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Summary This position is at the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG). The USBG is a public garden in the legislative branch and was established by Congress in 1820. The Garden inspires people to appreciate, study, and conserve plants to enrich society locally and globally. We provide educational experiences to 1 million visitors annually, present horticultural displays and exhibits, strive to break down barriers to inclusion, and advance the exchange of ideas and information. Learn more: U.S. Botanic Garden. Responsibilities The Architect of the Capitol is seeking a Botanist to support the U.S. Botanic Garden’s living Collection through expert plant identification, conservation planning, and data management. This role involves collaborating across divisions to guide horticultural practices, lead plant permitting efforts, support public education, and contribute to national and international botanical initiatives. MAJOR DUTIES: Botanical Asset Management Using knowledge of plant morphology and taxonomy, serves as nomenclatural authority over the Collection. Correctly identifies a broad range of plants from around the world. Provides expert knowledge by engaging with Supervisors, Horticulturists, and Gardeners in identification, cultivation, and cultural information for a wide variety of common and unusual hardy and tropical plants. Oversees coordination and administration of plant permitting, working with internal and external customers, stakeholders, partners, and regulators nationally and internationally. Works with USBG teams in supporting plant conservation activities. Serves as subject matter expert for the Horticulture Division with locating unusual or hard to obtain plants through commercial sources, institutional exchange, or wild collection. Communication of Botanical Knowledge Develops and presents educational and training programs related to botany and horticulture for employees, volunteers, and the general public. Contributes to exhibit development by researching, writing, verifying botanical information, and being a subject matter expert on topics included on exhibit materials. Working closely with the Learning and Engagement Division and Communication Specialists, reviews materials for botanical and scientific accuracy. Data Management Oversees the electronic mapping of the Collection with the input of the Curator and Plant Records specialist. Conducts regular Collection management audits looking at gaps for Collection building. Compiles wild population data assessments to further conservation efforts and improve the value of Collections through targeted collections building activities. Orchestrates, schedules, and assists Horticulture Division employees in the regular and systematic inventories of the Collection that they are responsible for maintaining. Independently performs regular and systematic in-depth inventories of the Collection. Works closely with the Director of Horticulture, Assistant Director of Horticulture, Curator, supervisors, and Landscape Architect to ensure project needs related to the Collection are identified and communicated to internal customers of the USBG, AOC, and external entities. Partnerships Serves as a subject matter expert for outside partnerships and collaborations in areas related to botany, horticulture, plant conservation, and other related topics. Represents USBG as a point of contact for institutional memberships in societies and groups relating to botany and library science. Works closely with the USBG science coordinator, Project Manager and Partnerships Manager to identify, suggest, and connect scientists to the Collection and collaborate with them on research. Administration Researches and proposes software and templates needed to effectively create and communicate Horticulture projects. Submits and tracks work orders and purchase requests electronically and communicates status updates to internal customers of the USBG and AOC as necessary. Develops calendar/schedules, spreadsheets, and reports to facilitate excellent communication between internal customers of the USBG and AOC, and external partners and stakeholders. The incumbent is responsible for utilizing a thorough knowledge of and compliance with applicable AOC and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety rules and regulations to ensure that work progresses in a safe manner and to initiate or take corrective action on unsafe conditions in managed areas. Provides or receives training, either on the job or through classroom training, to ensure that required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is utilized. Performs other related duties as assigned. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be able to pass a drug test. Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs. You must meet the definition of specialized experience. To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below: A citizen of the United States; A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States. Qualifications You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, an applicant's one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for successful job performance. To qualify at the GS-11 level, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you have one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-09 level in the federal service. Examples of qualifying experience include the following types of tasks performed on a regular and recurring basis: To meet the qualifications for this position, you must demonstrate experience in at least three (3) of the following: Studying the genetics, botany, physiology, ecology, nomenclature or taxonomy of various plant species. Applying statistical methods to draw conclusions and make recommendations based on scientific research. Managing a collection of plant specimens. Conducting original research in plant science or related field. Using ArcGIS, ArcGIS Pro or other global information systems for mapping, analyzing and/or managing data. Developing educational and training materials related to botany and horticulture. OR You may substitute education for specialized experience. In order to substitute education for specialized experience, you must have three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or equivalent doctoral degree in a field of study related to the duties of the position. To qualify at the GS-12 level, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you have one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-11 level in the federal service. Examples of qualifying experience include the following types of tasks performed on a regular and recurring basis: To meet the qualifications for this position, you must demonstrate experience in at least five (5) of the following: Studying the genetics, botany, physiology, ecology, nomenclature or taxonomy of various plant species. Applying statistical methods to draw conclusions and make recommendations based on scientific research. Managing a collection of plant specimens. Conducting original research in plant science or related field. Using ArcGIS, ArcGIS Pro or other global information systems for mapping, analyzing and/or managing data. Developing educational and training materials related to botany and horticulture. Education Degree: botany, basic plant science, or related field that included at least 24 semester hours in botany. ---OR---- Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in botany or basic plant science that included at least 24 semester hours in botany, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Evaluation of Education: Courses in basic botany, plant anatomy or morphology, cytology, histology, genetics, taxonomy or systematics, algology, mycology, ethnobotany, and those dealing with specific problems of a botanical nature or with specific groups of plants are qualifying. Additional Information Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit OPM vet guide If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC’s suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test. The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc\_1185221678150.shtm The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol. All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol. Note: Please be advised that federal retired annuitant candidates may only be considered as a temporary employee if the role can be filled in that capacity.