U.S. Department of Agriculture Forestry & Climate Change Specialist

Job Title:  Forestry & Climate Change Specialist

Grade: GS-0301-14
Type of Appointment:  Excepted Service (Time Limit) Appointment
Length of Appointment:   Up to 5 years
Area of Consideration:  All Sources
Opening Date of Announcement: 02/08/13
Closing Date of Announcement: 02/22/13

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position and be able to be security cleared for assignment.  This is an excepted service appointment not to exceed 5 years.

The individual selected for this position will be administratively assigned to the Rural Development and Natural Resources Branch (RDNR) of the Development Resources and Disaster Assistance Division (DRDA), Office of Capacity Building and Development (OCBD), Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (FAS/OCBD/DRDA/RDNR) but will be located in and work directly with the U.S. Agency for International Development, Office of Technical Support (ME/TS) for the Asia and Middle East Bureaus.

The Forestry and Climate Change specialist will be responsible for (a) providing technical assistance to USAID’s Asia and Middle East Bureaus and field missions in the design, evaluation, and implementation of forestry, biodiversity, and climate change activities and (b) managing projects and activities focused on forest management, biodiversity conservation, and climate change. In particular, the incumbent will be the Asia and Middle East Bureaus’ representative to work with the technical teams of the Bureau for Economic Growth, Education, and Environment (E3), other USAID staff who work on climate change issues, and other USG agencies that work with forest, biodiversity, and climate change issues, projects, and programs. In the area of forestry, biodiversity, and climate change, the incumbent will provide USAID with technical leadership and assistance, strategic planning and program management, expert policy and technical advice, collaboration with other units of USAID, particularly field missions and other offices on behalf of the Asia and Middle East Bureaus, and dissemination of relevant information within the agency and to its partners.
 
Required Skills:
Experience integrating the ecological, economic, and social aspects of forest, biodiversity, and climate change management programs in highly complex environments is required, as is expertise in one or more of the following technical areas: forest and biodiversity conservation, forest-related aspects of global climate change, and climate change adaptation.
Proven skill in the design, management, and evaluation of forestry, biodiversity, and climate change programs or activities as a manager, supervisor, or administrator. Expertise in working with USAID field missions is desirable, as is knowledge of USAID administrative, contractual, and financial reporting systems.
Understanding of the role of foreign assistance in promoting the sustainable use of forest resources, mitigating and adapting to climate change, and balancing economic development needs with conservation objectives is critical.
 Demonstrated experience in climate change and the conservation of tropical forests and biodiversity in developing countries, in at least one geographic region in the developing world.
 Demonstrated ability to work effectively, both independently and as a member of a team, with a wide variety of individuals, groups, environmental institutions, and technical organizations.
 Ability to work effectively under pressure to carry out specific, results-oriented tasks in developing countries given constraints in time, information, and logistical support.
 Ability to operate in highly complex developing country environments is essential.
 Excellent communication skills, including the ability to clearly articulate forestry issues, both in writing and orally. Ability to develop both technical and general audience materials to inform or advocate is highly desirable.
The position will require the ability to conduct occasional travel.

To Apply: please send a) a cover letter, b) a current resume, and c) a supplemental statement that addresses individually your experience and qualifications in each of the Required Skill Areas listed above to: FAS-SCHB-APPLIC@wdc.usda.gov with the subject: OCBD-13-046.

Attachments should be limited to a total of 5 MB or less, as e-mails with large attachments may be blocked by the USDA e-mail firewall.

NOTE:  Applications that do not include a supplemental statement that directly and individually addresses the required skills will not be considered.

Direct all inquiries to:

Program Officer:  Michael Hirsh
Branch: USDA/FAS/OCBD/DRDA/RDNR
Telephone:  (202) 690-2615

NOTE: A career status employee who is outside of FAS who accepts this position will be appointed to a Schedule B, Excepted Service time-limited appointment.  This appointment does not offer re-employment rights back to career status within FAS, as described in CFR, Chapter 352.  The employee may seek re-employment rights from their losing agency prior to accepting this Schedule B appointment.  Please note that agencies are not required to grant re-employment rights.