Massachusetts Jobs

Summary This position is a Land Surveyor, GS-1373-11/12, working in Hadley, Massachusetts, for the R5-Division of Realty. This position is also open to status candidates under announcement R5-25-12592866-ALM-MP. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods. Responsibilities As a Land Surveyor your duties will include, but are not limited to, the following: Performs work that involves establishing, investigating, and re-establishing land and property boundaries for descriptions of tracts of land. Plans, directs, documents, and guides highly complex boundary investigations, surveys, and resurveys of boundaries in accordance with federal, state and professional laws and regulations governing Land Surveying. Prepares professional legal reports for the permanent survey group file record, documenting circumstances that support unusual survey decisions. Assures the methods and procedures for incorporating GPS technology into the performance of cadastral surveys are conducted using best professional practices to ensure accurate outcomes. Researches and prepares responses to both internal and external inquiries pertaining to cadastral surveys or the official survey records and land ownership. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Only experience and education obtained by the closing date 11/25/2024 will be considered. In order to qualify for this position, you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualifications. Basic Requirement: A. Degree: Land surveying; or civil engineering with a surveying option/emphasis. The civil engineering major must have included at least 6 semester hours of surveying, 3 semester hours of land law, and 21 additional semester hours in any combination of the following: surveying, photogrammetry, geodetic surveying, geodesy, route surveying, remote sensing, cartography, survey astronomy, land information systems, computer-aided mapping, aerial photo interpretation, and survey analysis and adjustments. OR B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major in land surveying or civil engineering as described in paragraph A above, PLUS appropriate experience, or additional education. OR C. Current registration as a land surveyor: Current registration as a land surveyor in a State, territory, or the District of Columbia obtained by written examination. Such registration must have been obtained under conditions outlined in the National Council of Engineering Examiners (NCEE) Unified Model Law for Registration of Surveyors. Applicants wishing to be considered under this provision must show evidence of registration based on successful completion of the written examinations. Registrations granted prior to adoption of a registration law with qualification requirements equivalent to the NCEE Model Law by the State, territory, or District of Columbia are not acceptable under this option. To be considered equivalent to the NCEE Model law, registration laws must include the options listed within the NCEE Unified Model Law in the section specifying "General Requirements for Registration" as a Professional Land Surveyor. NOTE: Copy of registration required. Applicants must meet the following specialized experience requirements in order to be rated as qualified for this position (this information must be clearly supported in the resume). Minimum Qualification GS-11: A. One (1) year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience may include: 1) Establishing, investigating, and re-establishing land and property boundaries; 2) Preparing plats and legal descriptions for parcels of land; 3) Application of survey concepts, principles, techniques, and practical understanding of boundary law and written and verbal communication to provide recommendations on possible land ownership solutions. OR B. Three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, or Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in land surveying; or civil engineering with a surveying option/emphasis that included at least 6 semester hours of surveying, 3 semester hours of land law, and 21 additional semester hours in any combination of the following: surveying, photogrammetry, geodetic surveying, geodesy, route surveying, remote sensing, cartography, survey astronomy, land information systems, computer-aided mapping, aerial photo interpretation, and survey analysis and adjustments. OR C. A combination of experience and graduate education as described in A and B above which, when combined, is equivalent to 100% of the qualification requirement. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. NOTE: You must submit copies of all transcripts that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university and your resume must contain sufficient detail, (e.g., begin/end dates, hours worked per week, duties performed, etc.) for each timeframe for consideration. Minimum Qualification GS-12: One (1) year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-11 in the Federal service. Specialized experience may include: 1) Interpreting federal and state laws relative to land surveying and case law; 2) Establishing and re-establishing land and property boundaries in accordance with applicable federal and state surveying procedures and historical evidence; 3) Providing advice and guidance on land surveying activities, property ownership, and boundary disputes; 4) Develop, maintain, and archive permanent hard copy and digital survey files related to land acquisitions; 5) Preparing survey contracts, cost estimates, and project oversight. NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level. 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. Education PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts. PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. 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 (1) year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one (1) year of full-time graduate study. FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the 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. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional Information PCS INFORMATION: Yes, entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable. -In addition, relocation discretionary entitlements may be authorized for this position excluding contractor-provided home sale. Telework: This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval. Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area. Promotion Potential: Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and availability of funds. Selectee may be promoted without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Incentives: Certain incentives, such as, Recruitment, Relocation, or Student Loan Repayment, may be authorized to eligible selectees. If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis, and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentives (OPM.gov), or Relocation Incentives (OPM.gov), or Student Loan Repayment (OPM.gov). Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position with a score of 85 or above on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. Reasonable Accommodation: The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.