**EXECUTIVE SUMMARY**

**Background**

The National Park Service, in partnership with the Center for Recreation
and Tourism Research and Policy, George Mason University, conducted a
Servicewide Training Needs Assessment for NPS employees in the Natural
Resources Stewardship Career Field. The survey was conducted from July
2002 through November 2002. \[See the *Natural Resources Stewardship
Career Field Servicewide Training Needs Assessment Final Report*, March
2003 for complete results of this study\].

Ellen B. Drogin Rodgers, Ph.D., Director, Center for Recreation and
Tourism Research and Policy was the University's Project Leader. Members
of the University's Project Team included Research Associates Valerie E.
Block, M.S. and Laura Lawton, Ph.D. Tony Knapp, Training Manager,
Cultural Resources Stewardship, Stephen T. Mather Training Center was
the project coordinator for the National Park Service.
\[[note]{.smallcaps}: The Natural Resources Stewardship Career Field
Training Manager position (Horace M. Albright Training Center) was
vacant during the course of the study\].

The ***purpose*** of this study was to:

-   Obtain baseline data to be used for identification of existing and
    future employee training needs; and,

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-   Determine training and development priorities for employees in each
    occupational group.

This study was designed to specifically accomplish the following
***objectives***:

-   To determine the perceptions of employees regarding the *importance*
    of their essential competencies;

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-   To determine the perceptions of employees regarding their *level of
    preparedness* to perform essential competencies; and,

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-   To assess the *gaps* in existing training, given the perceived
    importance of essential competencies and level of preparedness to
    perform them.

Essential competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) for NPS
employees in the Natural Resources Stewardship Career Field are
clustered in seven categories. These are:

-   Scientific Knowledge

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-   Scientific Method

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-   Resource Stewardship

-   Planning and Compliance

-   Professional Credibility

-   Communication

-   Program and Project Management

The essential competencies vary in complexity between occupational
groups and for each performance level (technician, entry/developmental,
journey, and advanced).

**Methods**

The methodology (including instrument preparation and study design) was
developed and executed by the University's Project Team. The essential
competencies identified for park employees within the Natural Resources
Stewardship Career Field were integrated into a survey instrument that
was used to assess training needs. Employees were asked to indicate
their perceptions of how important the essential competencies were to
the performance of their present jobs (1=Not Important, 7=Extremely
Important). Then, given the same list of competencies, they were asked
to rate their preparation to perform those tasks (1=Unprepared, 7=Fully
Competent). Demographic data (gender, age, formal education and academic
degrees, race and ethnicity, present grade, length of time in the NPS,
and time in current position) pertinent to National Park Service
employees were also solicited. \[See the *Natural Resources Stewardship
Career Field Servicewide Training Needs Assessment Final Report*, March
2003, for surveys developed for each group\].

Because of the relatively small number of employees in this career
field, the project team decided to survey all employees in each
occupational group, rather than to survey a proportionate sample.
Specifically, five groups were surveyed:

• Technician Level Discipline Specialists

• Entry/Developmental Level Discipline Specialists

• Journey Level Discipline Specialists

• Advanced Level Discipline Specialists

• Advanced Level Natural Resources Program Managers

Natural Resource (NR) Discipline Specialists include: biologists,
ecologists, botanists, fishery biologists, wildlife biologists, physical
scientists, geologists, range management specialists, hydrologists, and
natural resource specialists. Employees in these occupational groups may
have varied responsibilities and assignments including fire and fuels
management; environmental management; natural resources planning; and
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) management. \[[Note]{.smallcaps}:
For the essential competencies for Natural Resource Discipline
Specialists or Natural Resources Program Managers, see the *NPS*
*Employee Training and Development Career Planning and Tracking Kit,*
Natural Resources Stewardship Career Field (1996), at the NPS Learning
Place Web site: www.nps.gov/training/\].

The Training Needs Assessments were mailed to employees, who were asked
to complete the survey within a short time frame. To maximize the return
rate, the University mailed one reminder letter and survey to each
occupational group. Employees were assured that their responses would be
held in strictest confidence. Specifically, results have been reported
in the aggregate, never attributed to any individual, and mailing lists
generated for each occupational group using the Federal Payroll and
Personnel System (FPPS) were discarded upon completion of the final
report.

To summarize, a total of 1,243 employees were asked to complete the
survey. At the end of the data collection period, a total of 706
employees had responded with 90 additional questionnaires returned as
\"undeliverable.\" The effective response rate for this study was:
**61.2%**.

Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
(SPSS), a popular software program utilized by social and behavioral
scientists. Standard frequency distributions and other descriptive
statistics were computed for both the importance assigned to, and
ability to perform each of the essential competencies. These statistics
were analyzed in combination to identify \"training gaps\" through a
simple Importance-Preparation, or Gap Analysis.

**Result Highlights**

Meeting the study objectives, the results provide a clear picture of
employees\' perception of the importance of essential competencies and
of their perceived preparation to perform said competencies. For
purposes of this report, high training priorities -- where employees
perceived themselves unprepared to perform a competency relative to the
perceived importance of the competency to employee job performance
success -- are indicated by gaps of **1.0 and higher**. Moderate
training priorities are indicated by gaps of **0.70 to 0.99*. ***The
following discussion provides a brief summary of the perceived
importance of competencies and the perceived high and moderate gaps
(training needs) of employees in the five occupation groups surveyed.
\[See the *Natural Resources Stewardship Career Field Servicewide
Training Needs Assessment Final Report*, March 2003, for a detailed
discussion of the results\].

## ***Technical Level Discipline Specialists (138 respondents; Response Rate = 62.2%)***

1.  [Employees' Perception of Competency Importance]{.underline}

-   All competencies were rated as important to the employees' job
    performance success.

2.  [Employees' Perception of Training Gaps]{.underline}

-   No high gaps (training needs) were identified by this group.

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-   Moderate gaps (training needs) were identified for seven (7)
    competencies, including:

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-   Basic knowledge of environmental laws, compliance requirements, and
    policies

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-   Knowledge of general environmental laws

-   Ability to organize, store, and analyze data with computers

-   Ability to maintain currency of technical/scientific knowledge

-   Knowledge of resource restoration and mitigation

-   Ability to assist in analyzing data from ongoing studies

-   Ability to incorporate scientific information in management actions

#### ***Entry/Developmental Level Discipline Specialists (118 Respondents; Response Rate = 66.3%)*** 

1.  [Employees' Perception of Competency Importance]{.underline}

-   All competencies were rated as important to the employees' job
    performance success.

2.  [Employees' Perception of Training Gaps]{.underline}

-   High gaps (training needs) were identified for two (2) competencies,
    including:

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-   Knowledge of risk assessment methodologies and ability to evaluate
    potential resource impacts

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-   Knowledge of environmental laws, compliance requirements,
    regulations and policies

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-   Moderate gaps (training needs) were identified for ten (10)
    competencies, including:

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-   Ability to draft proposals, funding requests, and requests for
    proposals

-   Knowledge of natural resource discipline and currency in the field

-   Ability to write natural resource action plans, agency documents and
    technical reports

-   Ability to incorporate scientific information into management
    actions and policy development

-   Ability to propose relevant scientific approaches to natural
    resource management activities

-   Knowledge of general environmental laws

-   Ability to draft proposals, funding requests, and request for
    proposals

-   Ability to draft and monitor project budgets

-   Ability to assist in developing management strategies and plans

-   Ability to maintain currency of technical/scientific knowledge

***Journey Level Discipline Specialists (210 Respondents; Response Rate
= 64.2%)***

1\. [Employees' Perception of Competency Importance]{.underline}

-   One competency was rated as *not* important to the employees' job
    performance success:

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-   Ability to routinely publish articles in peer-reviewed publications
    and present information

2\. [Employees' Perception of Training Gaps]{.underline}

-   A high gap (training need) was identified for one (1) competency:

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-   Knowledge of data management, analytical methods and statistics

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-   Moderate gaps (training needs) were identified for seven (7)
    competencies, including:

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-   Knowledge of cooperative agreements, MOUs, contracting

-   Ability in collecting, storing, summarizing, and analyzing resource
    management data

-   Ability to serve as a technical expert

-   Ability to maintain currency of technical/scientific knowledge

-   Ability to incorporate scientific information into management
    actions, policies

-   Ability to use scientific knowledge to anticipate threats to natural
    resources and take proactive action to protect natural systems

-   Knowledge of standard computer systems uses and applications

***Advanced Level Discipline Specialists (123 Respondents; Response Rate
= 50.4%)***

1\. [Employees' Perception of Competency Importance]{.underline}

-   One competency was rated as *not* important to the employees' job
    performance success:

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-   Ability to publish articles in peer-reviewed publications and serve
    as an editor

2\. [Employees' Perception of Training Gaps]{.underline}

-   No high gaps (training needs) were identified.

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-   Moderate gaps (training needs) were identified for nine (9)
    competencies, including:

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-   Knowledge of data management, analytical methods and statistics

-   Ability to negotiate, persuade, and resolve conflict

-   Ability to successfully seek and arrange partnerships

-   Ability to develop and manage complex project budgets

-   Knowledge of computer systems, uses, and applications

-   Knowledge of the environmental laws, regulations, and policies, and
    guidelines related to natural resources planning and compliance

-   Ability to use sound judgement in drawing conclusions

-   Skill in interpersonal relationships

-   Ability to synthesize and incorporate scientific information into
    management actions

***Advanced Level Natural Resources Program Managers (117 Respondents;
Response Rate = 64.3%)***

1\. [Employees' Perception of Competency Importance]{.underline}

-   All competencies were rated as being important to the employees' job
    performance success.

2\. [Employees' Perception of Training Gaps]{.underline}

-   A high gap (training need) was identified for one (1) competency:

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-   Skills in leadership and team-building

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-   Moderate gaps (training needs) were identified for eleven (11)
    competencies, including:

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-   Ability to develop and coordinate complex multi-faceted programs of
    research, inventory, monitoring and resource management

-   Ability to integrate information across natural resources
    disciplines, to recognize patterns and draw conclusions, and to use
    results

-   Ability to persuade, effectively negotiate, and solve problems with
    diverse individuals and organizations

-   Ability to plan and direct large-scale resource stewardship programs

-   Ability to effectively convey information politicized or
    controversial issues to audiences

-   Ability to form effective partnerships with diverse and potentially
    hostile groups to address complex natural resource issues

-   Ability to evaluate and synthesize results of relevant scientific
    studies, and to develop solutions to complex problems

-   Ability to evaluate research reports, scientific publications, and
    agency documents and legislation for their applicability to specific
    natural resource issues

-   Ability to effectively compete for funding through development of
    partnerships

-   Advanced ability to apply scientific approaches and problem solving
    techniques in developing innovative solutions to complex natural
    resource issues

-   Ability to provide sound advice to upper-level managers on need
    resource stewardship programs and actions

The results of this Servicewide Training Needs Assessment will guide
future allocation of training resources and will assist in development
or refinement, and implementation of a *curriculum* for employees in the
Natural Resources Stewardship Career Field.

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

[Executive
Summary](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/nrsfinalreport2.doc#a) 2

Table of Contents 7

List of Tables 9

List of Figures 10

[Background](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/nrsfinalreport2.doc#b) 11

[Methods](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/nrsfinalreport2.doc#c) 13

Study Population 13

Development of Survey Instrument 13

Data Collection 13

Response Rate 13

Data Analyses 14

Results and Discussion 15

[Technician Level Discipline
Specialists](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/nrsfinalreport2.doc#d) 15

Profile of Respondents 15

Perceived Importance of Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies 16

Perceived Level of Preparation to Perform Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies 17

Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies 17

[Entry/Developmental Level Discipline
Specialists](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/nrsfinalreport2.doc#e) 23

Profile of Respondents 23

Perceived Importance of Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies 24

Perceived Level of Preparation to Perform Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies 25

Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies 25

[Journey Level Discipline
Specialists](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/nrsfinalreport2.doc#f) 32

Profile of Respondents 32

Perceived Importance of Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies 33

Perceived Level of Preparation to Perform Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies 34

Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies 34

[Advanced Level Discipline
Specialists](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/nrsfinalreport2.doc#g) 41

Profile of Respondents 41

Perceived Importance of Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies 42

Perceived Level of Preparation to Perform Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies 43

Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies 43

[Advanced Level Natural Resources Program
Managers](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/nrsfinalreport2.doc#h) 51

Profile of Respondents 51

Perceived Importance of Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies 52

Perceived Level of Preparation to Perform Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies 53

Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies 53

[References](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/nrsfinalreport2.doc#i) 60

Appendix A. Survey Instruments 62

[Appendix A-1. Survey Instrument: Technician Level Discipline
Specialists](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/A1 Final Report - DS Techni.pdf)
63

[Appendix A-2. Survey Instrument: Entry/Developmental Discipline
Specialists](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/A2 Final Report - DS Entry_.pdf)
74

[Appendix A-3. Survey Instrument: Journey Level Discipline
Specialists](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/A3 Final Report - DS Journe.pdf)
85

[Appendix A-4. Survey Instrument: Advanced Level Discipline
Specialists](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/A4 Final Report - DS Advanc.pdf)
100

[Appendix A-5. Survey Instrument: Advanced Level Natural Resources
Program
Managers](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/A5 Final Report - Adv Progr.pdf)
113

[Appendix B. Academic Degrees and Fields of
Study](http://www.nps.gov/training/nrs/Appendices.doc#b) 122

Appendix B-1. Academic Degrees and Fields of Study: Technician Level
Discipline Specialists 123

Appendix B-2. Academic Degrees and Fields of Study: Entry/Developmental
Discipline

Specialists 125

Appendix B-3. Academic Degrees and Fields of Study: Journey Level
Discipline Specialists 127

Appendix B-4. Academic Degrees and Fields of Study: Advanced Level
Discipline Specialists 130

Appendix B-5. Academic Degrees and Fields of Study: Advanced Level
Natural Resources

Program Managers 133

**Front Cover Photograph:** "Dealing with Spring" (Courtesy of *NPS Park
Science, 1*986)

**LIST OF TABLES**

Table 1. Response Rate for Natural Resources Stewardship Career Field
Employee Surveys 13

Table 2. Importance-Preparation Gap Analysis: Technician Level
Discipline Specialists 19

Table 3. Importance-Preparation Gap Analysis: Entry/Developmental Level
Discipline Specialists 28

Table 4. Importance-Preparation Gap Analysis: Journey Level Discipline
Specialists 36

Table 5. Importance-Preparation Gap Analysis: Advanced Level Discipline
Specialists 45

Table 6. Importance-Preparation Gap Analysis: Advanced Level Natural
Resources Program Managers 56

**LIST OF FIGURES**

Figure 1. Distribution of Technician Level Discipline Specialists by Age
15

Figure 2. Distribution of Technician Level Discipline Specialists by
Current Rank 16

Figure 3. Distribution of Technician Level Discipline Specialists by
Years as an NPS Employee 16

Figure 4. Importance-Preparation Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship
Career Field Competencies:

Technician Level Discipline Specialists 18

Figure 5. Distribution of Entry/Developmental Level Discipline
Specialists by Age 23

Figure 6. Distribution of Entry/Developmental Level Discipline
Specialists by Current Rank 24

Figure 7. Distribution of Entry/Developmental Level Discipline
Specialists by Years as an

NPS Employee 24

Figure 8. Importance-Preparation Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship
Career Field Competencies:

Entry/Developmental Level Discipline Specialists 27

Figure 9. Distribution of Journey Level Discipline Specialists by Age 32

Figure 10. Distribution of Journey Level Discipline Specialists by
Current Rank 33

Figure 11. Distribution of Journey Level Discipline Specialists by Years
as an NPS Employee 33

Figure 12. Importance-Preparation Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship
Career Field Competencies:

Journey Level Discipline Specialists 35

Figure 13. Distribution of Advanced Level Discipline Specialists by Age
41

Figure 14. Distribution of Advanced Level Discipline Specialists by
Current Rank 42

Figure 15. Distribution of Advanced Level Discipline Specialists by
Years as an NPS Employee 42

Figure 16. Importance-Preparation Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship
Career Field Competencies:

Advanced Level Discipline Specialists 44

Figure 17. Distribution of Advanced Level Natural Resources Program
Managers by Age 51

Figure 18. Distribution of Advanced Level Natural Resources Program
Managers by Current Rank 52

Figure 19. Distribution of Advanced Level Natural Resources Program
Managers by Years as an NPS

Employee 52

Figure 20. Importance-Preparation Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship
Career Field Competencies:

Advanced Level Natural Resources Program Managers 55

**NATURAL RESOURCES STEWARDSHIP CAREER FIELD**

**SERVICEWIDE TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT**

**FINAL REPORT**

**BACKGROUND**

In 1993, the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA, 1993) was
passed and signed into law. This legislation mandated that the actions
of federal agencies be guided through the establishment of concrete
goals and measured by performance evaluation. In 1995, the National Park
Service (NPS) adopted the *NPS Employee Training and Development
Strategy.* This Strategy, commensurate with the spirit of GPRA,
implemented a competency‑based approach to train­ing for all employees
Servicewide. Its stated mission is to provide for the professional
growth and continuous learning of all NPS employees, by providing them
with a comprehensive, mission‑focused training, and development program
(NPS, 1995).

With the growing momentum of the Strategy, teams of employees and
training managers, representing 17 different career fields, compiled and
documented the \"essential compe­tencies\" required to guide the
professional development of NPS employees, in 225 occupational groups.
The results of this effort are documented in the *NPS Employee Training
and Development Career Planning and Tracking Kit*. The Tracking Kit can
be accessed on the NPS Learning Place Web site at:
http://www.nps.gov/training.

In 2001, the NPS Training and Development Program began a process of
self-examination and change. The new three-fold Mission Statement of the
National Park Service Training and Development Program is:

-   The NPS is committed to individual and organizational effectiveness
    in order to accomplish its strategic goals.

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-   Training and development is a catalyst for the NPS to engage in
    continuous learning, professional growth, and organizational
    effectiveness.

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-   The professional Training and Development Community focuses on
    working with agency leaders to predict and develop
    strategies/approaches that contribute to a workforce capable of
    accomplishing NPS strategic goals.

Currently, five Servicewide Training and Development strategic goals are
defined to carry out this mission. Goal 2 states that the Service is to:
**"Build a competency-based, integrated system for managing employee
performance."** To accomplish this goal, the NPS must:

-   develop and deliver a comprehensive training program to address the
    identified essential competencies -- knowledge, skills, and
    abilities -- for each career field (e.g., define essential
    competencies necessary for each career field; **conduct training
    needs assessments to determine specific development needs**; develop
    comprehensive training programs to address identified competencies;
    and develop core curricula and methods of delivery); and,

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-   establish a process for validating training and development events
    and developmental programs to assure that they result in the
    organizational and individual benefits for which they were developed
    (e.g., develop an evaluation method to determine whether a training
    course, program, or activity has produced the intended results, and
    identify procedures for establishing and recognizing certification
    and benchmarks for specific competencies).

In 1994, the NPS Stephen T. Mather Training Center entered into a
cooperative agreement with the Center for Recreation Resources Policy
(CRRP) at George Mason University to conduct a training needs assessment
for the Interpretation and Education career field (Wright & Makay,
1995). In 1998, to begin establishing a baseline of data depicting needs
and levels of current performance, the National Park Service, Stephen T.
Mather Training Center, entered into a cooperative agreement with George
Mason Uni­versity, the Center for Recreation Resources Policy (renamed
the Center for Recreation and Tourism Research and Policy, July 1,
2002), to conduct a training needs assessments for employees in or
associated with the Cultural Resources Stewardship Career Field. The
*Summary of the Results of the Cultural Resources Stewardship
Servicewide Training Needs Assessment, Final Report, June 5, 2001*, is
available on the NPS Learning Place Web site at:
http://www.nps.gov/training.

The purpose of this report is to document the procedures and findings
associated with the assessment of training needs for employees in
Natural Resources Stewardship Career Fields (Discipline Technicians,
Discipline Specialists, and Program Managers). More specifically, this
study was designed to accomplish the fol­lowing objectives:

1\. To determine the perceptions of employees regarding the importance
of each of the essential competencies outlined in the *NPS Employee
Training and Development Career Planning and Tracking Kit.*

2\. To determine the perceptions of employees regarding their level of
preparedness to perform each essential competency.

> 3\. To diagnostically assess the gaps in existing training, given the
> importance assigned to compe­tencies and the general level of
> preparedness to perform critical tasks.

4.  To gather demographic data about employees in the Natural Resources
    Stewardship career field.

**METHODS**

*Study Population*. Given the relatively small number of employees in
the Natural Resources Stewardship Career Field, a decision was made to
survey all employees, rather than a proportionate sample. A total of
1,243 Natural Resources Discipline Technicians, Discipline Specialists,
and Program Managers in NPS parks, offices, and centers were asked to
participate in this study.

*Development of the Survey Instrument*. Essential competencies
identified for each of the five Natural Resources Stewardship Career
Field occupational groups and performance levels, were integrated into a
series of mail survey instruments. These competencies, in addition to
pertinent demographic data, formed the basis for the questionnaire.
Respondents were asked to indicate their perceptions of how important
each essential competency was to the performance of their present jobs
on a seven-point Likert scale, where 1=Not Important, 7=Extremely
Important. Then, given the same list of competencies, employees were
asked to rate their preparation to perform these tasks, again on a
seven-point Likert scale, where 1=Unprepared, 7=Fully Competent. Copies
of the five survey instruments are included as Appendix A.

*Data Collection.* Mailing lists were generated for each occupational
group using data from the Federal Payroll and Personnel System (FPPS).
Following standard procedures of social science and survey research, a
cover letter, questionnaire, and self-addressed, business reply envelope
were mailed to employees in each occupational group in Summer-Fall 2002.
Subjects were asked to complete the questionnaire during their workday,
as part of their official duties. Approximately four weeks later, those
persons who had not responded to the initial mailing were mailed a
follow-up letter and questionnaire requesting that they complete the
questionnaire and return it as soon as possible. Employees were assured
that their responses would be held in strictest confidence.
Specifically, results have been reported in the aggregate, never
attributed to any individual, and mailing lists generated for each
occupational group were discarded upon completion of the final report.

*Response Rate*. At the end of the data collection period, a total of
706 questionnaires had been returned. Taking into account the 90 surveys
returned as \"undeliverable,\" the effective response rate for this
study overall was 61.2 percent. The rate of response varied, however, by
occupational group (Table 1).

**Table 1. Response Rate for Natural Resources Stewardship Career Field
Employee Surveys**

  ----------------------------------- ----------------- ----------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------
  [Job Classification]{.smallcaps}    [N]{.smallcaps}   [Undeliverable]{.smallcaps}   [Completed]{.smallcaps}   [Response
                                                                                                                Rate]{.smallcaps}

                                                                                                                

  Discipline Specialist - Technician  239               17                            138                       62.2%

                                                                                                                

  Discipline Specialist -             194               16                            118                       66.3%
  Entry/Developmental Level                                                                                     

                                                                                                                

  Discipline Specialist - Journey     357               30                            210                       64.2%
  Level                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                

  Discipline Specialist - Advanced    261               17                            123                       50.4%
  Performance Level                                                                                             

                                                                                                                

  Program Manager - Advanced          192               10                            117                       64.3%
  Performance Level                                                                                             

                                                                                                                

  TOTAL                               1243              90                            706                       61.2%
  ----------------------------------- ----------------- ----------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------

*Data Analyses*. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for
the Social Sciences (SPSS), a popular software program utilized by
social and behavioral scientists. Standard descriptive statistics (e.g.,
frequency distributions, mean, standard deviation) were computed for
both the importance assigned to, and preparation to perform each of the
essential competencies. Additionally, these statistics were analyzed to
identify \"training gaps\" through a simple Importance-Preparation, or
gap analysis. For example, competencies in which employees perceived
themselves to be unprepared to perform were viewed relative to their
perceived importance to the employees\' successful job performance. Gap
scores were identified by calculating the difference between mean
Importance and mean Preparation for each specific competency. For
planning purposes, training efforts should be focused on those
competencies experiencing the largest \"gaps\", where level of perceived
importance is greater then the employee's perceived preparation to
perform. Treatment of the competency importance and preparation data
using "Importance-Performance Analysis" or Gap Analysis is similar to
procedures reported first by Martilla and James (1977). *The results for
each classification and performance level are presented in the following
discussions, tables, figures and appendices.*

**RESULTS AND DISCUSSION**

*Technician Level Discipline Specialists*

[Profile of Respondents]{.underline}. Over half (53.7%) of the 138
respondents were female; slightly less (46.3%) were male. Six
**Technician Level Discipline Specialists** (4.3%) indicated that they
had a disability. The average age of respondents, ranging from 24 to 63,
was 35.9 years (Figure 1).

**Figure 1. Distribution of Technician Level Discipline Specialists by
Age**

![](media/image1.wmf)

Although the majority of employees responding were White (85.1%), a
small number of respondents did indicate other races or ethnicities.
Specifically, respondents identified as Native American \[Native
Hawaiian\] or Other Pacific Islanders (3.0%), Black or African American
(0.7%), and Asians (0.7%). Those respondents noting an "Other" racial
identification (4.5%) self-identified as Anglo-American, Antartican,
Mixed Heritage, and Samoan. With regard to ethnicity, 6.7% of
respondents were Hispanic or Latino.

Respondents had completed an average of 16.4 years of formal education,
with 92 percent holding at least one advanced degree. The academic
degrees (e.g., B.S., B.A., M.S., Ph.D.) held by **Technician Level
Discipline Specialists** span a great number of fields (see Appendix
B-1. Technician Level Discipline Specialists).

Ranging in rank from GS-4 to GS-11, the largest proportion of
respondents held the rank of GS-7 (40.1%) (Figure 2). Three-quarters of
all respondents reported holding ranks of GS-7 or below. The average
number of years as an employee in the NPS was 5.9 with 3.3 years
averaged in current position (Figure 3).

**Figure 2. Distribution of Technician Level Discipline Specialists by
Current Rank**

![](media/image2.wmf){width="3.040277777777778in"
height="2.436111111111111in"}

**Figure 3. Distribution of Technician Level Discipline Specialists by
Years as an NPS Employee**

![](media/image3.wmf)

[Perceived Importance of Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies]{.underline}. As can be seen in Table 2, **Technician Level
Discipline Specialists** rated seven different competencies as having
the greatest importance to them in their current positions. Each of
these competencies received a mean importance rating of 6.0 or higher on
the 7-point scale. They were:

> (Q1) Working knowledge of natural resource discipline and currency in
> the field
>
> (Q4) Knowledge of basic scientific principles
>
> (Q7) Ability to follow basic scientific methods in conducting
> inventory, monitoring, and applied research projects
>
> (Q10) Basic knowledge and proficiency in field skills and measurements
>
> (Q12) Ability to reliably collect, computer input, and summarize
> natural resource data
>
> (Q35) Ability to use computers to communicate electronically
>
> (Q36) Ability to organize, store and analyze data with computers

Of the 42 competencies posed to respondents, 31 were rated as 5.0 or
higher. In fact, no competencies were rated as being unimportant (i.e.,
less than 4.0), with only three at, or slightly above the 4.0 level:

> (Q26) Ability to publish articles in peer-reviewed publications and/or
> make presentations at scientific meetings
>
> (Q39) Basic knowledge of types of agreements and ability to draft
> simple agreements of contract outlines.
>
> (Q40) Ability to draft and monitor project budgets, including the
> status of staff and fiscal resources

[Perceived Level of Preparation to Perform Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies]{.underline}. **Technician Level Discipline Specialists**
reported feeling highly prepared regarding only one of the 42
competencies, rating this item as 6.0 or higher on the 7-point scale:

> (Q35) Ability to use computers to communicate electronically

Additionally, sixteen (16) competencies were rated as 5.0 or higher.
Employees did note two competencies where they perceived themselves to
be relatively less prepared (i.e., less than 4.0):

> (Q39) Basic knowledge of types of agreements and ability to draft
> simple agreements of contract outlines.
>
> (Q40) Ability to draft and monitor project budgets, including the
> status of staff and fiscal resources

[Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies.]{.underline} When
analyzed together, the relative ratings of importance and preparation
provide a diagnostic assessment of training "gaps" in this occupational
group. There were no competencies that produced a gap in excess of 1.0,
even though seven exceeded 0.70. These items were, in order of
magnitude:

> (Q23) Basic awareness of environmental laws, compliance requirements,
> regulations, executive orders and policies related to respective
> resource discipline
>
> (Q15) Basic knowledge of general environmental laws
>
> (Q36) Ability to organize, store and analyze data with computers
>
> (Q29) Demonstrated ability to maintain currency of
> technical/scientific knowledge
>
> (Q16) Basic knowledge of resource restoration and mitigation in area
> of expertise
>
> (Q11) Ability to assist in analyzing data from on-going studies or
> studies designed by someone else

(Q17) Ability to incorporate scientific information in management
actions, policy development, and interaction with other resource
managers

However, a slight word of caution must be offered here. The two items
producing the largest "I-P gaps" had relatively low rating of importance
(4.23 and 4.29, respectively) when compared to other items.

In contrast, analyses related to two (2) competencies produced positive
gaps between the importance of a competency and how well prepared
respondents perceived themselves to be. That is, respondents rated their
preparation to perform relative to these items as being higher than its
perceived importance.

> (Q33) Ability to give off-site, public presentations on
> non-controversial issues
>
> (Q34) Ability to write and orally present management summaries of
> research information

The gaps between the group mean importance of each competency and the
group mean preparation to perform each competency are graphically
depicted in Figure 4.

![](media/image4.wmf)

National Park Service

Stephen T. Mather Training Center

Natural Resources Stewardship Training Needs Assessment

**Table 2. Importance-Preparation Gap Analysis: Technician Level
Discipline Specialists**

**(138 Respondents)**

+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| [ |   |                         | Mean  | St     | Mean  | St     | I-P |
| C |   |                         |       | andard | **P** | andard |     |
| o |   |                         | **I*  | Dev    | repar | Dev    | Gap |
| m |   |                         | *mpor | iation | ation | iation |     |
| p |   |                         | tance |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       | (**I   |       | (**P*  |     |
| t |   |                         |       | **mpor |       | *repar |     |
| e |   |                         |       | tance) |       | ation) |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| ] |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| { |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| p |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| } |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+===+===+=========================+=======+========+=======+========+=====+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| f |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| K |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| w |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Working knowledge of    | 6.01  | 1.25   | 5.43  | 1.31   | 0   |
| \ |   | natural resource        |       |        |       |        | .58 |
| . |   | discipline and currency |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | in the field.           |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Basic knowledge of      | 5.80  | 1.35   | 5.54  | 1.38   | 0   |
| \ |   | ecological principles.  |       |        |       |        | .26 |
| . |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to review and   | 5.61  | 1.32   | 5.35  | 1.46   | 0   |
| \ |   | understand results of   |       |        |       |        | .26 |
| . |   | research done elsewhere |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | for possible relevancy  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | to park natural         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource issues.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Knowledge of basic      | 6.10  | 1.01   | 5.79  | 1.29   | 0   |
| \ |   | scientific principles.  |       |        |       |        | .31 |
| . |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 5 |   | Ability to apply        | 5.98  | 1.28   | 5.57  | 1.46   | 0   |
| \ |   | standard or existing    |       |        |       |        | .41 |
| . |   | sampling and research   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | design and quality      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | assurance/control       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | techniques.             |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| f |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| M |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| h |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 6 |   | Ability to propose      | 5.47  | 1.54   | 4.98  | 1.35   | 0   |
| \ |   | relevant scientific     |       |        |       |        | .49 |
| . |   | approaches to natural   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource management     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | activities and          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | problem-solving.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 7 |   | Ability to follow basic | 6.26  | 1.18   | 5.98  | 1.23   | 0   |
| \ |   | scientific methods in   |       |        |       |        | .28 |
| . |   | conducting inventory,   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | monitoring, and applied |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | research projects.      |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 8 |   | Ability to design       | 5.53  | 1.59   | 4.95  | 1.51   | 0   |
| \ |   | studies, gather data,   |       |        |       |        | .58 |
| . |   | and present results of  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | studies in the field of |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | expertise.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 9 |   | With assistance,        | 4.77  | 1.77   | 4.56  | 1.59   | 0   |
| \ |   | ability to design       |       |        |       |        | .21 |
| . |   | sampling protocols      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | outside field of        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | expertise.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Basic knowledge and     | 6.46  | 0.96   | 5.86  | 1.33   | 0   |
| 0 |   | proficiency in field    |       |        |       |        | .60 |
| \ |   | skills and              |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | measurements.           |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to assist in    | 5.72  | 1.31   | 5.00  | 1.59   | 0   |
| 1 |   | analyzing data from     |       |        |       |        | .72 |
| \ |   | on-going studies or     |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | studies designed by     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | someone else.           |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to reliably     | 6.43  | 1.05   | 5.87  | 1.39   | 0   |
| 2 |   | collect, computer       |       |        |       |        | .56 |
| \ |   | input, and summarize    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | natural resource data.  |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| N |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| R |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| u |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| w |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| h |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| p |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Basic knowledge of NPS  | 4.95  | 1.50   | 4.69  | 1.70   | 0   |
| 3 |   | history, mission,       |       |        |       |        | .26 |
| \ |   | goals, guidelines, and  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | policies.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Basic knowledge of the  | 4.66  | 1.56   | 4.43  | 1.69   | 0   |
| 4 |   | resource missions of    |       |        |       |        | .23 |
| \ |   | the Department of       |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | Interior, other DOI     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | bureaus, and other      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | Federal and State       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource agencies.      |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Basic knowledge of      | 5.10  | 1.50   | 4.29  | 1.66   | 0   |
| 5 |   | general environmental   |       |        |       |        | .81 |
| \ |   | laws.                   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Basic knowledge of      | 5.31  | 1.57   | 4.57  | 1.62   | 0   |
| 6 |   | resource restoration    |       |        |       |        | .74 |
| \ |   | and mitigation in area  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | of expertise.           |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to incorporate  | 5.26  | 1.64   | 4.55  | 1.59   | 0   |
| 7 |   | scientific information  |       |        |       |        | .71 |
| \ |   | in management actions,  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | policy development, and |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | interaction with other  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource managers.      |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to apply        | 5.30  | 1.36   | 5.04  | 1.34   | 0   |
| 8 |   | standard approaches to  |       |        |       |        | .26 |
| \ |   | problem-solving in      |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | areas where established |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | policy or guidance      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | exists.                 |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to integrate    | 5.26  | 1.77   | 4.72  | 1.53   | 0   |
| 9 |   | scientific knowledge    |       |        |       |        | .54 |
| \ |   | and knowledge of        |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | environmental law to    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | identify threats to     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | natural resources and   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | be proactive to protect |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | natural systems using   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | standardized            |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | approaches.             |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| C |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| p |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Basic knowledge of how  | 5.32  | 1.50   | 4.77  | 1.43   | 0   |
| 0 |   | to use scientific       |       |        |       |        | .55 |
| \ |   | information to          |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | recognize, appraise,    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | and describe natural    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource issues and     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | management conflicts.   |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Basic ability to help   | 5.12  | 1.57   | 4.76  | 1.51   | 0   |
| 1 |   | formulate possible      |       |        |       |        | .36 |
| \ |   | alternative management  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | strategies.             |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Awareness of risk       | 4.92  | 1.72   | 4.26  | 1.68   | 0   |
| 2 |   | assessment              |       |        |       |        | .66 |
| \ |   | methodologies and basic |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | ability to evaluate, in |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | scientific terms,       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | potential resource      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | impacts from identified |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | management              |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | needs/proposed          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | management actions.     |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Basic awareness of      | 5.12  | 1.68   | 4.23  | 1.61   | 0   |
| 3 |   | environmental laws,     |       |        |       |        | .89 |
| \ |   | compliance              |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | requirements,           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | regulations, executive  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | orders, and policies    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | related to respective   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource discipline.    |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to assist in    | 4.88  | 1.68   | 4.45  | 1.63   | 0   |
| 4 |   | the development of      |       |        |       |        | .43 |
| \ |   | various management      |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | strategies and formal   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | plans to address        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource issues.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| f |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| C |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| b |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| y |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to develop an   | 5.54  | 1.39   | 4.94  | 1.52   | 0   |
| 5 |   | active network of       |       |        |       |        | .60 |
| \ |   | professional            |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | interaction with peers  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | in the scientific       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | community.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to publish      | 4.15  | 1.88   | 4.02  | 1.72   | 0   |
| 6 |   | articles in             |       |        |       |        | .13 |
| \ |   | peer-reviewed           |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | publications and/or     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | make presentations at   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | scientific meetings.    |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to maintain a   | 5.28  | 1.63   | 4.68  | 1.53   | 0   |
| 7 |   | level of scientific     |       |        |       |        | .60 |
| \ |   | knowledge and skill in  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | application that is     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | recognized by peers in  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | government agencies and |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | the academic community  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | as credible and         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | providing a basic       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | foundation for work     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | performed.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to carry out    | 4.29  | 1.88   | 4.20  | 1.73   | 0   |
| 8 |   | peer review of          |       |        |       |        | .09 |
| \ |   | scientific reports, and |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | to participate in       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | developmental           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | assignments as a member |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | of teams reviewing      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | natural resource        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | programs.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Demonstrated ability to | 5.67  | 1.32   | 4.92  | 1.54   | 0   |
| 9 |   | maintain currency of    |       |        |       |        | .75 |
| \ |   | technical/scientific    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | knowledge.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| C |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| u |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to write        | 5.26  | 1.75   | 4.62  | 1.76   | 0   |
| 0 |   | natural resource action |       |        |       |        | .64 |
| \ |   | plans, sections of      |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | agency documents and    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | technical reports, in   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | accordance with         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | existing guidelines and |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | subject to review by    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | others.                 |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to organize and | 5.47  | 1.47   | 5.02  | 1.64   | 0   |
| 1 |   | orally present          |       |        |       |        | .45 |
| \ |   | technical and           |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | scientific information. |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to present      | 5.56  | 1.47   | 5.02  | 1.68   | 0   |
| 2 |   | briefings to agency     |       |        |       |        | .54 |
| \ |   | personnel and the       |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | visiting public.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to give         | 4.72  | 1.80   | 5.37  | 1.60   | -0  |
| 3 |   | off-site, public        |       |        |       |        | .65 |
| \ |   | presentations on        |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | non-controversial       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | issues.                 |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to write and    | 5.15  | 1.73   | 5.20  | 1.59   | -0  |
| 4 |   | orally present          |       |        |       |        | .05 |
| \ |   | management summaries of |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | research information.   |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to use          | 6.43  | 0.97   | 6.15  | 1.20   | 0   |
| 5 |   | computers to            |       |        |       |        | .28 |
| \ |   | communicate             |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | electronically.         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to organize,    | 6.58  | 0.84   | 5.82  | 1.26   | 0   |
| 6 |   | store, and analyze data |       |        |       |        | .76 |
| \ |   | with computers.         |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| / |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| j |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| M |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to conceive and | 5.56  | 1.52   | 4.99  | 1.59   | 0   |
| 7 |   | define project          |       |        |       |        | .57 |
| \ |   | objectives in area of   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | expertise and to        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | develop basic work      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | plans.                  |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to draft        | 4.52  | 2.11   | 4.03  | 1.89   | 0   |
| 8 |   | proposals, funding      |       |        |       |        | .49 |
| \ |   | requests, and request   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | for proposals.          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Basic knowledge of      | 4.08  | 1.96   | 3.52  | 1.83   | 0   |
| 9 |   | types of agreements and |       |        |       |        | .56 |
| \ |   | ability to draft simple |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | agreements of contract  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | outlines.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to draft and    | 4.07  | 2.02   | 3.50  | 2.03   | 0   |
| 0 |   | monitor project         |       |        |       |        | .57 |
| \ |   | budgets, including the  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | status of staff and     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | fiscal resources.       |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to coordinate   | 5.29  | 1.76   | 4.77  | 1.67   | 0   |
| 1 |   | and facilitate groups   |       |        |       |        | .52 |
| \ |   | or teams to accomplish  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | resource management and |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | research projects       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | objectives.             |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to monitor      | 5.53  | 1.59   | 5.37  | 1.44   | 0   |
| 2 |   | basic project           |       |        |       |        | .16 |
| \ |   | implementation.         |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+

**RESULTS AND DISCUSSION**

***Entry/Developmental Level Discipline Specialists***

[Profile of Respondents]{.underline}. Slightly over half (53.8%) of the
118 respondents were male, with only 46.2% female. Only one
**Entry/Developmental Level Discipline Specialist** (3.9%) indicated
that they had a disability. The average age of respondents, ranging from
25 to 67, was 36 years (Figure 5).

**Figure 5. Distribution of Entry/Developmental Level Discipline
Specialists by Age**

![](media/image5.wmf){width="3.040277777777778in"
height="2.436111111111111in"}

Although the majority of employees responding were White (94.0%), a
small number of respondents did indicate other races or ethnicities.
Specifically, respondents identified as American Indian or Alaskan
Native (3.4%), Asian (0.9%), Black or African American (0.9%), Native
American \[Native Hawaiian\] or Other Pacific Islander (0.9%), and
"Other" (0.9%) \[Unspecified racial identification\]. With regard to
ethnicity, 0.9% of respondents were Hispanic or Latino.

Respondents had completed an average of 17.3 years of formal education,
with 73.7 percent holding at least one advanced degree. The academic
degrees (e.g., B.S., B.A., M.S., Ph.D.) held by **Entry/Developmental
Level Discipline Specialists** span a great number of fields (see
Appendix B-2. Entry/Developmental Level Discipline Specialists).

Ranging in rank from GS-5 to GS-11, the majority of respondents held the
rank of GS-9 (61.9%) (Figure 6). The average number of years as an
employee in the NPS was 5.8 (ranging from less than one to 30 years)
with only 2.4 years averaged in current position (Figure 7).

**Figure 6. Distribution of Entry/Developmental Level Discipline
Specialists by Current Rank**

![](media/image6.wmf){width="3.040277777777778in"
height="2.436111111111111in"}

**Figure 7. Distribution of Entry/Developmental Level Discipline
Specialists**

**by Years as an NPS Employee**

![](media/image7.wmf){width="3.040277777777778in"
height="2.436111111111111in"}

[Perceived Importance of Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies]{.underline}. As can be seen in Table 3,
**Entry/Developmental Level Discipline Specialists** rated nine
different competencies as having the greatest importance to them in
their current positions. Each of these competencies received a mean
importance rating of 6.0 or higher on the 7-point scale. They were:

> (Q1) Working knowledge of natural resource discipline and currency in
> the field
>
> (Q2) Basic knowledge of ecological principles
>
> (Q3) Ability to review and understand results of research done
> elsewhere for possible relevancy to park natural resource issues
>
> (Q4) Knowledge of basic scientific principles
>
> (Q7) Ability to follow basic scientific methods in conducting
> inventory, monitoring and applied research projects
>
> (Q10) Basic knowledge and proficiency in field skills and measurements
>
> (Q12) Ability to reliably collect, computer input and summarize
> natural resource data
>
> (Q35) Ability to use computers to communicate electronically
>
> (Q36) Ability to organize, store and analyze data with computers

Of the 42 competencies posed to respondents, 35 were rated as 5.0 or
higher. In fact, no competencies were rated as being relatively
unimportant (i.e., less than 4.0).

[Perceived Level of Preparation to Perform Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies]{.underline}. **Entry/ Developmental Level Discipline
Specialists** reported feeling highly prepared in two (2) of the 42
competencies (rating 6.0 or higher on the 7-point scale):

> (Q4) Knowledge of basic scientific principles
>
> (Q35) Ability to use computers to communicate electronically

Additionally, twenty-three (23) competencies were rated as 5.0 or
higher. Employees also noted only one competency where they perceived
themselves to be relatively less prepared (i.e., less than 4.0):

> (Q39) Basic knowledge of types of agreements and ability to draft
> simple agreements of contract outlines

[Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies.]{.underline} When
analyzed together, the relative ratings of importance and preparation to
perform provide a diagnostic assessment of training "gaps" in this
occupational group. There were two competencies that produced a gap in
excess of 1.0:

> (Q22) Awareness of risk assessment methodologies and basic ability to
> evaluate, in scientific terms, potential resource impacts from
> identified management needs/proposed management actions
>
> (Q23) Basic awareness of environmental laws, compliance requirements,
> regulations, executive orders, and policies related to respective
> resource discipline

Additionally, ten exceeded 0.70 (with one, Q38, receiving a gap score of
.93). These items were, in order of magnitude:

> (Q38) Ability to draft proposals, funding requests, and request for
> proposals
>
> (Q1) Working knowledge of natural resource discipline and currency in
> the field
>
> (Q30) Ability to write natural resource action plans, sections of
> agency documents and technical reports, in accordance with existing
> guidelines and subject to review by others
>
> (Q17) Ability to incorporate scientific information into management
> actions, policy development, and interaction with other resource
> managers
>
> (Q6) Ability to propose relevant scientific approaches to natural
> resource management activities and problem solving
>
> (Q15) Basic knowledge of general environmental laws
>
> (Q39) Basic knowledge of types of agreements and ability to draft
> simple agreements of contract outlines
>
> (Q40) Ability to draft and monitor project budgets, including the
> status of staff and fiscal resources
>
> (Q24) Ability to assist in the development of various management
> strategies and formal plans to address resource issues
>
> (Q29) Demonstrated ability to maintain currency of
> technical/scientific knowledge

In contrast, analyses related to three (3) competencies produced
positive gaps between the importance of a competency and how well
prepared respondents perceived themselves to be. That is, respondents
rated their preparation to perform relative to these items as being
higher than its perceived importance.

> (Q33) Ability to give off-site, public presentations on
> non-controversial issues
>
> (Q26) Ability to publish articles in peer-reviewed publications and/or
> make presentations at scientific meetings
>
> (Q34) Ability to write and orally present management summaries of
> research information

The gaps between the group mean importance of each competency and the
group mean preparation to perform each competency are graphically
depicted in Figure 8.

![](media/image8.wmf)

National Park Service

Stephen T. Mather Training Center

Natural Resources Stewardship Training Needs Assessment

**Table 3. Importance-Preparation Gap Analysis: Entry/Developmental
Level Discipline Specialists**

**(118 Respondents)**

+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| [ |   |                          | Mean  | St     | Mean  | St     | I-P |
| C |   |                          |       | andard | **P** | andard |     |
| o |   |                          | **I*  | Dev    | repar | Dev    | Gap |
| m |   |                          | *mpor | iation | ation | iation |     |
| p |   |                          | tance |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       | (**I   |       | (**P*  |     |
| t |   |                          |       | **mpor |       | *repar |     |
| e |   |                          |       | tance) |       | ation) |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| ] |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| { |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| p |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| } |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+===+===+==========================+=======+========+=======+========+=====+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| f |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| K |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| w |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Working knowledge of     | 6.33  | 1.02   | 5.44  | 1.07   | 0   |
| \ |   | natural resource         |       |        |       |        | .89 |
| . |   | discipline and currency  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | in the field.            |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Basic knowledge of       | 6.21  | 0.94   | 5.73  | 1.06   | 0   |
| \ |   | ecological principles.   |       |        |       |        | .48 |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to review and    | 6.07  | 1.08   | 5.79  | 1.04   | 0   |
| \ |   | understand results of    |       |        |       |        | .28 |
| . |   | research done elsewhere  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | for possible relevancy   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | to park natural resource |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | issues.                  |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Knowledge of basic       | 6.25  | 0.95   | 6.03  | 1.08   | 0   |
| \ |   | scientific principles.   |       |        |       |        | .22 |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 5 |   | Ability to apply         | 5.79  | 1.41   | 5.32  | 1.31   | 0   |
| \ |   | standard or existing     |       |        |       |        | .47 |
| . |   | sampling and research    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | design and quality       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | assurance/control        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | techniques.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| f |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| M |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| h |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 6 |   | Ability to propose       | 5.85  | 1.26   | 5.05  | 1.19   | 0   |
| \ |   | relevant scientific      |       |        |       |        | .80 |
| . |   | approaches to natural    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource management      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | activities and           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | problem-solving.         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 7 |   | Ability to follow basic  | 6.05  | 1.28   | 5.79  | 1.12   | 0   |
| \ |   | scientific methods in    |       |        |       |        | .26 |
| . |   | conducting inventory,    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | monitoring, and applied  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | research projects.       |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 8 |   | Ability to design        | 5.45  | 1.46   | 4.97  | 1.44   | 0   |
| \ |   | studies, gather data,    |       |        |       |        | .48 |
| . |   | and present results of   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | studies in the field of  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | expertise.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 9 |   | With assistance, ability | 4.71  | 1.70   | 4.62  | 1.56   | 0   |
| \ |   | to design sampling       |       |        |       |        | .09 |
| . |   | protocols outside field  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | of expertise.            |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Basic knowledge and      | 6.04  | 1.19   | 5.83  | 1.10   | 0   |
| 0 |   | proficiency in field     |       |        |       |        | .21 |
|   |   | skills and measurements. |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to assist in     | 5.43  | 1.21   | 5.12  | 1.32   | 0   |
| 1 |   | analyzing data from      |       |        |       |        | .31 |
| \ |   | on-going studies or      |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | studies designed by      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | someone else.            |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to reliably      | 6.09  | 1.12   | 5.83  | 1.29   | 0   |
| 2 |   | collect, computer input, |       |        |       |        | .26 |
| \ |   | and summarize natural    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | resource data.           |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| N |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| R |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| u |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| w |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| h |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| p |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Basic knowledge of NPS   | 5.01  | 1.40   | 4.44  | 1.79   | 0   |
| 3 |   | history, mission, goals, |       |        |       |        | .57 |
| \ |   | guidelines, and          |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | policies.                |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Basic knowledge of the   | 4.74  | 1.45   | 4.10  | 1.73   | 0   |
| 4 |   | resource missions of the |       |        |       |        | .64 |
| \ |   | Department of Interior,  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | other DOI bureaus, and   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | other Federal and State  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource agencies.       |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Basic knowledge of       | 5.31  | 1.21   | 4.56  | 1.43   | 0   |
| 5 |   | general environmental    |       |        |       |        | .75 |
| \ |   | laws.                    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Basic knowledge of       | 5.37  | 1.31   | 4.78  | 1.41   | 0   |
| 6 |   | resource restoration and |       |        |       |        | .59 |
| \ |   | mitigation in area of    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | expertise.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to incorporate   | 5.81  | 1.28   | 4.96  | 1.35   | 0   |
| 7 |   | scientific information   |       |        |       |        | .85 |
| \ |   | in management actions,   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | policy development, and  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | interaction with other   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource managers.       |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to apply         | 5.53  | 1.15   | 5.30  | 1.31   | 0   |
| 8 |   | standard approaches to   |       |        |       |        | .23 |
| \ |   | problem-solving in areas |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | where established policy |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | or guidance exists.      |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to integrate     | 5.50  | 1.37   | 4.93  | 1.38   | 0   |
| 9 |   | scientific knowledge and |       |        |       |        | .57 |
| \ |   | knowledge of             |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | environmental law to     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | identify threats to      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | natural resources and be |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | proactive to protect     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | natural systems using    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | standardized approaches. |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| C |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| p |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Basic knowledge of how   | 5.64  | 1.26   | 5.16  | 1.18   | 0   |
| 0 |   | to use scientific        |       |        |       |        | .48 |
| \ |   | information to           |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | recognize, appraise, and |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | describe natural         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource issues and      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | management conflicts.    |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Basic ability to help    | 5.57  | 1.46   | 5.14  | 1.28   | 0   |
| 1 |   | formulate possible       |       |        |       |        | .43 |
| \ |   | alternative management   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | strategies.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Awareness of risk        | 5.44  | 1.45   | 4.40  | 1.38   | 1   |
| 2 |   | assessment methodologies |       |        |       |        | .04 |
| \ |   | and basic ability to     |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | evaluate, in scientific  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | terms, potential         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource impacts from    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | identified management    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | needs/proposed           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | management actions.      |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Basic awareness of       | 5.50  | 1.33   | 4.39  | 1.54   | 1   |
| 3 |   | environmental laws,      |       |        |       |        | .11 |
| \ |   | compliance requirements, |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | regulations, executive   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | orders, and policies     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | related to respective    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource discipline.     |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to assist in the | 5.52  | 1.34   | 4.81  | 1.47   | 0   |
| 4 |   | development of various   |       |        |       |        | .71 |
| \ |   | management strategies    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | and formal plans to      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | address resource issues. |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| f |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| C |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| b |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| y |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to develop an    | 5.72  | 1.27   | 5.09  | 1.54   | 0   |
| 5 |   | active network of        |       |        |       |        | .63 |
| \ |   | professional interaction |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | with peers in the        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | scientific community.    |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to publish       | 4.25  | 1.73   | 4.44  | 1.68   | -0  |
| 6 |   | articles in              |       |        |       |        | .19 |
| \ |   | peer-reviewed            |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | publications and/or make |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | presentations at         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | scientific meetings.     |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to maintain a    | 5.33  | 1.55   | 4.76  | 1.57   | 0   |
| 7 |   | level of scientific      |       |        |       |        | .57 |
| \ |   | knowledge and skill in   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | application that is      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | recognized by peers in   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | government agencies and  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | the academic community   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | as credible and          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | providing a basic        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | foundation for work      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | performed.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to carry out     | 4.86  | 1.58   | 4.77  | 1.62   | 0   |
| 8 |   | peer review of           |       |        |       |        | .09 |
| \ |   | scientific reports, and  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | to participate in        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | developmental            |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | assignments as a member  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | of teams reviewing       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | natural resource         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | programs.                |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 5.85  | 1.19   | 5.15  | 1.33   | 0   |
| 9 |   | maintain currency of     |       |        |       |        | .70 |
| \ |   | technical/scientific     |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | knowledge.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| C |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| u |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to write natural | 5.73  | 1.41   | 4.86  | 1.63   | 0   |
| 0 |   | resource action plans,   |       |        |       |        | .87 |
| \ |   | sections of agency       |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | documents and technical  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | reports, in accordance   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | with existing guidelines |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | and subject to review by |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | others.                  |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to organize and  | 5.69  | 1.28   | 5.21  | 1.48   | 0   |
| 1 |   | orally present technical |       |        |       |        | .48 |
| \ |   | and scientific           |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | information.             |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to present       | 5.68  | 1.30   | 5.47  | 1.32   | 0   |
| 2 |   | briefings to agency      |       |        |       |        | .21 |
| \ |   | personnel and the        |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | visiting public.         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to give          | 4.75  | 1.58   | 5.50  | 1.47   | -0  |
| 3 |   | off-site, public         |       |        |       |        | .75 |
| \ |   | presentations on         |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | non-controversial        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | issues.                  |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to write and     | 5.36  | 1.34   | 5.41  | 1.37   | -0  |
| 4 |   | orally present           |       |        |       |        | .05 |
| \ |   | management summaries of  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | research information.    |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to use computers | 6.46  | 0.87   | 6.26  | 0.96   | 0   |
| 5 |   | to communicate           |       |        |       |        | .20 |
| \ |   | electronically.          |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to organize,     | 6.51  | 0.73   | 5.82  | 1.25   | 0   |
| 6 |   | store, and analyze data  |       |        |       |        | .69 |
| \ |   | with computers.          |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| / |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| j |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| M |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to conceive and  | 5.96  | 1.28   | 5.43  | 1.28   | 0   |
| 7 |   | define project           |       |        |       |        | .53 |
| \ |   | objectives in area of    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | expertise and to develop |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | basic work plans.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to draft         | 5.48  | 1.45   | 4.55  | 1.78   | 0   |
| 8 |   | proposals, funding       |       |        |       |        | .93 |
| \ |   | requests, and request    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | for proposals.           |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Basic knowledge of types | 4.62  | 1.64   | 3.87  | 1.82   | 0   |
| 9 |   | of agreements and        |       |        |       |        | .75 |
| \ |   | ability to draft simple  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | agreements of contract   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | outlines.                |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to draft and     | 4.97  | 1.66   | 4.24  | 1.82   | 0   |
| 0 |   | monitor project budgets, |       |        |       |        | .73 |
| \ |   | including the status of  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | staff and fiscal         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resources.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to coordinate    | 5.42  | 1.57   | 4.81  | 1.71   | 0   |
| 1 |   | and facilitate groups or |       |        |       |        | .61 |
| \ |   | teams to accomplish      |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | resource management and  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | research projects        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | objectives.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to monitor basic | 5.88  | 1.19   | 5.58  | 1.44   | 0   |
| 2 |   | project implementation.  |       |        |       |        | .30 |
| \ |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+

**RESULTS AND DISCUSSION**

*Journey Level Discipline Specialists*

[Profile of Respondents]{.underline}. Over two-thirds (69.1%) of the 210
respondents were male, with only 30.9% female. Eight **Journey Level
Discipline Specialists** (3.8%) indicated that they had a disability.
The average age of respondents, ranging from 27 to 69, was 42.3 years
(Figure 9).

**Figure 9. Distribution of Journey Level Discipline Specialists by
Age**

![](media/image9.wmf){width="3.040277777777778in"
height="2.436111111111111in"}

Although the majority of employees responding were White (92.1%), a
small number of respondents did indicate other races or ethnicities.
Specifically, respondents identified as Asian (3.0%), American Indian or
Alaskan Native (0.5%), and Black or African American (0.5%). Those
respondents noting an "Other" racial identification (3.0%)
self-identified as Anglo, Mixed Racial Background or Heritage. With
regard to ethnicity, 2.0% of respondents were Hispanic or Latino.

Respondents had completed an average of 17.3 years of formal education,
with 95.7 percent holding at least one advanced degree. The academic
degrees (e.g., B.S., B.A., M.S., Ph.D.) held by **Journey Level
Discipline Specialists** span a great number of fields (see Appendix
B-3. Journey Level Discipline Specialists).

Ranging in rank from GS-11 to GS-13, nearly all respondents held the
rank of GS-11 (98.1%) (Figure 10). The average number of years as an
employee in the NPS was 11.2 (ranging from less than one to 36 years)
with 5.4 years averaged in current position (Figure 11).

**Figure 10. Distribution of Journey Level Discipline Specialists by
Current Rank**

![](media/image10.wmf){width="3.040277777777778in"
height="2.436111111111111in"}

**Figure 11.** **Distribution of Journey Level Discipline Specialists by
Years as an NPS Employee**

![](media/image11.wmf){width="3.040277777777778in"
height="2.436111111111111in"}

[Perceived Importance of Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies]{.underline}. As can be seen in Table 4, **Journey Level
Discipline Specialists** rated eight different competencies as having
the greatest importance to them in their current positions. Each of
these competencies received a mean importance rating of 6.0 or higher on
the 7-point scale. They were:

> (Q1) Ability to serve as a technical expert based on advanced, current
> knowledge of a natural resource discipline
>
> (Q2) Working knowledge of ecological principles
>
> (Q4) Ability to synthesize information from a wide variety of sources,
> within area of expertise
>
> (Q30) Ability to work as a member of a multidisciplinary team and to
> provide input related to area of expertise in the development of
> management plans and compliance documents
>
> (Q42) Proficiency in using electronic communications
>
> (Q45) Ability to set short- and long-term goals, and to develop work
> plans
>
> (Q46) Ability to prepare proposals, funding requests for proposals
>
> (Q52) Knowledge and skill in interpersonal relationships

Of the 52 competencies posed to respondents, 47 were rated as 5.0 or
higher. In fact, only one competency was rated as being unimportant
(i.e., less than 4.0):

> (Q32) Demonstrated ability to routinely publish articles in
> peer-reviewed publications and to present scientific information at
> scientific meetings

[Perceived Level of Preparation to Perform Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies]{.underline}. **Journey Level Discipline Specialists** did
not report feeling highly prepared regarding any of the 52 competencies
(rating 6.0 or higher on the 7-point scale). Although, thirty-four (34)
competencies were rated as 5.0 or higher. Employees also noted only one
competency where they perceived themselves to be relatively less
prepared (i.e., equal to or less than 4.0):

> (Q14) Basic knowledge of the missions, mandates, and programs of other
> Federal agencies such as OMB and GAO, as well as other laws which
> impact resource management such as the Federal Advisory Committee Act
> and Freedom of Information Act

[Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies.]{.underline} When
analyzed together, the relative ratings of importance and preparation to
perform provide a diagnostic assessment of training "gaps" in this
occupational group. There was one competency that produced a gap in
excess of 1.0:

> (Q10) Working knowledge of data management, analytical methods and
> statistics

Additionally, seven competencies exceeded 0.70 (with one, Q47, receiving
a gap score of .96). These items were, in order of magnitude:

> (Q47) Working knowledge of cooperative agreements, MOUs, contracting,
> and other agreement instruments
>
> (Q12) Ability and experience in collecting, storing (in electronic
> format), summarizing, and analyzing resource management data
>
> (Q1) Ability to serve as a technical expert based on advanced, current
> knowledge of a natural resource discipline
>
> (Q35) Demonstrated ability to maintain currency of
> technical/scientific knowledge
>
> (Q18) Ability to incorporate scientific information into management
> actions, policies, etc., including application in the area of
> expertise where little or no clear precedent exists
>
> (Q20) Ability to use scientific knowledge to anticipate threats to
> natural resources and take proactive action to protect natural systems
> employing standardized approaches and approaches tailored to the
> situation
>
> (Q11) Knowledge of standard computer systems, uses, and applications,
> including database and statistical software packages

In contrast, analyses related to three (3) competencies produced
positive gaps between the importance of a competency and how well
prepared respondents perceived themselves to be. That is, respondents
rated their preparation to perform relative to these items as being
higher than its perceived importance.

> (Q32) Demonstrated ability to routinely publish articles in
> peer-reviewed publications and to present scientific information at
> scientific meetings
>
> (Q37) Ability to give complex scientific and technical presentations
> at professional conferences and meetings
>
> (Q34) Recognized ability to carry out peer review of scientific
> reports, publications, projects, and natural resource programs

The gaps between the group mean importance of each competency and the
group mean preparation to perform each competency are graphically
depicted in Figure 12.

![](media/image12.wmf)

National Park Service

Stephen T. Mather Training Center

Natural Resources Stewardship Training Needs Assessment

**Table 4. Importance-Preparation Gap Analysis: Journey Level Discipline
Specialists**

**(210 Respondents)**

+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| [ |   |                          | Mean  | St     | Mean  | St     | I-P |
| C |   |                          |       | andard | **P** | andard |     |
| o |   |                          | **I*  | Dev    | repar | Dev    | Gap |
| m |   |                          | *mpor | iation | ation | iation |     |
| p |   |                          | tance |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       | (**I   |       | (**P*  |     |
| t |   |                          |       | **mpor |       | *repar |     |
| e |   |                          |       | tance) |       | ation) |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| ] |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| { |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| p |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| } |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+===+===+==========================+=======+========+=======+========+=====+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| f |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| K |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| w |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to serve as a    | 6.10  | 1.13   | 5.35  | 1.27   | 0   |
| \ |   | technical expert based   |       |        |       |        | .75 |
| . |   | on advanced, current     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | knowledge of a natural   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource discipline.     |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Working knowledge of     | 6.10  | 1.05   | 5.56  | 1.15   | 0   |
| \ |   | ecological principles.   |       |        |       |        | .54 |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to evaluate the  | 5.96  | 1.09   | 5.47  | 1.25   | 0   |
| \ |   | results of research,     |       |        |       |        | .49 |
| . |   | including published and  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | unpublished results of   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | research done elsewhere, |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | for applicability to     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | diverse park resource    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | issues.                  |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to synthesize    | 6.27  | 0.86   | 5.80  | 1.09   | 0   |
| \ |   | information from a wide  |       |        |       |        | .47 |
| . |   | variety of sources,      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | within area of           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | expertise.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| f |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| M |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| h |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 5 |   | Ability to apply         | 5.81  | 1.23   | 5.39  | 1.32   | 0   |
| \ |   | appropriate scientific   |       |        |       |        | .42 |
| . |   | approaches to natural    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource management      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | activities and           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | problem-solving.         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 6 |   | Ability to develop, to   | 5.86  | 1.38   | 5.19  | 1.54   | 0   |
| \ |   | coordinate, and to       |       |        |       |        | .67 |
| . |   | conduct research,        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | inventory, monitoring,   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | and resource management  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | projects based on        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | scientific knowledge and |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | using accepted protocols |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | and current methods.     |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 7 |   | Knowledge of and working | 5.63  | 1.36   | 4.99  | 1.52   | 0   |
| \ |   | experience in the        |       |        |       |        | .64 |
| . |   | application of           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | established scientific   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | methods and the ability  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | to modify and adapt      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | methodologies.           |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 8 |   | Ability to evaluate      | 5.40  | 1.45   | 4.81  | 1.68   | 0   |
| \ |   | adaptations of basic     |       |        |       |        | .59 |
| . |   | research designs and     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | sampling methods and to  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | implement quality        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | assurance/control        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | protocols.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 9 |   | Working knowledge of and | 5.59  | 1.42   | 5.12  | 1.49   | 0   |
| \ |   | proficiency in field     |       |        |       |        | .57 |
| . |   | skills and measurements, |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | including quality        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | assurance/control        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | protocols.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Working knowledge of     | 5.60  | 1.34   | 4.51  | 1.63   | 1   |
| 0 |   | data management,         |       |        |       |        | .09 |
| \ |   | analytical methods, and  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | statistics.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Knowledge of standard    | 5.73  | 1.19   | 5.02  | 3.17   | 0   |
| 1 |   | computer systems, uses,  |       |        |       |        | .71 |
| \ |   | and applications,        |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | including database and   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | statistical software     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | packages.                |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability and experience   | 5.85  | 1.21   | 5.06  | 1.55   | 0   |
| 2 |   | in collecting, storing   |       |        |       |        | .79 |
| \ |   | (in electronic format),  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | summarizing, and         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | analyzing resource       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | management data.         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| N |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| R |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| u |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| w |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| h |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| p |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Working knowledge of NPS | 5.31  | 1.48   | 5.00  | 1.71   | 0   |
| 3 |   | history, mission, goals, |       |        |       |        | .31 |
| \ |   | guidelines, and          |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | policies.                |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Basic knowledge of the   | 4.27  | 1.35   | 4.00  | 1.73   | 0   |
| 4 |   | missions, mandates, and  |       |        |       |        | .27 |
| \ |   | programs of other        |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | Federal agencies such as |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | OMB and GAO, as well as  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | other laws which impact  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource management such |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | as the Federal Advisory  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | Committee Act and        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | Freedom of Information   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | Act.                     |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Thorough knowledge of    | 5.35  | 1.37   | 4.68  | 1.57   | 0   |
| 5 |   | general environmental    |       |        |       |        | .67 |
| \ |   | laws and ability to      |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | apply them to the normal |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | range of natural         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource issues,         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | including preparation of |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | environmental planning   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | documents.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Thorough knowledge of    | 5.22  | 1.43   | 4.87  | 1.56   | 0   |
| 6 |   | law and policies, etc.,  |       |        |       |        | .35 |
| \ |   | related to subject       |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | matter expertise.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Thorough knowledge of    | 5.13  | 1.45   | 4.77  | 1.46   | 0   |
| 7 |   | restoration and          |       |        |       |        | .36 |
| \ |   | mitigation in area of    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | expertise.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to incorporate   | 5.93  | 1.05   | 5.19  | 1.46   | 0   |
| 8 |   | scientific information   |       |        |       |        | .74 |
| \ |   | into management actions, |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | policies, etc.,          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | including application in |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | the area of expertise    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | where little or no clear |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | precedent exists.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to develop       | 5.94  | 1.03   | 5.39  | 1.23   | 0   |
| 9 |   | innovative approaches to |       |        |       |        | .55 |
| \ |   | problem-solving in areas |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | where limited            |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | established policy or    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | guidance exists.         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to use           | 5.96  | 1.09   | 5.25  | 1.25   | 0   |
| 0 |   | scientific knowledge to  |       |        |       |        | .71 |
| \ |   | anticipate threats to    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | natural resources and    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | take proactive action to |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | protect natural systems  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | employing standardized   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | approaches and           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | approaches tailored to   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | the situation.           |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to assess the    | 5.57  | 1.29   | 5.20  | 1.31   | 0   |
| 1 |   | effects of proposed      |       |        |       |        | .37 |
| \ |   | natural resource         |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | management projects on   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | other park programs and  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | to incorporate all       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | division disciplines     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | into resource management |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | planning documents and   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | programs.                |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to advise crews  | 5.62  | 1.31   | 5.61  | 1.27   | 0   |
| 2 |   | working on resources     |       |        |       |        | .01 |
| \ |   | management projects and  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | to work with adjacent    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | land managers or owners  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | when appropriate.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| C |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| p |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Demonstrated knowledge   | 5.54  | 1.23   | 5.06  | 1.39   | 0   |
| 3 |   | and ability to use       |       |        |       |        | .48 |
| \ |   | scientific knowledge to  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | define and assess        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | complex NPS resource     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | preservation/use issues  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | in scientific terms.     |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to formulate and | 5.79  | 1.10   | 5.43  | 1.29   | 0   |
| 4 |   | evaluate alternative     |       |        |       |        | .36 |
| \ |   | management strategies    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | related to area of       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | expertise.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Working knowledge of     | 5.54  | 1.18   | 4.96  | 1.42   | 0   |
| 5 |   | risk management and      |       |        |       |        | .58 |
| \ |   | demonstrated ability to  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | recognize and evaluate   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | conflicts between        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource preservation    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | and management needs in  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | scientific terms.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 5.97  | 1.06   | 5.46  | 1.26   | 0   |
| 6 |   | define information       |       |        |       |        | .51 |
| \ |   | needs, including         |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | research, inventories,   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | baseline studies, and    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | follow-up monitoring.    |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Comprehension of broad   | 5.41  | 1.41   | 4.81  | 1.53   | 0   |
| 7 |   | range of environmental   |       |        |       |        | .60 |
| \ |   | laws, regulations,       |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | policies and other       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | requirements related to  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | natural resource         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | planning and compliance. |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Good working knowledge   | 5.26  | 1.51   | 4.91  | 1.61   | 0   |
| 8 |   | of laws and compliance   |       |        |       |        | .35 |
| \ |   | regulations, executive   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | orders, policies and     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | guidelines related to    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | discipline of technical  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | expertise.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Working ability to       | 5.53  | 1.36   | 5.23  | 1.39   | 0   |
| 9 |   | develop management plans |       |        |       |        | .30 |
| \ |   | to address natural       |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | resource issues.         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to work as a     | 6.00  | 1.17   | 5.88  | 1.12   | 0   |
| 0 |   | member of a              |       |        |       |        | .12 |
| \ |   | multi-disciplinary team  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | and to provide input     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | related to area of       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | expertise in the         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | development of           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | management plans and     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | compliance documents.    |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| f |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| C |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| b |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| y |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Demonstrated ability and | 5.67  | 1.27   | 5.48  | 1.40   | 0   |
| 1 |   | skill in developing and  |       |        |       |        | .19 |
| \ |   | maintaining a network of |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | peers in the scientific  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | community for routine    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | professional             |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | interaction.             |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 3.68  | 1.92   | 4.14  | 1.73   | -0  |
| 2 |   | routinely publish        |       |        |       |        | .46 |
| \ |   | articles in              |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | peer-reviewed            |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | publications and to      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | present scientific       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | information at           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | scientific meetings.     |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 5.15  | 1.73   | 4.76  | 1.54   | 0   |
| 3 |   | maintain levels of       |       |        |       |        | .39 |
| \ |   | scientific knowledge and |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | skills in application    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | that are recognized by   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | peers in government      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | agencies and the         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | academic community as    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | credible and providing a |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | strong foundation for    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | work performed.          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Recognized ability to    | 4.34  | 1.85   | 4.45  | 1.69   | -0  |
| 4 |   | carry out peer review of |       |        |       |        | .11 |
| \ |   | scientific reports,      |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | publications, projects,  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | and natural resource     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | programs.                |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 5.83  | 1.12   | 5.08  | 1.54   | 0   |
| 5 |   | maintain currency of     |       |        |       |        | .75 |
| \ |   | technical/scientific     |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | knowledge.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| C |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| u |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to write complex | 4.90  | 1.72   | 4.81  | 1.77   | 0   |
| 6 |   | scientific and technical |       |        |       |        | .09 |
| \ |   | reports suitable for     |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | publication in           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | peer-reviewed journals,  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | as well as internal      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource management      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | documents.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to give complex  | 4.71  | 1.75   | 4.90  | 1.83   | -0  |
| 7 |   | scientific and technical |       |        |       |        | .19 |
| \ |   | presentations at         |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | professional conferences |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | and meetings.            |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to organize and  | 5.88  | 1.08   | 5.42  | 1.34   | 0   |
| 8 |   | synthesize complex       |       |        |       |        | .46 |
| \ |   | information from a       |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | variety of sources.      |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to effectively   | 5.98  | 1.11   | 5.38  | 1.40   | 0   |
| 9 |   | communicate complex      |       |        |       |        | .60 |
| \ |   | scientific information   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | to NPS managers and      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | other non-specialists,   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | using a variety of       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | media.                   |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to interpret     | 5.67  | 1.22   | 5.50  | 1.41   | 0   |
| 0 |   | complex issues for lay   |       |        |       |        | .17 |
| \ |   | audiences, using a       |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | variety of media.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Proficiency in using     | 5.76  | 1.10   | 5.51  | 1.37   | 0   |
| 1 |   | electronic               |       |        |       |        | .25 |
| \ |   | communications.          |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Proficiency in using     | 6.00  | 1.05   | 5.36  | 1.39   | 0   |
| 2 |   | computers to organize,   |       |        |       |        | .64 |
| \ |   | store, and analyze data. |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to use computer  | 5.41  | 1.31   | 5.02  | 1.65   | 0   |
| 3 |   | graphics programs to     |       |        |       |        | .39 |
| \ |   | facilitate the written   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | and oral presentation of |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | scientific material.     |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| / |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| j |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| M |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to identify      | 5.92  | 1.03   | 5.38  | 1.26   | 0   |
| 4 |   | needs and set priorities |       |        |       |        | .54 |
| \ |   | within area of           |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | expertise, including     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | facilitation of group    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | efforts to define and    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | prioritize broader       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource management and  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | research needs.          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to set short-    | 6.10  | 0.90   | 5.58  | 1.27   | 0   |
| 5 |   | and long-term goals, and |       |        |       |        | .52 |
| \ |   | to develop work plans.   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to prepare       | 6.10  | 1.23   | 5.47  | 1.46   | 0   |
| 6 |   | proposals, funding       |       |        |       |        | .63 |
| \ |   | requests, and requests   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | for proposals.           |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Working knowledge of     | 5.44  | 1.26   | 4.48  | 1.73   | 0   |
| 7 |   | cooperative agreements,  |       |        |       |        | .96 |
| \ |   | MOUs, contracting, and   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | other agreement          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | instruments.             |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to seek and      | 5.42  | 1.47   | 4.76  | 1.66   | 0   |
| 8 |   | obtain partners and      |       |        |       |        | .66 |
| \ |   | funding from a variety   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | of sources.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Ability to develop and   | 5.57  | 1.41   | 5.07  | 1.64   | 0   |
| 9 |   | manage project budgets,  |       |        |       |        | .50 |
| \ |   | including fiscal as well |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | as staff resources.      |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 5 |   | Knowledge of project     | 5.49  | 1.20   | 4.96  | 1.56   | 0   |
| 0 |   | administration.          |       |        |       |        | .53 |
| \ |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 5 |   | Ability to monitor       | 5.83  | 1.04   | 5.40  | 1.40   | 0   |
| 1 |   | project implementation.  |       |        |       |        | .43 |
| \ |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 5 |   | Knowledge and skill in   | 6.34  | 0.85   | 5.77  | 1.17   | 0   |
| 2 |   | interpersonal            |       |        |       |        | .57 |
| \ |   | relationships.           |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+

**RESULTS AND DISCUSSION**

*Advanced Level Discipline Specialists*

[Profile of Respondents]{.underline}. Over two-thirds (69.7%) of the 123
respondents were male, with only 30.3% female. Five **Advanced Level
Discipline Specialists** (4.2%) indicated that they had a disability.
The average age of respondents, ranging from 30 to 64, was 46 years
(Figure 13).

**Figure 13. Distribution of Advanced Level Discipline Specialists by
Age**

![](media/image13.wmf)

Although the majority of employees responding were White (91.5%), a
small number of respondents did indicate other races or ethnicities.
Specifically, respondents identified as Black or African American
(2.5%), Asian (1.7%), Native American \[Native Hawaiian\] or Other
Pacific Islander (1.7%), American Indian or Alaskan Native (0.8%), and
"Other" (0.8%) \[Unspecified racial identification\].

Respondents had completed an average of 17.7 years of formal education,
with 94.3 percent holding at least one advanced degree. The academic
degrees (e.g., B.S., B.A., M.S., Ph.D.) held by **Advanced Level
Discipline Specialists** span a great number of fields (see Appendix
B-4. Advanced Level Discipline Specialists).

Ranging in rank from GS-12 to GS-15, the largest proportion of
respondents held the rank of GS-12 (68.9%) (Figure 14). The average
number of years as an employee in the NPS was 11.8 (ranging from less
than one to 38 years) with 5.5 years averaged in current position
(Figure 15).

**Figure 14. Distribution of Advanced Level Discipline Specialists by
Current Rank**

![](media/image14.wmf){width="3.040277777777778in"
height="2.436111111111111in"}

**Figure 15. Distribution of Advanced Level Discipline Specialists by
Years as an NPS Employee**

![](media/image15.wmf)

[Perceived Importance of Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies]{.underline}. As can be seen in Table 5, **Advanced Level
Discipline Specialists** rated three different competencies as having
the greatest importance to them in their current positions. Each of
these competencies received a mean importance rating of 6.0 or higher on
the 7-point scale. They were:

> (Q41) Ability to evaluate and synthesize information from conflicting
> sources
>
> (Q42) Ability to use sound judgment in drawing conclusions
>
> (Q50) Demonstrated skill in interpersonal relationships

Of the 50 competencies posed to respondents, 40 were rated as 5.0 or
higher. In fact, only one competency was rated as being unimportant
(i.e., less than 4.0):

> (Q32) Demonstrated ability to publish articles in peer-reviewed
> publications and to serve as an editor for publications and reports

[Perceived Level of Preparation to Perform Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies]{.underline}. **Advanced Level Discipline Specialists**
reported feeling highly prepared regarding only one of the 50
competencies, rating this item as 6.0 or higher on the 7-point scale:

> (Q1) Mastery level knowledge of a natural resource discipline such as
> that evidenced by an earned Ph.D., an MS/MA degree and 6 years of
> professional work, or the experience gained from 11 years of
> professional work in the field of expertise

Additionally, twenty-three (23) competencies were rated as 5.0 or
higher. Employees noted no competencies where they perceived themselves
to be relatively less prepared (i.e., less than 4.0).

[Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies.]{.underline} When
analyzed together, the relative ratings of importance and preparation to
perform provide a diagnostic assessment of training "gaps" in this
occupational group. There were no competencies that produced a gap in
excess of 1.0, although nine exceeded .70 (with one, Q9, receiving a gap
score of .94). These items were, in order of magnitude:

> (Q9) In-depth knowledge of data management, analytical methods and
> statistics
>
> (Q40) Ability to effectively negotiate, persuade, and resolve conflict
>
> (Q47) Demonstrated ability to successfully seek and arrange
> partnerships
>
> (Q48) Ability to develop and manage complex project budgets, including
> fiscal as well as staff resources
>
> (Q10) Knowledge of computer systems, uses, and applications, including
> database and statistical software packages
>
> (Q27) Sound working knowledge of the broad range of environmental
> laws, regulations, executive orders, policies and guidelines related
> to natural resources planning and compliance
>
> (Q42) Ability to use sound judgment in drawing conclusions
>
> (Q50) Demonstrated skill in interpersonal relationships
>
> (Q17) Ability to synthesize and incorporate diverse scientific
> information into management actions, policies, etc., including
> application in the areas of expertise where little or no clear
> precedent or guidance exists

However, a slight word of caution must be offered here. The item
producing the largest "I-P Gap" had a relatively low rating of
importance (4.13) when compared to other items.

In contrast, analyses related to four (4) competencies produced positive
gaps between the importance of a competency and how well prepared
respondents perceived themselves to be. That is, respondents rated their
preparation to perform relative to these items as being higher than its
perceived importance.

> (Q32) Demonstrated ability to publish articles in peer-reviewed
> publications and to serve as an editor for publications and reports
>
> (Q33) Demonstrated ability to present scientific information at
> scientific meetings and to organize and chair workshops and seminars
> at meetings
>
> (Q1) Mastery level knowledge of a natural resource discipline such as
> that evidenced by an earned Ph.D., an MS/MA degree and 6 years of
> professional work, or the experience gained from 11 years of
> professional work in the field of expertise
>
> (Q35) Recognized ability to carry out peer review of scientific
> reports, publications, projects, and natural resource programs

The gaps between the group mean importance of each competency and the
group mean preparation to perform each competency are graphically
depicted in Figure 16.

![](media/image16.wmf)

National Park Service

Stephen T. Mather Training Center

Natural Resources Stewardship Training Needs Assessment

**Table 5. Importance-Preparation Gap Analysis: Advanced Level
Discipline Specialists**

**(123 Respondents)**

+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| [ |   |                          | Mean  | St     | Mean  | S       | I  |
| C |   |                          |       | andard | **P** | tandard | -P |
| o |   |                          | **I*  | Dev    | repar | De      |    |
| m |   |                          | *mpor | iation | ation | viation | G  |
| p |   |                          | tance |        |       |         | ap |
| e |   |                          |       | (**I   |       | (**     |    |
| t |   |                          |       | **mpor |       | P**repa |    |
| e |   |                          |       | tance) |       | ration) |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| ] |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| { |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| p |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| } |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+===+===+==========================+=======+========+=======+=========+====+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| S |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| f |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| K |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| w |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| g |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 1 |   | Mastery level knowledge  | 5.76  | 1.38   | 6.09  | 1.24    | -  |
| \ |   | of a natural resource    |       |        |       |         | 0. |
| . |   | discipline such as that  |       |        |       |         | 33 |
|   |   | evidenced by an earned   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | Ph.D., and MS/MA degree  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | and 6 years of           |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | professional work, or    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | the experience gained    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | from 11 years of         |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | professional work in the |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | field of expertise.      |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 2 |   | In-depth knowledge of    | 5.86  | 1.29   | 5.39  | 1.27    | 0. |
| \ |   | ecological principles    |       |        |       |         | 47 |
| . |   | and how they apply to    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | park resources issues    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | and management.          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 3 |   | Ability to evaluate the  | 5.78  | 1.24   | 5.28  | 1.40    | 0. |
| \ |   | results of research,     |       |        |       |         | 50 |
| . |   | published and            |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | unpublished, conducted   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | in different ecosystems  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | and to use and adapt     |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | those results to resolve |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | diverse and complex park |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | resource issues.         |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 4 |   | Working knowledge of and | 5.80  | 1.21   | 5.48  | 1.38    | 0. |
| \ |   | experience in the        |       |        |       |         | 32 |
| . |   | application of general   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | scientific principles    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | and the ability to       |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | develop innovative new   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | methods and              |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | applications.            |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
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|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
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| d |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 5 |   | Ability to apply         | 5.57  | 1.32   | 4.95  | 1.52    | 0. |
| \ |   | state-of-the-knowledge   |       |        |       |         | 62 |
| . |   | scientific approaches to |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | natural resource         |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | management activities.   |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 6 |   | Ability to develop, to   | 5.12  | 1.72   | 4.68  | 1.56    | 0. |
| \ |   | coordinate, and to       |       |        |       |         | 44 |
| . |   | conduct complex          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | research, inventory,     |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | monitoring, and resource |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | management projects      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | based on scientific      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | knowledge and using      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | innovative protocols and |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | new methodologies.       |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 7 |   | Ability to develop and   | 4.87  | 1.78   | 4.40  | 1.59    | 0. |
| \ |   | evaluate innovative      |       |        |       |         | 47 |
| . |   | research designs and     |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | sampling strategies and  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | to apply quality         |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | assurance/control        |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | protocols.               |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 8 |   | Advanced knowledge and   | 4.86  | 1.71   | 4.18  | 2.07    | 0. |
| \ |   | proficiency in field     |       |        |       |         | 68 |
| . |   | skills and measurements, |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | including the ability    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | and experience to design |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | quality                  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | assurance/control        |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | protocols.               |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 9 |   | In-depth knowledge of    | 5.07  | 1.52   | 4.13  | 1.87    | 0. |
| \ |   | data management,         |       |        |       |         | 94 |
| . |   | analytical methods, and  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | statistics.              |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 1 |   | Knowledge of computer    | 5.32  | 1.28   | 4.52  | 1.59    | 0. |
| 0 |   | systems, uses, and       |       |        |       |         | 80 |
| \ |   | applications, including  |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | database and statistical |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | software packages.       |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 1 |   | Ability and experience   | 5.06  | 1.62   | 4.63  | 1.99    | 0. |
| 1 |   | in collecting, computer  |       |        |       |         | 43 |
| \ |   | inputting, summarizing,  |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | and analyzing resource   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | management data.         |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| N |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| S |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| R |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| u |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| S |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| w |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| h |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| p |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 1 |   | Thorough knowledge of    | 5.30  | 1.53   | 5.10  | 1.58    | 0. |
| 2 |   | NPS history, mission,    |       |        |       |         | 20 |
| \ |   | goals, guidelines, and   |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | policies.                |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 1 |   | Thorough knowledge of    | 4.42  | 1.35   | 4.11  | 1.56    | 0. |
| 3 |   | other Federal agencies   |       |        |       |         | 31 |
| \ |   | such as OMB and GAO and  |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | other laws which impact  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | resource management.     |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 1 |   | Advanced knowledge of    | 4.91  | 1.49   | 4.46  | 1.66    | 0. |
| 4 |   | environmental law and    |       |        |       |         | 45 |
| \ |   | demonstrated ability to  |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | apply environmental laws |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | to a broad range of      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | natural resource issues. |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 1 |   | Advanced knowledge of    | 4.98  | 1.55   | 4.54  | 1.65    | 0. |
| 5 |   | law, regulations, and    |       |        |       |         | 44 |
| \ |   | policies, etc., related  |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | to the integration of    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | subject matter expertise |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | into multidisciplinary   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | approaches to natural    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | resource issues.         |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 1 |   | Advanced knowledge of    | 4.83  | 1.51   | 4.50  | 1.69    | 0. |
| 6 |   | restoration and          |       |        |       |         | 33 |
| \ |   | mitigation in area of    |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | expertise.               |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 1 |   | Ability to synthesize    | 5.73  | 1.44   | 5.01  | 1.26    | 0. |
| 7 |   | and incorporate diverse  |       |        |       |         | 72 |
| \ |   | scientific information   |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | into management actions, |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | policies, etc.,          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | including application in |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | the area of expertise    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | where little or no clear |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | precedent or guidance    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | exists.                  |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 1 |   | Proficiency in           | 5.88  | 1.15   | 5.21  | 1.31    | 0. |
| 8 |   | developing innovative    |       |        |       |         | 67 |
| \ |   | approaches to            |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | problem-solving in areas |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | where little or no       |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | established policy or    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | guidance exists.         |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 1 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 5.63  | 1.48   | 5.10  | 1.30    | 0. |
| 9 |   | use scientific knowledge |       |        |       |         | 53 |
| \ |   | to anticipate threats to |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | natural resources and    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | take proactive action to |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | protect natural systems  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | up to the ecosystem      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | level employing          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | standardized approaches  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | and approaches tailored  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | to the situation.        |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 2 |   | Ability to use advanced  | 5.64  | 1.37   | 4.95  | 1.42    | 0. |
| 0 |   | scientific knowledge to  |       |        |       |         | 69 |
| \ |   | anticipate threats to    |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | natural resources and    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | take proactive action to |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | protect natural systems  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | up to the ecosystem      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | level employing          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | innovative approaches    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | and approaches tailored  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | to the situation.        |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 2 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 5.52  | 1.47   | 5.09  | 1.49    | 0. |
| 1 |   | understand the likely    |       |        |       |         | 43 |
| \ |   | effects of proposed      |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | natural resource         |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | management projects and  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | programs on other park   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | programs and to          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | incorporate all          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | divisions and            |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | disciplines into         |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | resource management      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | planning documents and   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | programs.                |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 2 |   | Ability to lead crews    | 5.21  | 1.68   | 5.03  | 1.83    | 0. |
| 2 |   | working on resources     |       |        |       |         | 18 |
| \ |   | management projects and  |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | to work effectively with |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | adjacent land managers   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | or owners when           |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | appropriate, when        |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | appropriate and other    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | resource scientists.     |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| g |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| C |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| p |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 2 |   | Advanced knowledge and   | 5.48  | 1.33   | 5.22  | 3.03    | 0. |
| 3 |   | demonstrated ability to  |       |        |       |         | 26 |
| \ |   | use scientific knowledge |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | to define and assess     |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | highly complex NPS       |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | resource                 |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | preservation/use issues  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | in scientific terms.     |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 2 |   | Ability to formulate and | 5.23  | 1.49   | 5.04  | 1.38    | 0. |
| 4 |   | continuously evaluate    |       |        |       |         | 19 |
| \ |   | and refine alternative   |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | management strategies.   |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 2 |   | Advanced knowledge and   | 4.93  | 1.55   | 4.47  | 1.51    | 0. |
| 5 |   | demonstrated skills of   |       |        |       |         | 46 |
| \ |   | risk management,         |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | including the ability to |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | recognize, evaluate and  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | characterize subtle      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | (including cumulative)   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | resource issues and      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | conflicts with           |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | management needs and to  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | define conflicts and     |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | risks in scientific      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | terms.                   |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 2 |   | Recognized ability to    | 5.52  | 1.37   | 5.06  | 1.39    | 0. |
| 6 |   | define in-depth, complex |       |        |       |         | 46 |
| \ |   | information needs,       |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | including research,      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | inventories, baseline    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | studies, and long term   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | monitoring.              |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 2 |   | Sound working knowledge  | 5.47  | 1.44   | 4.73  | 1.86    | 0. |
| 7 |   | of the broad range of    |       |        |       |         | 74 |
| \ |   | environmental laws,      |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | regulations, executive   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | orders, policies and     |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | guidelines related to    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | natural resources        |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | planning and compliance. |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 2 |   | Advanced knowledge of    | 5.25  | 1.51   | 4.75  | 1.81    | 0. |
| 8 |   | laws, regulations,       |       |        |       |         | 50 |
| \ |   | executive orders,        |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | policies and guidelines  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | related to discipline of |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | technical expertise.     |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 2 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 5.29  | 1.69   | 4.95  | 1.87    | 0. |
| 9 |   | develop and implement    |       |        |       |         | 34 |
| \ |   | management plans to      |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | address complex resource |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | issues.                  |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 3 |   | Ability to assemble and  | 5.44  | 1.56   | 5.22  | 1.60    | 0. |
| 0 |   | lead a team working on a |       |        |       |         | 22 |
| \ |   | complex resource issue   |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | and to provide expert    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | input related to         |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | discipline of expertise  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | in the development of    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | management plans and     |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | related compliance       |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | documents.               |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| f |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| s |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| C |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| d |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| b |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| l |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| y |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 3 |   | Demonstrated ability and | 5.68  | 1.36   | 5.34  | 1.39    | 0. |
| 1 |   | skill in developing and  |       |        |       |         | 34 |
| \ |   | maintaining a wide and   |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | diverse network of peers |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | in the scientific        |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | community for routine    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | professional             |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | interaction.             |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 3 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 3.92  | 1.96   | 4.32  | 1.91    | -  |
| 2 |   | publish articles in      |       |        |       |         | 0. |
| \ |   | peer-reviewed            |       |        |       |         | 40 |
| . |   | publications and to      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | serve as an editor for   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | publications and         |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | reports.                 |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 3 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 4.66  | 1.92   | 5.00  | 1.76    | -  |
| 3 |   | present scientific       |       |        |       |         | 0. |
| \ |   | information at           |       |        |       |         | 34 |
| . |   | scientific meetings and  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | to organize and chair    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | workshops and seminars   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | at meetings.             |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 3 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 5.09  | 1.80   | 4.69  | 1.78    | 0. |
| 4 |   | maintain levels of       |       |        |       |         | 40 |
| \ |   | scientific knowledge and |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | skills in application    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | that are recognized by   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | peers in government      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | agencies and the         |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | academic community as    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | credible and providing a |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | strong foundation for    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | work performed.          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 3 |   | Recognized ability to    | 4.42  | 1.89   | 4.43  | 1.99    | -  |
| 5 |   | carry out peer review of |       |        |       |         | 0. |
| \ |   | scientific reports,      |       |        |       |         | 01 |
| . |   | publications, projects,  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | and natural resource     |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | programs.                |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 3 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 5.26  | 1.63   | 4.64  | 1.62    | 0. |
| 6 |   | maintain currency of     |       |        |       |         | 62 |
| \ |   | advanced                 |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | technical/scientific     |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | knowledge.               |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| C |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| u |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| i |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 3 |   | Ability to write complex | 5.26  | 1.77   | 5.23  | 1.69    | 0. |
| 7 |   | scientific and technical |       |        |       |         | 03 |
| \ |   | documents dealing with   |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | advanced and highly      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | technical natural        |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | resource information and |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | issues.                  |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 3 |   | Ability to give complex  | 5.11  | 1.76   | 4.90  | 1.77    | 0. |
| 8 |   | technical and scientific |       |        |       |         | 21 |
| \ |   | information and prepare  |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | briefings from which     |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | decisions are made by    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | high-level agency        |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | personnel and Congress.  |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 3 |   | Ability to effectively   | 5.60  | 1.37   | 4.97  | 1.58    | 0. |
| 9 |   | convey complex           |       |        |       |         | 63 |
| \ |   | information concerning   |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | politicized or           |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | controversial issues to  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | potentially hostile      |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | audiences.               |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 4 |   | Ability to effectively   | 5.65  | 1.29   | 4.80  | 1.56    | 0. |
| 0 |   | negotiate, persuade, and |       |        |       |         | 85 |
| \ |   | resolve conflict.        |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 4 |   | Ability to evaluate and  | 6.05  | 1.07   | 5.43  | 1.43    | 0. |
| 1 |   | synthesize information   |       |        |       |         | 62 |
| \ |   | from conflicting         |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | sources.                 |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 4 |   | Ability to use sound     | 6.55  | 0.83   | 5.81  | 1.17    | 0. |
| 2 |   | judgment in drawing      |       |        |       |         | 74 |
| \ |   | conclusions.             |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| # |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| g |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| / |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| P |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| r |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| o |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| j |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| c |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| M |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| a |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| g |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| m |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| e |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| n |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| t |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
| * |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 4 |   | Ability to lead and      | 5.66  | 1.39   | 5.01  | 1.60    | 0. |
| 3 |   | coordinate groups to     |       |        |       |         | 65 |
| \ |   | define resource          |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | management and research  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | needs to address issues  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | that are complex or with |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | little precedent.        |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 4 |   | Ability to develop       | 5.38  | 1.34   | 5.09  | 1.50    | 0. |
| 4 |   | innovative work plans    |       |        |       |         | 29 |
| \ |   | for complex projects     |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | that involve multiple    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | components and a need    |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | for careful coordination |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | and sequencing.          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 4 |   | Ability to prepare       | 5.60  | 1.44   | 5.11  | 1.64    | 0. |
| 5 |   | complex proposals,       |       |        |       |         | 49 |
| \ |   | innovative funding       |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | requests, and requests   |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | for proposals.           |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 4 |   | Ability to prepare       | 5.36  | 1.48   | 4.73  | 1.58    | 0. |
| 6 |   | complex or innovative    |       |        |       |         | 63 |
| \ |   | cooperative agreements,  |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | MOUs, and other          |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | agreement instruments.   |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 4 |   | Demonstrated ability to  | 5.63  | 1.40   | 4.79  | 1.89    | 0. |
| 7 |   | successfully seek and    |       |        |       |         | 84 |
| \ |   | arrange partnerships.    |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 4 |   | Ability to develop and   | 5.36  | 1.54   | 4.55  | 1.95    | 0. |
| 8 |   | manage complex project   |       |        |       |         | 81 |
| \ |   | budgets, including       |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   | fiscal as well as staff  |       |        |       |         |    |
|   |   | resources.               |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 4 |   | Ability to oversee and   | 5.60  | 1.36   | 5.02  | 1.74    | 0. |
| 9 |   | monitor implementation   |       |        |       |         | 58 |
| \ |   | of complex projects.     |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
| 5 |   | Demonstrated skill in    | 6.23  | 0.98   | 5.50  | 1.32    | 0. |
| 0 |   | interpersonal            |       |        |       |         | 73 |
| \ |   | relationships.           |       |        |       |         |    |
| . |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+
|   |   |                          |       |        |       |         |    |
+---+---+--------------------------+-------+--------+-------+---------+----+

**RESULTS AND DISCUSSION**

*Advanced Level Natural Resources Program Managers*

[Profile of Respondents]{.underline}. Over three-quarters (78.4%) of the
117 respondents were male, with only 21.6% female. Three **Advanced
Level Natural Resources Program Managers** (2.6%) indicated that they
had a disability. The average age of respondents, ranging from 36 to 62,
was 48.7 years (Figure 17).

**Figure 17. Distribution of Advanced Level Natural Resources Program
Managers by Age**

![](media/image17.wmf){width="3.040277777777778in"
height="2.436111111111111in"}

Although the majority of employees responding were White (93.0%), a
small number of respondents did indicate other races or ethnicities.
Specifically, respondents identified as Black or African American
(1.8%), Native American \[Native Hawaiian\] or Other Pacific Islander
(1.8%), American Indian or Alaskan Native (0.9%), and Asian (0.9%).
Those respondents noting an "Other" racial identification (0.9%)
self-identified as Mixed Race. With regard to ethnicity, 0.9% of
respondents were Hispanic or Latino.

Respondents had completed an average of 17.5 years of formal education,
with 95.7 percent holding at least one advanced degree. The academic
degrees (e.g., B.S., B.A., M.S., Ph.D.) held by **Advanced Level Natural
Resources Program Managers** span a great number of fields (see Appendix
B-5. Advanced Level Natural Resources Program Managers).

Ranging in rank from GS-12 to GS-17, nearly half of all respondents held
the rank of GS-12 (47.8%) (Figure 18). The average number of years as an
employee in the NPS was 17.9 (ranging from less than one to 33 years)
with 7 years averaged in current position (Figure 19).

**Figure 18. Distribution of Advanced Level Natural Resources Program
Managers by Current Rank**

![](media/image18.wmf){width="3.040277777777778in"
height="2.436111111111111in"}

**Figure 19. Distribution of Advanced Level Natural Resources Program
Managers**

**by Years as an NPS Employee**

![](media/image19.wmf){width="3.040277777777778in"
height="2.436111111111111in"}

[Perceived Importance of Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies]{.underline}. As can be seen in Table 6, **Advanced Level
Natural Resources Program Managers** rated five different competencies
as having the greatest importance to them in their current positions.
Each of these competencies received a mean importance rating of 6.0 or
higher on the 7-point scale. They were:

> (Q3) Ability to integrate information across natural resources
> disciplines, to recognize patterns and draw conclusions, and to use,
> and adapt the results in innovative ways to resolve diverse and
> complex park resource issues
>
> (Q8) Advanced broad knowledge of the mission, goals, guidelines, and
> policies of the NPS, as well as the knowledge of the mission and
> purpose of other agencies organized groups, and private industry
>
> (Q9) Ability to develop innovative solutions, consistent with NPS
> policy and guidelines, to complex situations
>
> (Q13) Ability to provide sound advice to upper-level managers on
> needed resource stewardship programs and actions at a landscape-level
> or Servicewide scale
>
> (Q17) Highly developed leadership skills, including skill in effective
> team-building.

Additionally, of the 34 competencies posed to respondents, 30 were rated
as 5.0 or higher. In fact, no competencies were rated as being
relatively unimportant (i.e., less than 4.0).

[Perceived Level of Preparation to Perform Natural Resources Stewardship
Competencies]{.underline}. **Advanced Level Natural Resources Program
Managers** reported feeling prepared in twenty-one (21) of the 34
competencies (rating 5.0 or higher on the 7-point scale). Interestingly,
employees in this job classification reported no competencies in which
they were highly prepared (rating 6.0 or higher).

Employees also noted two competencies where they perceived themselves to
be relatively less prepared (i.e., less than 4.0):

> (Q10) Knowledge of case law as it relates to specific natural resource
> issues
>
> (Q18) Knowledge of precedent and case law related to planning and
> compliance

[Gaps in Natural Resources Stewardship Competencies.]{.underline} When
analyzed together, the relative ratings of importance and preparation to
perform provide a diagnostic assessment of training "gaps" in this
occupational group. There was one competency that produced a gap in
excess of 1.0:

> (Q17) Highly developed leadership skills, including skill in effective
> team-building

Additionally, eleven exceeded 0.70 (with four receiving gap scores
exceeding .90). These items were, in order of magnitude:

> (Q6) Ability to develop and coordinate complex multi-faceted programs
> of research, inventory, monitoring, and resource management based on
> scientific knowledge
>
> (Q3) Ability to integrate information across natural resources
> disciplines, to recognize patterns and draw conclusions, and to use,
> and adapt the results in innovative ways to resolve diverse and
> complex park resource issues
>
> (Q30) Ability to persuade, effectively negotiate, and solve problems
> with diverse individuals and organizations
>
> (Q12) Ability to plan and direct large-scale resource stewardship
> programs requiring a multi-disciplinary approach and often
> considerable potential for controversy
>
> (Q26) Ability to effectively convey information concerning politicized
> or controversial issues to potentially hostile audiences
>
> (Q16) Ability to form effective partnerships with diverse and
> potentially hostile groups to address complex natural resource issues,
> including issues that transcend regional boundaries
>
> (Q14) Ability to evaluate and synthesize results of relevant
> scientific studies, and develop solutions to complex situations where
> scientific information, laws, policies, or guidelines may be
> conflicting or lacking
>
> (Q7) Ability to evaluate research reports and scientific publications,
> as well as diverse agency documents and legislation for their
> applicability to specific natural resource issues and their more
> general implications for natural resources stewardship
>
> (Q33) Ability to effectively compete for funding through development
> of large-scale partnerships that may include diverse and opposing
> viewpoints
>
> (Q5) Advanced ability to apply scientific approaches and
> problem-solving techniques to developing innovative solutions to
> complex natural resource problems, involving long-term and/or
> large-scale programs that cross jurisdictional boundaries and
> involving diverse interests
>
> (Q13) Ability to provide sound advice to upper-level managers on
> needed resource stewardship programs and actions at a landscape-level
> or Servicewide scale

In contrast, one competency produced positive gaps between the
importance of a competency and how well prepared respondents perceived
themselves to be. That is, respondents rated their preparation to
perform relative to these items as being higher than its perceived
importance.

> (Q23) Knowledge and ability that is recognized by agency and academic
> peers as leading in the natural resource field

The gaps between the group mean importance of each competency and the
group mean preparation to perform each competency are graphically
depicted in Figure 20.

![](media/image20.wmf)

National Park Service

Stephen T. Mather Training Center

Natural Resources Stewardship Training Needs Assessment

**Table 6. Importance-Preparation Gap Analysis:**

**Advanced Level Natural Resources Program Managers (117 Respondents)**

+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| [ |   |                         | Mean  | St     | Mean  | St     | I-P |
| C |   |                         |       | andard | **P** | andard |     |
| o |   |                         | **I*  | Dev    | repar | Dev    | Gap |
| m |   |                         | *mpor | iation | ation | iation |     |
| p |   |                         | tance |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       | (**I   |       | (**P*  |     |
| t |   |                         |       | **mpor |       | *repar |     |
| e |   |                         |       | tance) |       | ation) |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| ] |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| { |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| p |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| } |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+===+===+=========================+=======+========+=======+========+=====+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| f |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| K |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| w |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Mastery of a natural    | 5.55  | 1.13   | 5.03  | 1.34   | 0   |
| \ |   | resource discipline,    |       |        |       |        | .52 |
| . |   | including current       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | knowledge of            |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | state-of-the-art        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | concepts.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | In-depth knowledge of   | 5.57  | 1.04   | 5.22  | 1.20   | 0   |
| \ |   | ecosystem principles.   |       |        |       |        | .35 |
| . |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to integrate    | 6.33  | 0.84   | 5.40  | 1.24   | 0   |
| \ |   | information across      |       |        |       |        | .93 |
| . |   | natural resources       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | disciplines, to         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | recognize patterns and  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | draw conclusions, and   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | to use, and adapt the   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | results in innovative   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | ways to resolve diverse |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | and complex park        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource issues.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 4 |   | Knowledge of            | 5.69  | 1.10   | 5.30  | 1.37   | 0   |
| \ |   | environmental ethics    |       |        |       |        | .39 |
| . |   | and philosophy as       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | applied to natural      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource management.    |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| f |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| M |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| h |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 5 |   | Advanced ability to     | 5.43  | 1.12   | 4.71  | 1.33   | 0   |
| \ |   | apply scientific        |       |        |       |        | .72 |
| . |   | approaches and          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | problem-solving         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | techniques in           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | developing innovative   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | solutions to complex    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | natural resource        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | problems, involving     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | long-term and/or        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | large-scale programs    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | that cross              |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | jurisdictional          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | boundaries and          |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | involving diverse       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | interests.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 6 |   | Ability to develop and  | 5.91  | 1.19   | 4.94  | 1.45   | 0   |
| \ |   | coordinate complex      |       |        |       |        | .97 |
| . |   | multi-faceted programs  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | of research, inventory, |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | monitoring, and         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource management     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | based on scientific     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | knowledge.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 7 |   | Ability to evaluate     | 5.85  | 1.24   | 5.12  | 1.29   | 0   |
| \ |   | research reports and    |       |        |       |        | .73 |
| . |   | scientific              |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | publications, as well   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | as diverse agency       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | documents and           |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | legislation for their   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | applicability to        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | specific natural        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource issues and     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | their more general      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | implications for        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | natural resources       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | stewardship.            |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| N |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| R |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| u |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| S |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| w |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| h |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| p |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 8 |   | Advanced broad          | 6.03  | 0.90   | 5.75  | 1.16   | 0   |
| \ |   | knowledge of the        |       |        |       |        | .28 |
| . |   | mission, goals,         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | guidelines, and         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | policies of the NPS, as |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | well as the knowledge   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | of the mission and      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | purpose of other        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | agencies, organized     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | groups, and private     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | industry.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 9 |   | Ability to develop      | 6.18  | 0.90   | 5.51  | 1.06   | 0   |
| \ |   | innovative solutions,   |       |        |       |        | .67 |
| . |   | consistent with NPS     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | policy and guidelines,  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | to complex situations.  |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Knowledge of case law   | 4.59  | 1.34   | 3.94  | 1.54   | 0   |
| 0 |   | as it relates to        |       |        |       |        | .65 |
| \ |   | specific natural        |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | resource issues.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Through interpretation  | 4.94  | 1.37   | 4.46  | 1.43   | 0   |
| 1 |   | of existing law and     |       |        |       |        | .48 |
| \ |   | precedent, as well as   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | available scientific    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | information, ability to |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | develop new policies,   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | regulations,            |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | guidelines, programs,   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | and concepts with broad |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | application.            |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to plan and     | 5.97  | 1.29   | 5.07  | 1.39   | 0   |
| 2 |   | direct large-scale      |       |        |       |        | .90 |
| \ |   | resource stewardship    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | programs requiring a    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | multi-disciplinary      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | approach and often      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | considerable potential  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | for controversy.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to provide      | 6.16  | 1.10   | 5.44  | 1.36   | 0   |
| 3 |   | sound advice to         |       |        |       |        | .72 |
| \ |   | upper-level managers on |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | needed resource         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | stewardship programs    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | and actions at a        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | landscape-level or      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | Servicewide scale.      |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to evaluate and | 5.86  | 1.04   | 5.05  | 1.36   | 0   |
| 4 |   | synthesize results of   |       |        |       |        | .81 |
| \ |   | relevant scientific     |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | studies, and develop    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | solutions to complex    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | situations where        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | scientific information, |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | laws, policies, or      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | guidelines may be       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | conflicting or lacking. |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to take the     | 5.58  | 1.39   | 4.97  | 1.39   | 0   |
| 5 |   | lead in setting up      |       |        |       |        | .61 |
| \ |   | effective interagency   |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | programs for critical   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource protection on  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | a landscape scale that  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | crosses jurisdictional  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | boundaries.             |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to form         | 5.72  | 1.16   | 4.89  | 1.35   | 0   |
| 6 |   | effective partnerships  |       |        |       |        | .83 |
| \ |   | with diverse and        |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | potentially hostile     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | groups to address       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | complex natural         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource issues,        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | including issues that   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | transcend regional      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | boundaries.             |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Highly developed        | 6.12  | 1.00   | 4.94  | 1.37   | 1   |
| 7 |   | leadership skills,      |       |        |       |        | .18 |
| \ |   | including skill in      |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | effective               |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | team-building.          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| C |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| p |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Knowledge of precedent  | 4.59  | 1.34   | 3.94  | 1.55   | 0   |
| 8 |   | and case law related to |       |        |       |        | .65 |
| \ |   | planning and            |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | compliance.             |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 1 |   | Ability to orchestrate  | 5.48  | 1.28   | 4.82  | 1.42   | 0   |
| 9 |   | the development,        |       |        |       |        | .66 |
| \ |   | completion, and         |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | implementation of       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | complex strategies and  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | plans, consisting of    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | several distinct        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | component parts and     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | sequential actions,     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | addressing complex and  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | controversial issues.   |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to develop      | 5.70  | 1.13   | 5.02  | 1.26   | 0   |
| 0 |   | innovative solutions to |       |        |       |        | .68 |
| \ |   | complex or intractable  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | issues.                 |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to develop and  | 5.18  | 1.38   | 4.68  | 1.27   | 0   |
| 1 |   | carry out a public      |       |        |       |        | .50 |
| \ |   | involvement program,    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | working with public     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | information personnel   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | as appropriate, for     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | plans that may include  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | complex and             |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | controversial issues.   |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| f |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| s |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| C |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| d |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| b |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| l |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| y |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Recognized ability to   | 5.78  | 1.20   | 5.30  | 1.34   | 0   |
| 2 |   | effectively represent   |       |        |       |        | .48 |
| \ |   | the NPS on a            |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | multi-agency task force |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | to address natural      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resource issues.        |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Knowledge and ability   | 5.37  | 1.22   | 5.83  | 1.44   | -0  |
| 3 |   | that is recognized by   |       |        |       |        | .46 |
| \ |   | agency and academic     |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | peers as leading in the |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | natural resource field. |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to publish      | 4.21  | 1.42   | 4.08  | 1.52   | 0   |
| 4 |   | syntheses and           |       |        |       |        | .13 |
| \ |   | thought-provoking       |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | concepts in journals,   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | which are recognized as |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | providing leadership in |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | advancing natural       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resources stewardship.  |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Recognized ability to   | 5.46  | 1.22   | 5.04  | 1.19   | 0   |
| 5 |   | integrate               |       |        |       |        | .42 |
| \ |   | representatives of      |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | agencies, academic      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | institutions, and       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | diverse interest groups |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | into an effective       |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | program of cooperation  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | in achieving shared     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | objectives for natural  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | resources stewardship.  |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| C |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| u |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| i |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to effectively  | 5.96  | 1.05   | 5.12  | 1.36   | 0   |
| 6 |   | convey information      |       |        |       |        | .84 |
| \ |   | concerning politicized  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | or controversial issues |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | to potentially hostile  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | audiences.              |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to evaluate and | 5.91  | 0.97   | 5.34  | 1.33   | 0   |
| 7 |   | synthesize information  |       |        |       |        | .57 |
| \ |   | from diverse and        |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | conflicting sources.    |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to write highly | 5.23  | 1.37   | 4.90  | 1.59   | 0   |
| 8 |   | complex documents       |       |        |       |        | .33 |
| \ |   | dealing with natural    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | resource issues and     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | technical information,  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | drawn from a variety of |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | sources.                |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 2 |   | Ability to give oral    | 5.53  | 1.45   | 5.10  | 1.49   | 0   |
| 9 |   | and written briefings   |       |        |       |        | .43 |
| \ |   | from which decisions    |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | are made by high-level  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | agency personnel and    |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | Congress.               |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to persuade,    | 5.97  | 1.02   | 5.05  | 1.31   | 0   |
| 0 |   | effectively negotiate,  |       |        |       |        | .92 |
| \ |   | and solve problems with |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | diverse individuals and |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | organizations.          |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| # |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| / |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| P |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| r |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| o |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| j |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| c |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| M |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| a |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| g |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| m |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| e |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| n |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| t |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
| * |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to develop and  | 5.95  | 1.07   | 5.31  | 1.24   | 0   |
| 1 |   | oversee innovative      |       |        |       |        | .64 |
| \ |   | programs, involving     |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | multiple components and |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | a need for careful      |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | coordination and        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | sequencing, to address  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | complex and             |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | controversial resource  |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | management issues.      |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to manage       | 5.89  | 1.22   | 5.34  | 1.33   | 0   |
| 2 |   | multiple programs       |       |        |       |        | .55 |
| \ |   | including those in      |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | natural resource        |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | disciplines outside the |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | field of expertise.     |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to effectively  | 5.66  | 1.51   | 4.93  | 1.45   | 0   |
| 3 |   | compete for funding     |       |        |       |        | .73 |
| \ |   | through development of  |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | large-scale             |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | partnerships that may   |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | include diverse and     |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | opposing viewpoints.    |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
| 3 |   | Ability to prepare      | 5.61  | 1.20   | 5.03  | 1.43   | 0   |
| 4 |   | complex or innovative   |       |        |       |        | .58 |
| \ |   | cooperative agreements, |       |        |       |        |     |
| . |   | MOUs, and other         |       |        |       |        |     |
|   |   | agreement instruments.  |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+
|   |   |                         |       |        |       |        |     |
+---+---+-------------------------+-------+--------+-------+--------+-----+

**REFERENCES**

Martilla, J. A., & James, J. C. (1977). Importance-Performance Analysis.
*Journal of Marketing,* January, 77-79.

National Park Service. (1995). *NPS Employee Training and Development
Strategy*. U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service.

National Park Service. (1996). *NPS Employee Training and Development
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National Park Service. (1998). Competency-Based Training and Development
in the National Park Service. *NPS Employee Training and Development
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Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (1998)*. Cultural Resources
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Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, Stephen
T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (1998)*. Cultural Resources
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Conservator Track*. Harpers Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of Interior,
National Park Service, Stephen T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (1998)*. Cultural Resources
Stewardship Training Needs Assessment: Final Report
Superintendent/Manager*. Harpers Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of Interior,
National Park Service, Stephen T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (1999)*. Cultural Resources
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Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (1999)*. Cultural Resources
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Conservator*. Harpers Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of Interior, National
Park Service, Stephen T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (1999)*. Cultural Resources
Stewardship Training Needs Assessment: Final Report Facility
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Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (1999)*. Cultural Resources
Stewardship Training Needs Assessment: Final Report Historical Landscape
Architect*. Harpers Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of Interior, National
Park Service, Stephen T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (1999)*. Cultural Resources
Stewardship Training Needs Assessment: Final Report Museum Management -
Archivist Track*. Harpers Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of Interior,
National Park Service, Stephen T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (1999)*. Cultural Resources
Stewardship Training Needs Assessment: Final Report Museum Management -
Collection Management Track*. Harpers Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of
Interior, National Park Service, Stephen T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (1999)*. Cultural Resources
Stewardship Training Needs Assessment: Final Report Preservation
Horticulturist*. Harpers Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of Interior,
National Park Service, Stephen T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (2000)*. Cultural Resources
Stewardship Training Needs Assessment: Final Report Ethnographer*.
Harpers Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service,
Stephen T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (2000)*. Cultural Resources
Stewardship Training Needs Assessment: Final Report Historical
Architect*. Harpers Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of Interior, National
Park Service, Stephen T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Cox, C. L. (2000)*. Cultural Resources
Stewardship Training Needs Assessment: Final Report Museum Management -
Curator Track*. Harpers Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of Interior, National
Park Service, Stephen T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., Emerald, N. D., & Mott, S. P. (2000)*. Cultural Resources
Stewardship Training Needs Assessment: Final Report Cultural Resources
Program Manager and Integrated Resources Program Manager.* Harpers
Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, Stephen
T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., & Makay, A. N. (1995). *NPS Interpretation Training Needs
Assessment*. Harpers Ferry, WV: U.S. Department of Interior, National
Park Service, Stephen T. Mather Training Center.

Wright, B. A., & Wells, M. (1990). *A Field Guide for Evaluating
National Park Service Interpretation.* Harpers Ferry, WV: U.S.
Department of Interior, National Park Service, Stephen T. Mather
Training Center.