About This Position
This position is part of WAPA's Rocky Mountain Region. As a Vegetation Program Specialist, you will coordinate highly visible projects between other Federal & State agencies, other utilities, customers, and private interest groups to ensure that WAPA's technical and contractual objectives are met. Principal duties include planning and executing current and multi-year vegetation management projects, budget input, monitoring general rights of way (ROW) field conditions from personal observation.
Qualifications
To be qualified for this position, you must meet the basic requirements and minimum qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: You must meet one of the following: A. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualificationstandards/0400/general-natural-resources-management-and-biological-sciences-series-0401/ SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: At least one (1) year of program management experience with rights-of-way (ROW), substation vegetation, danger trees, and ROW access road improvements; AND/OR Maintenance experience related to projects in the high voltage electrical utility industry; AND Required responsibility for one or more major phases of a formal program - project management, program support, reliability and risk compliance, and extensive experience in electrical utility field maintenance and construction work practices maintenance. "Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience.
Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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. Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.
Major Duties
As a Vegetation Program Specialist, you will: Responsible for initiating and facilitating a regional Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) program and associated project management functions for vegetation in their respective maintenance areas of operation. Responsible for assisting in defining, developing, establishing, supporting, and monitoring an IVM program for vegetation in, on, or around transmission power system facilities within a large, complex and varied geographic region. Prepare site specific vegetation management, ecological assessment, and herbicidal treatment statements of work and related ROW management plans consistent with maintenance, environmental, and lands programs' guidance directives, policies, and regulations.
Coordinate and work closely with other support functions such as Power Operations, Safety and Security, Lands, Environment, Engineering, Legal, Finance, Procurement, and Compliance. Serve as a technical expert in vegetation and ROW management and herbicidal use to various internal groups, outside agencies, and the public as issues arise within the region including negotiation, coordination with county-agricultural departments and other entities (e.g., Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, State Parks, etc.). Provides input used in the development and implementation of the annual and long-term project plan and recommends associated project definitions, schedules and budget costs.
Conditions of Employment
Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. This employer participates in the e-Verify program. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period. Employees serving on a probationary or trial period may be terminated at any time during the probationary or trial period for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service. In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire.
Answers to these questions are not scored or rated.
Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration. Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.
You must be able to obtain and maintain the required DOE/WAPA certification to serve as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR). You are required to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) upon entering the position and annually.
This position requires the ability to operate a Government vehicle. The incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain Defensive Drivers certification and have a valid state driver's license. Defensive Driver's Training will be completed upon employment.
This position requires a pre-appointment and annual physical exam at Federal expense.
You will be subject to inclement weather conditions such as high temperatures, rain, sleet, snow, and extreme cold.
Education
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.
DO NOT email or mail in any of your application documents. Documents will not be accepted outside of the online application system. Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How You Will Be Evaluated
Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Office will review the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications. USAHire: To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.
In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Category Rating Procedure: You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the application process is complete, your resume, supporting documentation, and questionnaire/assessment responses will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your responses to the USA Hire Assessment will be evaluated, and you will be placed into one of three predefined quality categories. These categories are Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified.
Application of Veterans' Preference: If you are a preference eligible candidate, you will be listed at the top of whichever quality category your rating places you in. Preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more are placed at the top of the highest category for all positions except scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or above (or equivalent). If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified".
You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (04/30/2026) of this announcement. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12935469.
Additional Information
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE. For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application.
Requests for RA for the USA Hire Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Assessments.
You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here. Promotion Potential: This position is at the full performance level. The selectee for this position may be eligible to receive a recruitment or relocation incentive.
You will need to sign an employment agreement to be eligible for this incentive. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs are not authorized.
This position may be eligible for creditable service towards annual leave. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. DOE may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service.
This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. Salary negotiation may be available for those candidates who are new to Federal service.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.
The application process is as follows: You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen.
The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/ If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours.
If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete application package which includes: Your two (2) page RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date). Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement. Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable.
It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements. If applicable: Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable, DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information.
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition. Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.