# Natural Resources Specialist (Pathways Recent Graduate) at Bureau of Reclamation - Company: [Bureau of Reclamation](https://usajobs.gov) - Location: Folsom, CA - Type: Full-time · Entry - Salary: $56k – $73k per year - Posted: 2026-11-09 - Apply: https://www.usajobs.gov:443/job/892197300 - Page: https://newgrad.ai/jobs/natural-resources-specialist-pathways-recent-graduate-d5e47a4f ## Summary by newgrad.ai What you'll do: - Assist with environmental compliance documentation and regulatory consultations. - Conduct field inspections and analyze natural resource data. - Support restoration projects involving wildlife habitats and erosion control. What they're looking for: - Recent graduates within two years of completing a qualifying degree. - Degree in biological sciences, natural resource management, or related fields. - One year of specialized experience or one year of graduate education. - Must be a U.S. citizen and pass a background investigation. ## Posting Natural Resources Specialist (Pathways Recent Graduate) at Bureau of Reclamation · Department of the Interior. Grade: 7-7. Applications close 2026-11-23. ### Summary This is a Pathways Recent Graduate position. You will serve as a Natural Resources Specialist for the Bureau of Reclamation. This position supports environmental compliance, natural resource monitoring, wildlife habitat management, and environmental restoration projects. This vacancy is limited to 50 applications and may close early. The announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. ET on the day the application limit is reached or on the scheduled closing date, whichever occurs first. ### Duties - Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Assist in preparing and reviewing environmental documents and supporting compliance with NEPA, ESA, and other applicable environmental laws. - Coordinate with federal, state, and local agencies on environmental planning, Section 7 consultations, and resource management activities. - Conduct field inspections, collect and analyze resource data, and monitor land and water areas to identify environmental impacts and compliance issues. - Assist in planning and implementing restoration and enhancement projects involving erosion control, wildlife habitats, wetlands, and riparian areas. - Provide technical support for environmental permits, resource management contracts, pest management activities, and environmental compliance. ### Qualifications Recent Graduate Requirement: You must apply for a Recent Graduate position within two (2) years of completing a qualifying educational program, i.e., within the previous two (2) years, the Recent Graduate must have completed a qualifying associate, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution. Except as provided for in the bullet below, an application will be considered only if it is received no later than two (2) years from the date all requirements for a qualifying degree or certificate were met. Exceptions are made for veterans, as defined in 5 USC 2108, who, due to military service obligations, were precluded from applying to the Program during the two-year eligibility period described above. These individuals have a full two-year period of eligibility upon their release or discharge from active duty. In no event, however, may their eligibility period extend beyond six years from the date on which they completed their academic requirements. In addition to being a Recent Graduate, to qualify for this position, you must meet the following Basic Educational Requirement AND Specialized Experience/Education: Basic Educational Requirements: To be considered, you must meet at least one of the following education requirement: A. Degree: A degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. -OR- B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting the above, to qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level you must meet one of the below requirements: Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: assisting with environmental compliance activities or preparing environmental documentation; collecting, compiling, or analyzing natural resource data; conducting field surveys or monitoring land, water, or wildlife resources; and assisting with natural resource management or environmental restoration activities. -OR- Education: Successful completion of one full year of graduate-level education in a field directly related to the position, such as biological sciences, environmental science, natural resource management, or a closely related discipline -OR- Combination of education and experience: A combination of qualifying graduate-level education and specialized experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position. Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): You may qualify based on a bachelor's degree in a field directly related to the position and Superior Academic Achievement. S.A.A. may be demonstrated by one of the following: Class standing: Graduated in the upper one-third of your college, university, or major subdivision. Grade-point average: A GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale based on 4 years of education, or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field, or the required courses completed during the final two years. Note: GPA will be rounded to one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9 Honor society membership: Membership in a qualifying national scholastic honor society recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. Freshman honor society membership does not qualify. See OPM for a list of eligible societies. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/23/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. ### Education This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification ### Additional requirements Must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or Foreign National who meets both Immigration and Annual Appropriations Laws. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. Recent Graduates will be required to sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement. Recent Graduates must receive at least 40 hours of formal training directly linked to their employment field. Recent Graduates will enter a formal training program with a mentor and execute an Individual Development Plan outlining training requirements and program expectations. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, the duration of the Recent Graduates excepted service appointment is counted as a trial period. During this time, your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. This trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. ### How to apply Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the 11/23/2026--unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13105637 Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status, visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status. Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. From Bureau of Reclamation's public posting, laid out for reading by newgrad.ai with the wording unchanged. Check the original before you apply. --- More new-grad and intern roles: https://newgrad.ai/llms.txt