The following requirements are prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management and used to determine minimum qualifications.
Individual Occupational Requirements
Education
Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- outdoor recreation planning or a related field such as: sociology, forestry, landscape architecture, economics, biological science, park administration, earth science, natural resource management and conservation, civil engineering, urban planning, or recreation. Applicants who qualify on the basis of graduate work in related disciplines must have one or more courses in outdoor recreation.
OR
Experience
General Experience (for GS-5 positions): Experience that provided a knowledge of the requirements and practices of outdoor recreation planning or natural resource utilization and conservation.
Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience that demonstrated the ability to plan and coordinate the use of land, water, and related resources for recreation and conservation purposes. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:
- Ability to deal with people of differing backgrounds and behavioral patterns.
- Analysis and evaluation of outdoor recreation interests, habits, and needs of diversified groups, and the means for meeting those needs.
- Evaluation of land or water areas for their recreation and related potential use, such as wildlife reserve.
- Preparation or review of plans and programs for natural resource utilization and recreation area development.
- Solution of administrative, intergovernmental, socioeconomic, and other problems involved in providing adequate recreation opportunities while preserving, restoring, and enhancing the quality of the outdoor environment.
Education and experience requirements
The following table shows the amounts of education and/or experience required to qualify for positions covered by this standard.
| GRADE | EDUCATION | EXPERIENCE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GENERAL | SPECIALIZED | ||
|
GS-5 |
4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree |
3 years, 1 year of which was equivalent to at least GS-4 |
None |
|
GS-7 |
1 full year of graduate level education |
None |
1 year equivalent to at least GS-5 |
|
GS-9 |
master's or equivalent graduate degree |
None |
1 year equivalent to at least GS-7 |
|
GS-11 |
Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree |
None |
1 year equivalent to at least GS-9 |
|
GS-12 |
None |
None |
1 year equivalent to at least next lower grade level |
NOTE: Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for all grade levels for which both education and experience are acceptable.
Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11. (When crediting education that requires specific course work, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.)
The following are examples of how education and experience may be combined. They are examples only, and are not all-inclusive.
-
The position to be filled is a Quality Assurance Specialist, GS-1910-5. An applicant has 2 years of general experience and 45 semester hours of college that included 9 semester hours in related course work as described in the individual occupational requirements. The applicant meets 67 percent of the required experience and 38 percent of the required education. Therefore, the applicant exceeds 100 percent of the total requirement and is qualified for the position.
-
The position to be filled is a Management Analyst, GS-343-9. An applicant has 6 months of specialized experience equivalent to GS-7 and 1 year of graduate level education. The applicant meets 50 percent of the required experience but none of the required education, since he or she does not have any graduate study beyond that which is required for GS-7. Therefore, the applicant meets only 50 percent of the total requirement and is not qualified for the position. (The applicant's first year of graduate study is not qualifying for GS-9.)
-
The position to be filled is a Music Specialist, GS-1051-11. An applicant has 9 months of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 and 2 1/2 years of creditable graduate level education in music. The applicant meets 75 percent of the required experience and 50 percent of the required education, i.e., the applicant has 1/2 year of graduate study beyond that required for GS-9. Therefore, the applicant exceeds the total requirement and is qualified for the position. (The applicant's first 2 years of graduate study are not qualifying for GS-11.)