Natural Resource Specialist 2/3 (PCN 10-1901)

About the Department

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land & Water, is recruiting for a Natural Resource Specialist 2/3 in Fairbanks.

This position is open to Alaska Residents only. 

Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

What You Will Be Doing:  

The duties of this Natural Resource 2/3 position within the Division of Mining, Land and Water (DMLW), Land Conveyance Section (LCS) include: 

If you would like to make a difference in our state by accepting these duties, our supportive and motivated team is looking for you!

Mission and Values/Culture:  

The DMLW mission is to "provide for the appropriate use and management of Alaska's state-owned land and water, aiming toward maximum use consistent with the public interest." The LCS mission is “To provide opportunities for land entitlement, preference right, and competitive sale, directly or indirectly benefiting the residents and nonresidents of Alaska, encouraging private land ownership and settlement.” LCS supports these missions by fulfilling constitutional and legislative mandates to encourage settlement of State lands and create opportunities for land ownership for the public benefit. This position is on the Non-Competitive Land Conveyance Unit (NCCU), whose purpose is to support the people, communities, and organizations of Alaska through the efficient, thoughtful, and accurate conveyance of state land, for the betterment of lives and livelihoods.

Benefits of Joining Our Team:  

Benefits of joining our team in the Land Conveyance Section include:

The Working Environment You Can Expect:  

The position is located at 3700 Airport Way in the DNR Fairbanks office building. The building sits on a wooded lot with a lawn and pond for relaxing on nice days and is within walking distance of coffee shops, restaurants, and the grocery store. Core office hours are 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., with a 7.5-hour daily schedule, Monday through Friday. The daily routine for this position includes collaborating on projects, making decisions, discussing policy, and communicating clearly and consistently with team members and supervisors. Though this position is primarily office-based, we offer hybrid teleworking opportunities and a flexible schedule for all our staff. There may be the opportunity to travel to conduct and assist with field inspections.

We are looking for a candidate who possesses the following position-specific competencies.  

Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Mining, Land & Water.

Position Duties

Competency-Based Minimum Qualifications Instructions
This job class uses competency-based minimum qualifications. Please ensure your application (through work history, volunteer experience (duties summary), training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports how you have gained the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors (competencies) and that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class. 
 
Competency Description           
The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class.  They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency.  They typically list expectations instead of specific tasks and are only used as parameters and guidelines.   A competency’s description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to meet the competency successfully, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options for how an applicant can meet the job expectation.

Minimum Qualifications

Natural Resource Specialist 2 – Starting Salary $2436.75

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

• Analytical Thinking/Problem-Solving: uses a logical, systematic, sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one’s knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary.
• Decision-Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence: Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, legal practices and documents, Government regulations, Executive orders, agency rules, Government organization and functions, and the democratic political process.
• Oral Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Writing: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Education in a natural resource field (such as forestry, geology, agronomy, and hydrology), public administration, planning, economics, cartography, or a closely related field and/or professional-level experience in natural resource management.

Natural Resource Specialist 3 – Starting Salary $2807.75

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

• Analytical Thinking/Problem-Solving: uses a logical, systematic, sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one’s knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary.
• Decision-Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
• Environmental Science: Knowledge of the interdisciplinary concepts, principles, theories, and methods of investigating the natural and physical environment, including examination of ecology, biology, physics, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geography, atmospheric, and other related sciences in the protection and improvement of the environment and its resources.
• Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence: Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, legal practices and documents, Government regulations, Executive orders, agency rules, Government organization and functions, and the democratic political process.
• Writing: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Education in a natural resource field such as forestry, geology, agronomy, and hydrology, law, public administration, planning, economics, or a closely related field and/or progressively responsible professional experience in natural resource management.

Definitions:

• Competencies - means a combination of interrelated knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that enable a person to act effectively in a job or situation.
• Professional experience - means work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment.
• Progressively responsible - means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.
• Qualified - means assessed to credibly possess the competencies needed to learn the job in a reasonable period.
• Training and education - in this guidance, are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, online, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and programs of long duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short duration (such as a seminar).
• Typically gained by - means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.

Special Note:

For purposes of the minimum qualifications, natural resource management is defined as the management of the land, water, mineral, forest, oil, gas, agricultural, archaeological, natural and cultural history, park, and related surface and subsurface resources. Experience or education in natural resource management means involvement in the above resources exclusively. Those with experience or education in managing these resources may specialize in different management functions (for example, planning, regulation, research or title). All of this experience is applicable to the natural resource management definition. Some positions may require education in a particular area of natural resource management or specific technical knowledge and training gained through specialized education or progressively greater responsibilities at the lower levels of the series.

Minimum Qualifications

** Please read the information below carefully. **

At the time of the interview, please bring the following materials.  Failure to do so may result in loss of consideration.   Required documents include: 

SPECIAL NOTICES

Application Notice

You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or by submitting a paper application. Instructions for applying are available on the Workplace Alaska How to Apply webpage.  We must receive applications by 5:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on the closing date.  

Writing Sample

If invited to interview, you will be required to provide a professional writing sample for which you are the author or major contributing author. The professional writing sample should illustrate your ability to explain detailed or complex information in a clear and concise manner. The writing sample may be an excerpt of a larger document, or multiple smaller documents. 

Supplemental Questions

For your application to be evaluated, you must answer the Supplemental Questions.  The State of Alaska (SOA) uses four proficiency levels to measure and describe an applicant’s competence in applying specific behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities to accomplish a specific task. The four proficiency levels are Mastery, Fluency, Literacy, and Discovery. You must rate your proficiency level for each competency listed in the supplemental questions.

Education

If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill out the Education section of the application. If you have not yet obtained a degree, please indicate the units you have completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position. 

Special Instructions for Foreign Education

Education completed at foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above. If using this education to meet minimum qualification requirements, you must demonstrate that the credentials have been submitted to a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in standard U.S. education programs. Alternatively, an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution must report that the other institution's transcript is given full value or that full value is recognized in relevant subject areas aligned with the post-secondary institution's curricula. It is your responsibility to provide this evidence when applying. 

Work Experience

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine whether the responses are supported and whether the minimum qualifications are met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase. 

Note: Attaching a resume does not substitute for completing the application in full. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.  

Bargaining Unit

If you are a current state employee, please indicate the union to which you belong at the time of application. Do not complete this question if you are not a current state employee. 

Flexible Staffing

This position is flexibly staffed. The level of the job offer will be based on the selected candidate’s credibly possessed and proven competencies. If hired at the lower level, you will be promoted to the higher level after completing the training plan and demonstrating competency in the work. 

Driver’s License Requirement

Applicants must possess a valid driver's license. Proof of licensure will be required prior to reporting to duty.  

Please ensure your application (through work history, training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports/demonstrates that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class. 

EEO STATEMENT
 The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodation, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats should call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

Other Qualifications

If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure that your email address is correct on your application and that your spam filter will permit emails from the governmentjobs.com domain.

Workplace Alaska Application Questions & Assistance

Direct questions about application submission or system errors to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. You may also email requests for information to [email protected].

For assistance with your password, please visit the password reset page.

For specific information about this position, please get in touch with the hiring manager at the following:

Andrew Miller

Natural Resource Manager 2

Phone: 907-269-8599

Email: [email protected]

Benefits

The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.

For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an orientation video from Division of Retirement and Benefits. (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)

Insurance Benefits

• Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
  • The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State:   See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
    • AVTEC
    • Confidential
    • Correctional Officers
    • Marine Engineers
    • Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
    • Supervisory
    • Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
    • Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
  • The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts.  Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
    • General Government
    • Labor, Trades and Crafts
    • Public Safety Employees Association
    • Masters, Mates & Pilots
• Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)

• Group-based insurance premiums for
  • Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
  • Long-term and short-term disability
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment
  • Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
  • Supplemental Survivor Benefits
• Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits

• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
• Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
• Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
• Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
• Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
• Note:  The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options

Paid Leave & Other Benefits

• Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
• Twelve (12) paid holidays a year

Supplemental Questions

Required Question

Agency Information

EmployerState of AlaskaAddress PO Box 110201

Juneau, Alaska, 99811 Phone(800) 587-0430 (Statewide toll-free number)
(907) 465-4095 (Juneau and out-of-state callers)Website http://workplace.alaska.gov/