COCONINO NATIONAL FOREST FLAGSTAFF RANGER DISTRICT Caring for the Land and Serving People Biological Science Technician Plants GS-0404-06/07 Permanent Seasonal 18/8 or Permanent Full-Time Permanent Fill Announcement number will be circulated when available The Coconino National Forest, Flagstaff Ranger District will soon be filling a permanent seasonal (PSE) or permanent full-time (PFT) opportunity for the following position: Biological Science Technician - Plants This position will be located in Flagstaff, AZ at the main Flagstaff District Office. PLEASE NOTE: The purpose of this Outreach Notice is to determine a potential applicant pool for this position and to establish the appropriate recruitment method and area of consideration for advertisement. Responses received from this outreach notice will be relied upon to make this determination. Please respond by Friday February 15 th, 2019. THE POSITION: This position serves as the District s botany crew leader and oversees inventory and monitoring of rare and invasive plants and treatment of invasive plants on the Flagstaff Ranger District. The Flagstaff Ranger District encompasses 860,000 acres. The Coconino National Forest is a dynamic place to work in and is a part of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI), a large landscape scale restoration effort encompassing work across boundaries with our neighboring forests, Apache-Sitgreaves, Kaibab and Tonto National Forests. MAJOR DUTIES: This position is responsible for:
Training and supervision of temporary seasonals and interns to conducts surveys for invasive and rare plants and treatments of invasive plants using manual, chemical and biological methods; Collecting field data using tablets and entering and managing data in ArcGIS; Monitoring plant populations after prescribed fires and mechanical treatments; Coordinating and inspecting herbicide treatments completed by contractors and other partners in support of 4FRI and other District priority projects; End-of-year reporting; Collaborating with other resource areas and external partners such as Arizona Department of Transportation, the City of Flagstaff, and Coconino County in controlling invasive plants; Participating in outreach events in the local community. NOTE: The duties of this position require the selected applicant to obtain and maintain an Arizona State Herbicide Applicator s License. The license must be obtained within 120 days of the initial appointment to the position. ABOUT THE FOREST: The Coconino National Forest is headquartered in Flagstaff, Arizona. The Forest has three Ranger Districts: Flagstaff, Mogollon Rim, and Red Rock. There are about 300 permanent employees on the Forest and about 200 temporary employees. The Forest manages a full range of activities. We have programs in recreation (summer and winter), forest restoration, fire management, wildlife, botany, archaeology, and land and special uses management. It is one of the most diverse National Forests in the country, with landscapes ranging from the upper Sonoran desert of the Verde Valley to the large contiguous ponderosa pine forest surrounding Flagstaff to alpine ecosystems on the San Francisco Peaks. ABOUT FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Flagstaff is located at the intersection of Interstate 17 and 40 and is the largest city in northern Arizona with approximately 139,000 residents. The city is a regional center and county seat for Coconino County, the second largest county in the 48 contiguous states. At nearly 7,000 feet, Flagstaff is also one of the highest elevation cities in the United States. The area is characterized by moderate summer temperatures and variable amounts of snow in winter. Freezing temperatures occur usually from the first of October to the middle of May. Average precipitation is 21 per year with most of this coming in the winter as snow and in July & August with the monsoon rains. Some of Flagstaff s major employers include: the tourism industry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff Medical Center, Flagstaff Unified School District, W.L. Gore, government agencies like the Forest Service, National Park Service and Coconino County. HOUSING: Government housing is not available. Private housing, rentals, and apartments are available but thought to be in the expensive range depending on where you are moving from. Single family homes usually range in prices at from $250,000 to $450,000 (average home). One bedroom apartments can range at the lower end from $1000 to $1300 a month to rent. Please do your due diligence to research the availability of housing options that might fit your needs.
SCHOOLS: Flagstaff has 15 public schools including two high schools, 2 middle schools, eight charter schools, several parochial and private learning centers scattered throughout the community. Northern Arizona University and Coconino Community College provide a wide array of higher education. SHOPPING: Flagstaff has an array of shopping centers, including; Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens and other drug stores, auto parts stores, hardware stores, Home Depot, Sam s Club and the Flagstaff Mall with a wide selection of department stores such as, Dillard s, Sears and JC Penny s. There are a wide variety of grocery stores and several health food stores. Downtown Flagstaff recently experienced revitalization as part of the Main Street USA program, and features many quaint shops and galleries. MEDICAL FACILITIES: Flagstaff Medical Center is the primary care facility in town. The town also hosts a great number of physicians and specialists, including 2 urgent care facilities, mental health hospital, cancer center and several elderly care facilities. The hospital has numerous ambulances and a life flight helicopter which services the area. There are also numerous optometrists, chiropractors, dentists and veterinarians in the community. CHURCHES: All denominations of religion are well represented in the Flagstaff area. RECREATION: Flagstaff sports a multitude of outdoor and indoor recreation activities. Horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, cross-country skiing, down-hill skiing, indoor pools, soccer, basketball, little league, baseball, softball and volleyball, are available for all age groups at very little cost to the individual. City of Flagstaff Parks and Recreation Department, the Flagstaff Athletic Center East and West and Flagstaff Aquaplex offer numerous indoor and outdoor activities. In addition, there is an extensive Urban Trail System throughout the area connecting the city with the forest trails system. Nearby National Parks and Monuments include: the Grand Canyon, Montezuma Castle, Walnut Canyon, Monument Valley, Painted Desert and Sunset Crater. TRANSPORTATION: Flagstaff has a commercial airport, which offers incoming and outgoing flights daily to Phoenix, Arizona, and train service by Amtrak. There are numerous car rental agencies in town as well as a city bus transportation system and commercial cab services. LIBRARY: There is a community library in town which also serves the outlying communities with a bookmobile which visits different areas of the community on different days of the week. The university also has a full service library.
MOTELS AND RESTAURANTS: There is no shortage of motels or restaurants in the community. Being located at the junction of two interstates (I-40 and I-17) and being the major community south of the Grand Canyon makes Flagstaff an ideal location for major motels and restaurants. CONTACTS FOR MORE INFORMATION: Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce Website (www.flagstaff.az.us) or email (chamber@flagstaff.az.us). Coconino National Forest Website (www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino) or call us at (928) 527-3600. OUTREACH AND APPLICATION INFORMATION: For additional information regarding the position, please contact: Julia Camp, Wildlife Biologist Flagstaff Ranger District 5075 North Highway 89 Flagstaff, AZ 86004 Email: julia.camp@usda.gov Phone: 928-527-8241 Fax: 928-527-8288 If you are interested or intend to apply for the permanent position, please fill out the attached form and send to Julia Camp by Friday February 15 th, 2019.
Coconino National Forest Permanent Seasonal 18/8 or Permanent Full-time Outreach Response Form Biological Science Technician (Plants) GS-0404-06/17 Please respond by February 15 th, 2019. Response For: Biological Science Technician Plants/Flagstaff RD Permanent Fill Personal Information Name: Date: E-mail Address: Telephone Numbers: Eligibility - Please attach resume and supporting documents. Are you a current federal employee? Yes No If yes, agency employed with: USFS BLM Other Type of appointment: Permanent Temporary Term Current Region/Forest/District: Current Position/Title/Series/Grade: If you are not a current permanent (career or career conditional) employee, please indicate your eligibility to be hired under any of the following authorities: Disabled Veteran w/30% Compensatory Disability Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 Veterans Recruitment Act Reinstatement Persons with Disabilities (Schedule A) Former Peace Corp Volunteer Federal Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act Other Eligibility: (Explain): Please indicate the appointment(s) you are interested in: PSE 18/8 PFT Both THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THIS CAREER OPPORTUNITY! Biological Science Technician (Plants) GS-0404-06/7 PSE 18/8 or PFT Please e-mail this completed outreach response form and resume to julia.camp@usda.gov.