VACANCY ANNOUNCEM ENT

MALHEUR NATIONAL FOREST

Blue Mountain Ranger District

John Day, OR "Caring for the Land and Serving People"

OUTREACH ANNOUNCEMENT GS-0454-5/7/9, Rangeland Management Specialist The , Blue Mountain Ranger District will soon be filling a Rangeland Management Specialist position, GS-0454-5/7/9. This is a permanent full-time position, open to U.S. Citizens, with a duty station of John Day, . It is being filled from an Open Continuous Recruitment notice.

How To Apply: Applications can be made through AVUE Digital Services at http://www.avuedigitalservices.com, or USAJOBS at http://www.usajobs.gov

Announcement numbers: PERM-ORC-0454-57911-RANG-DP PERM-ORC-0454-57911-RANG-G

The referral list will be pulled on February 28, 2011. All applicants need to apply prior to this date and choose John Day, Oregon as the duty locaction.

If you are interested in this position, and need more information, please contact: John Gubel ([email protected]) Blue Mountain District Ranger (541)575-3401 or Nick Stiner ([email protected]) Rangeland Management Specialist (541) 575-3496.

The Position: SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The Blue Mountain Ranger District administers 53 grazing allotments totaling approximately 64,000 AUMs, and 1 Wild Horse Territory. The primary duty for this position will be administration of term grazing permits in cooperation with a range technician and the supervisory rangeland manager for the district. Administration of permits includes allotment and pasture compliance inspections, periodic monitoring for vegetation and soil trend in both upland and riparian settings, annual upland range and riparian monitoring, and documentation of allotment visits and conversations with permittees. The specialist will record allotment inspections, conversations, and monitoring information for use by forest and regional decision makers. The specialist will participate in annual meetings with permittees to produce operating instructions for the next grazing year, as well as update or amend those instructions

1 through the approval of the supervisory manager as needed. The specialist will work with other Federal Agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) to implement range improvement projects on various allotments and will supervise the projects as they are being completed to ensure compliance with Forest Service standards. The employee will assist the supervisory rangeland manager with environmental assessments and categorical exclusions to comply with the terms of NEPA. Attendance at public and agency meetings on a variety of technical and professional topics will be required. Use of an ATV, 4-wheel drive vehicle, and horses will be necessary as a regular part of this job. If hired at a lower grade, the employee will perform these tasks under close supervision until reaching the GS-9 level.

The Malheur National Forest has:  The second largest grazing program in Region 6.  Habitat for: summer steelhead, bull trout, spring chinook, cutthroat, redband and brook trout. The Middle Fork of the John Day River, the headwaters of which are located mostly on the Blue Mountain Ranger District is a regional priority for aquatic restoration.  Prescribed and wildfire programs among the largest in Region 6.  Some of the largest stands of ponderosa pine in the western United States.  Partnerships with tribal governments, schools, interest groups and many other organizations for Grants, Agreements and volunteer programs.

The Community The Malheur National Forest is nestled among the majestic Blue Mountains of Oregon, encompassing more than a million and half acres of wilderness, grasslands, forest and riparian ecosystems. The John Day River Valley affords unique opportunities for quality of home life, recreation, personal development, and rewarding work assignments. The Federal Building in John Day houses the Malheur National Forest Headquarters, the Blue Mountain Ranger District, and offices for the , Bureau of Land Management, USDA Wildlife Services, and Bureau of Reclamation.

Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day is staffed with a full complement of physicians, a surgeon, a physician's assistant, and support personnel. A rural residency program provides the pipeline to recruit new physicians and the high quality of life retains them. A major expansion of the Grant County Hospital was completed in 2003.

Elementary, Middle School, and High School levels of education are locally available with around 750 students enrolled from grades K-12. Eastern Oregon University, Blue Mountain Community College, and the EDNET communications network provide excellent nearby secondary education opportunities. Extension service courses are offered regularly and in-service training, guest speakers and detail opportunities are provided and encouraged.

Schools, health care, hotels, hardware stores, shopping, and government services are all locally available. There are around 10 restaurants in the area including 3 fast food restaurants. Housing is available in the town of John Day, Canyon City, Prairie City, and Mt. Vernon located within 15 miles and 8 miles respectively. However, indoor malls and interstate freeways are a 2-3 hour drive: north to Pendleton (130 miles), east to Boise (180 miles), or west to Bend (150 miles). The is a 6 ½ hour drive from John Day.

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Some Details: Average housing price: $150,000-$200,000 Populations: John Day 3,000, Prairie City 1,100 Access: Hwy 395 & Hwy 26 Schools & services in all communities; hospital & small airport in John Day Unique museums, community swimming pool SUNSHINE around 300 days a year!

If you love uncrowded outdoor recreation, then you just found your new home. The area boasts over 600 miles of recreation trails (hiking, horseback, mountain bike, snowmobile, and cross- country skiing); 29 campgrounds; fantastic boating and fishing on numerous rivers, streams, and lakes, including two Wild and Scenic Rivers; great hunting opportunities abound; beauty and solitude in the Strawberry Mountain and Monument Rock Wilderness areas; journey into ancient Oregon at the National Park Service-John Day Fossil Beds; diverse recreation opportunities abound in Grant County!

Websites for further information: Malheur National Forest: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/malheur/ Grant County Chamber of Commerce: http://www.gcoregonlive.com/ City of John Day, Oregon: http://www.cityofjohnday.com/Default.aspx

The process of applying will take place on the AVUE Digital Services website: http://www.avuedigitalservices.com. By setting up your profile in AVUE Digital Services and marking interested vacancies, you should receive an e-mail when the announcement is actually posted. The purpose of this Outreach Notice is to determine the potential applicant pool for this position and to establish the appropriate recruitment method and area of consideration for the advertisement. Responses received from this outreach notice will be relied upon to make these determinations.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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