
Job Information
Bureau of Land Management Geographic Information System Specialist in Carlsbad, New Mexico
Summary This position is located in Pecos District, Carlsbad Field Office. This position is concurrently open to Merit Promotion eligibles under Announcement Number BLM-NM-24-12156919-MP-OPM. Responsibilities This position serves as an advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialist to the office manager and resources staff of a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) office. This position is responsible for the acquisition and management of a wide range of spatial information required to support the management of public lands. The incumbent must have a thorough and effective mix of technical skills in the geographic and geospatial computer application disciplines as well as a working appreciation of an organization's mission and operational procedures sufficient to support business operations and natural resources management Define data need parameters for specific geospatial projects and/or assignments. Design, develop, and manage geospatial databases, including conversion of digital data in various formats, and the conversion of thematic source maps from analog to digital form through the use of appropriate hardware and software. Conduct research to locate and obtain information from existing databases. Compile geographic data from a variety of sources. Represent the local office manager when working with other internal and external organizations on geospatial matters. Assist in the integration of Enterprise GIS with long- and short-term planning and management activities. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. If qualifying based on education, a copy of your unofficial transcripts must be provided with your application. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level in which you are applying: GS-09: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: (1) digitizing geographic information by translating raw land-based data into code; (2) compiling geographic data from a variety of sources; (3) scheduling geospatial hardware and software processing needs and implementing required upgrades; (4) providing input into contract specifications and scopes of work. OR Education: Successful completion of a master's degree or two (2) full years of graduate level study leading to a master's degree or LL.B., J.D., in a field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform this work. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. (You must submit a copy of your transcripts.) OR Combination: Successful completion of a combination of specialized experience and graduate level education described above in A and B, when combined, equals 100% of the total requirement. Please note only graduate education in excess of one year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify under this option. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (You must submit a copy of your transcripts.) GS-11: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: (1) designing/managing geospatial databases including project quality control and/or research; (2) collaborating with others in developing and/or implementing geospatial applications or data; (3) presenting the organization's technical and/or policy information in conferences/meetings; (4) assisting with planning and/or management activities. OR Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (You must submit a copy of your transcripts.) OR Combination: Successful completion of an equivalent combination of the type and level of experience and education described above. To determine your combination, first compute your experience as a percentage of the experience listed above; then determine your education as a percentage of the education listed above; then add the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate education in excess two full years (36 hours) may be used to qualify. (You must submit a copy of your transcripts.) Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies". Education To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. Additional Information Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor. Physical Demands: The work is primarily sedentary, requiring long periods of sitting in one position, intense concentration, and working for several hours at a time. Stress may be experienced on a regular basis in attempting to respond to conflicting objectives and in working against tight deadlines with limited resources. Working Conditions: The work is primarily in an office/computer room environment. Occasional fieldwork may be required. Fieldwork is in support of resource mapping projects and involves extended days of travel, sometimes in poor weather conditions. The incumbent must be comfortable with less than ideal conditions in remote settings in the accomplishment of mapping projects. The Bureau of Land Management has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval. BLM may use certain incentives, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract high quality applicants. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible see http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 90 or above on the rating criteria for this position. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, please contact San Antonio Services Branch at SASBMailbox@opm.gov or 816-541-8101.