for special status plants. Assists in project planning and identifying suitable plants for restoration projects.

Performs supervisory duties 20% or less of the time.

Interested individuals should complete the attached outreach response form and send a resume to Amanda Hendrix at amanda.hendrix@usda.gov.

For questions about this position, please contact:Amanda HendrixForest BotanistColville National Forest, Supervisor’s Office765 South Main StreetColville, WA 99114509-684-7178amanda.hendrix@usda.gov

 

About the Colville National Forest  

Tucked into the northeastern corner of Washington State and nestled at the foot of the northern Rocky Mountains, the Colville National Forest is an exquisite landscape of forested mountains, clear mountain streams, and fertile valleys. The 1.5 million acre forest was shaped over 10,000 years ago by Ice Age glaciers that carved three major valleys: the Columbia, Okanogan, Sanpoil-Curlew, and Pend Oreille River valleys. The mountains and valleys that comprise the lush northeast corner of Washington roll like waves on the high seas. Three waves of mountains run from north to south, separated by troughs of beautiful valleys. These ranges, the Okanogan, Kettle River and Selkirk are considered the eastern edge of the Okanagan highlands and the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

The Forest has five districts supervised by four District Rangers: Three Rivers Ranger District located in Kettle Falls, Newport and Sullivan Lake Ranger Districts, the Tonasket District, and the Republic Ranger District. Each unit tends to have distinctly different zones, each with its unique climate, topography, and vegetation. Each district office is located in one of the major river drainages: the Sanpoil-Curlew River Valleys, the Kettle-Colville-Columbia River Valleys, and the Pend Oreille River Valley, and the Okanogan River Valley. The Forest also provides services to the Curlew Job Corps Center located 30 miles north of Republic.

 

Forest topography is varied, ranging from rounded mountain slopes at low elevations to high peaks and basins above 7,300 feet in elevation. Primary access is through approximately 4,400 miles of roads and 518 miles of trails. Ecology is highly diverse ranging from ponderosa pine and Douglas fir on drier sites to western red cedar, western hemlock, western white pine and a variety of deciduous species on wetter sites. The Forest also has a significant expanse of lodgepole pine and the famously beautiful western larch. Wildlife includes a tremendous variety including whitetail and mule deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and black bear. Rare sightings are also possible of the threatened grizzly, Canada lynx, and endangered woodland caribou. Another amazing sight is the large number of bald eagles that winter along the major rivers and nest in the vicinity.

Our lakes, rivers, and streams offer an abundance of German brown trout, rainbow trout, eastern brook trout, westslope cutthroat trout, bull trout, mountain whitefish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, burbot, Kokanee salmon, and yellow perch. We have groomed cross-country and snowmobile trails, many miles of backcountry non-motorized trails, over a hundred miles of single track motorcycle trails, a growing network of ATV routes, as well as opportunities for rock climbing, mountaineering, swimming, watersports, bird watching, and opportunities to find solitude in the Salmo-Priest Wilderness or several other roadless areas. No matter what your recreational interests are, you’ll probably find an opportunity to explore them further on the beautiful Colville National Forest!

About the City of Tonasket and the Surrounding AreaThe Tonasket Ranger District covers 415,000 acres. It extends from the Canadian American border south to the Methow Valley-Lake Chelan Divide; and from the Cascade Range east to the Okanogan-Ferry County line. Over half the district borders the Colville Confederated Tribes reservation. Elevations range from 1000 feet near the Okanogan River to the highest peak at 8974 feet.

Tonasket Ranger District incorporates 40,000 acres of the Pasayten Wilderness. Vegetation in the forest varies with grass and shrubs in the lowest elevations, the beautiful ponderosa pine, western larch and Douglas-fir in the mid elevations and the sub alpine and alpine zones at elevations above 6000 feet.

We do host fires on the District. Air support is provided by the North Cascades Smokejumper Base, located in nearby Methow Valley, and the Omak SEAT Tanker Base. Scattered lightning storms pass frequently over the forest from mid-June to early September. The district has averaged 22 statistical fire starts a year over the last 10 years with a few large fire events and stays quite busy providing assistance to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Land Management, the Colville Indian Reservation and adjoining forests. Like a lot of the Pacific Northwest, the complexity or our fire program is compounded by heavy fuels and dense fire suppressed stands in close proximity to wild land interface areas of Okanogan and

 

Ferry Counties. In addition, vast amounts of insect and disease has made the fuels reduction and prescribed fire program very challenging.

The district office lies in the north Okanogan Valley in Tonasket, Washington. Geographically this valley runs north and south along the Okanogan River between mountain ranges on both the east and west sides with sage-covered foothills rimmed by glacial rock and mountainous forests. Tonasket is traversed by U.S. Highway 97 and Washington State Highway 20, Tonasket is 20 miles south of the Canadian border of British Columbia. Spokane is 165 miles to the east, Seattle is 260 miles to the west and Wenatchee is 120 miles to the South.

The Community: The elevation in Tonasket is 900 feet. The Okanogan Valley receives an annual precipitation of approximately 12 inches (mainly from snow) and has an annual growing season of 165 to 240 days. On the average, there are 42 days below 32 degrees and 25 days above 90 degrees annually. Residents enjoy the sunny climate of the valley yet also delight in four distinct seasons.

The city of Tonasket has a population of about 1,050. The Community provides services to approximately another 3,000 people in the rural area outside of town. Tonasket offers a co-op preschool, primary, middle and high school facilities, a library, grocery and hardware stores, convenience stores, a few restaurants and taverns, a number of churches, doctors, a dentist and hospital service. The towns of Omak and Okanogan are approximately 24 miles south where department stores, movie theaters, hotels, etc. are available as well. Wenatchee Valley Community College also has a North Campus located in Omak. Several district employees choose to live in the Omak/Okanogan area or in the border town of Oroville 16 miles north of Tonasket.

Housing rental rates for a two-bedroom unfurnished house averages about $650.00 per month. Real estate prices for a 3-bedroom home can range from approximately $130,000 to $350,000 depending on lot or acreage size.

For more information about Tonasket, visit their website at: www.tonasketcity.org

About the Republic Ranger District areaThe Republic Ranger District is approximately 240,000 acres in size lying along the western boundary of the Forest. During the summer, the District employs 13 PFT, 9 PSE, and 25 TEMP employees. The District responds to 20-30 initial attack fires a season. The District has an active fuels program, treating approximately 2,000 acres annually of natural and activity fuels by prescribed burning and mechanical methods. Fire Management works closely with neighboring Washington State DNR resources and two rural fire districts.

Republic, Washington is a city with an early 1900s look and a heritage based in the mining and logging industries. Founded by gold prospectors, and originally named Eureka Gulch, Republic had a population of 1,073 in 2010. Noted for its fossils, natural beauty and recreational

 

possibilities, it is nestled in a valley between Wauconda and Sherman Passes at the intersection of Washington State Routes 20 and 21 in the north central part of the state.

Specific information about the Republic community and surrounding area can be found on the following websites:City Visitors Bureau www.republicwa.orgChamber of Commerce http://www.republicchamber.org/index.htmlFerry County http://www.ferry-county.com/index.htmlWikipedia Info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic,_WashingtonReal Estate http://www.zillow.com/republic-wa/

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Republic_WA

 

OUTREACH RESPONSE FORMPlease respond by 02/1/2021

I am interested in the following position:

Position Title/Series: Botanist, GS-0430Please select grade you are interested in: ☐ 09 Please select location you are interested in: ☐ Tonasket ☐ RepublicLocation: Region 6, Colville National Forest

Name: _________________________________________________ Email Address: ____________________ Telephone No: _______________________Mailing Address: _______________________________________________________

If current Federal employees:Agency Employed With: _________________________________ Type of Appointment: ☐ Permanent ☐ Temporary ☐ Other Current Region/Forest/District: ___________________________Current Series and Grade: ________________________ Current Position Title: ____________________________

This position may be considered for a direct reassignment for an eligible person currently in a PFT position at the same grade. Please indicate if you are interested in a direct reassignment from a current Forest Service position, or if you are interested in this as a promotion and would like to apply for a competitive promotion.

☐ I am interested in a non-competitive reassignment, and I am currently a career employee with the Forest Service

☐ I am interested in applying competitively for a promotion

If not a current permanent (Career or Career Conditional) employee, are you eligible to be hired under any of the following special authorities?

☐ Person with Disabilities ☐ Former Peace Corps Volunteer ☐ Resource Assistant/Public Land Corps Authority☐ Veteran's Reemployment Act ☐ Disabled Veteran's w/30% Compensable Disability ☐ Veteran's Employment Opportunities Act Of 1998 ☐ Pathways Internship Program☐ Recent Graduates Program☐ Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act ☐ Other _______________________

How did you hear about this outreach? ______________________________________

USDA Forest Service is an equal opportunity provider and employer