Individual Occupational Requirements for
GS-457: Soil Conservation Series
The text below is extracted verbatim from
Section IV-B of the Operating Manual for Qualification Standards
for General Schedule Positions (p.IV-B-66), but contains minor edits
to conform to web-page requirements.
Use these individual occupational requirements in
conjunction with the "Group Coverage Qualification Standard for
Professional and Scientific Positions."
Basic Requirements:
- Degree: soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource
discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education,
or agricultural engineering. The study must have included 30 semester hours in
a natural resource or agricultural field, including at least 12 semester hours
in a combination of soils and crops or plant science. Of the 12 semester hours,
a minimum of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in
crops or plant science.
OR
- Combination of education and experience--at least 30 semester hours in one or
more of the disciplines as shown in A above, including at least 12 semester
hours in a combination of soils and crops or plant science, plus appropriate
experience or additional education. Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum of
3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in crops or plant
science.
Evaluation of Education: Education that provided specialized knowledge and skills in soil and water
conservation is more valuable than education that imparted broad but general knowledge and skills.
Courses in soil fertility, soil chemistry, soil genesis, plant physiology, plant science, and field crops are
examples of specialized courses that contribute towards meeting the required 12 semester hours as
described above. Courses in the physical sciences or engineering such as geology, civil engineering, and
hydrology also meet the soils, crops, or plant science course requirements where such courses included
a complete introduction to the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils.
Evaluation of Experience: Experience that included the application of techniques, principles, and methods
from a variety of agricultural and natural resource fields is appropriate, given the interdisciplinary character of the soil conservation occupation. For example, experience gained in a specialized field such as soil
science, forestry, or agronomy is as fully acceptable as experience directly obtained in soil conservation
work.
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