On-the-Spot Hiring Program for Rangeland Management Specialists at the 62nd Annual Meeting and Trade Show for the Society for Range Management, Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 8-12, 2009

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENTWASHINGTON, D.C. 20240http://www.blm.govNovember 26, 2008In Reply Refer To:4000, 1400-361 (220) PEMS TRANSMISSION 12/04/2008Information Bulletin No. 2009-026To: All Field OfficialsAttention: DSDs for ResourcesFrom: Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and PlanningSubject: On-the-Spot Hiring Program for Rangeland Management Specialists at the 62nd Annual Meeting and Trade Show for the Society for Range Management, Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 8-12, 2009 DD: 12/19/2008Program Area: Rangeland Management and Federal Career Intern ProgramPurpose: To inform District Offices (DOs), Field Offices (FOs), and State Offices (SOs) of the intent to coordinate an On-the-Spot Hiring Program for entry-level Rangeland Management Specialists (0454 series) at the 62nd Annual Meeting and Trade Show for the Society for Range Management (SRM), Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 8-12, 2009.Action: Washington Office Rangeland Resources Division (WO-220) is informing you of a recruitment opportunity. We have been working with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) New Mexico Human Resources to enable the BLM to do noncompetitive on-the-spot hires of qualified entry-level applicants for permanent positions under the Federal Career Intern Program. This On-the-Spot Hiring Program is scheduled to take place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the upcoming Society for Range Management (SRM) annual meeting and trade show, February 8-12, 2009. Each year, for the past three years, SRM meetings have successfully offered on-the-spot hiring opportunities for students and young professionals. A Human Resources Specialist will be available in Albuquerque to review and qualify applications and enable the hiring process for the on-the-spot hires. FOs, DOs, and SOs are being asked to consider the opportunity to participate in this once-a-year program. More recruitment information is available at: http://www.rangelands.org.Background: Several federal agencies (U.S. Forest Service, National Resources Conservation Service and the BLM) have successfully coordinated On-the-Spot Hiring Programs at the SRM annual meetings in past years. The BLM first participated in this program at the SRM 60th Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada, and successfully qualified 38 applicants, interviewed 24 candidates and filled nine Rangeland Management Specialist (RMS, 454 series) positions. Applications were primarily received from graduating seniors representing 15 different universities and colleges. Following the February 2007 meetings, another 5 applicants were successfully hired by BLM offices from the qualified candidate list generated during the On-the-Spot Hiring Program.During the 61st Annual SRM meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, 22 applications had been received primarily from graduating seniors representing 15 different universities and colleges. Eleven qualified applicants were hired in positions representing 11 different field offices and five different states. Following the February 2008 meetings, another 2 applicants were successfully hired by the BLM offices from the qualified candidate list generated during the On-the-Spot Hiring Program.Federal Career Intern ProgramHiring authority for this program is provided under the Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP). The program was created under Executive Order 13162 and hiring authority is permitted when recruiting at regional or national levels. In accordance with 5 CFR, part 302, veterans' preference must be applied when filling positions in the excepted service. Successful candidates are typically offered entry-level positions, must be able to report to work within six months of the job offer, and may be converted to permanent status after two years of acceptable internship. During the internship, work assignments are designed to provide an orientation to the agency and offer progressive on-the-job specialized work experience and training targeted to the full-performance duties of the RMS. For more information, please visit the FCIP website.On-the-Spot Hiring Process The entire process averages three-four days from Sunday to Wednesday of the SRM annual meetings. The BLM will be present at the Rangeland Job Fair and Career Development Workshops on the first Sunday of the meeting and circulate job outreach notices as well as explain the agency hiring process to interested participants. Most applications are submitted and reviewed by BLM Human Resource Specialists by Monday at noon.Thirty-minute interviews are scheduled for qualified applicants beginning Monday late morning through Wednesday noon. The interview panel typically consists of managers, program leads and /or specialists that have been delegated with hiring authority, with one individual representing each job vacancy. At the completion of the interviews, tentative offers may be made to exceptional candidates with the intent to fill all available positions by Wednesday afternoon. The formal hiring offer for each candidate follows acceptable reference and background checks and is the responsibility of the local office.Additional Hiring AuthoritiesIn addition to the Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP), temporary employees may also be hired at this event through the following authorities:Student Career Experience Program (SCEP)A non-competitive authority for hiring students currently enrolled in an accredited vocational school, high school, undergraduate, graduate, doctoral degree or certificate program. Upon satisfactorily completing this program, the student can be converted noncompetitively into a career or career-conditional permanent appointment.Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP)Same as the SCEP authority above, except it does not have the conversion to permanent provision. Students in this program can be converted to the SCEP authority, noncompetitively at any time. For more information please visit http://www.blm.govHow to Participate: If you have a vacancy you would like to fill at this event please send the following information to Linda Coates-Markle, BLM Liaison to the Society for Range Management, Division of Rangeland Resources (WO-220) at lcmarkle@blm.gov or call (303) 986-3309.Position title, series and grade, for example: Range Management Specialist, GS 454, 5/7/9/11Duty Station, District and OfficeContact Information: name, email and phone number of designated hiring official position description and signed SF-52Office and community informationAny additional incentives that may be offered on an office by office basis: e.g., government housing, on-site child care, hiring bonus, Student Loan Re-payment program, financial assistance to cover moving expenses This information will be compiled and distributed to colleges, universities and minorities in range management and/or science programs throughout the country. Individual offices are encouraged to advertise their positions for at least 30 days in advance of the SRM annual meeting. During this advertisement period, if offices identify qualified applicants of interest that cannot make the meetings due to circumstances such as financial hardship or physical disability, then telephone interviews may be arranged by the hiring official while at the meetings.For more information please visit: http://www.rangelands.org For more information about the Society for Range Management Annual Meeting please visit: http://www.srmmeetings.org/Timeframe for Participation: Any offices wishing to participate in this program must indicate the intent to do so and provide required information by Friday, December 19, 2008.Signed by: Edwin L. Roberson, Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and PlanningAuthenticated by: Robert M. Williams Division of IRM Governance, WO-560