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Biological Science Aide

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Badlands National Park, Theodore Roosevelt National Park
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The purpose of the position is to perform routine biological science tasks common to the organization. On-the-job training will be provided.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open date: 02/27/2020
Closed date: 03/02/2020
Location
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$12.21 - $13.32 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 2 - 3
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - You may be required to work maxi-flex, weekends and overtime.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - BADL - You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 14 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
Appointment type
Temporary - 1039 Hours/The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period is Apr/May - Oct, but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: Apr/May 2020
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
MW-1542-MWWO-20-10640113-DE
Control number
555123800

Duties

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Employees will carry out the park-based exotic plant control program using chemical, mechanical, and biological treatment techniques under the direct supervision of the crew leader. Work varies from hiking over rough terrain carrying a three gallon backpack sprayer to bending for long periods of time inventorying vegetation. The main focus will be herbicide treatment of noxious weeds and record keeping. Other duties may involve plant identification, vegetation monitoring, biological control identification, collection, and distribution, survey and inventory work, vegetation mapping, map reading, data collection, wild land fire, wildlife survey and monitoring and public awareness. The use of standard pesticide and biological control field and safety equipment will be required as well as the use of global positioning systems (GPS units), computers, cameras, and on and off road vehicles. Work requires moderate to strenuous physical exertion such as long hikes over rough terrain carrying heavy packs.. The employee must obtain a South Dakota or North Dakota Commercial Applicator License within 30 days of his or her start date to do this job.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Direct Deposit: Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • Incidental Driving: You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license.
  • Uniform: You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • Recruitment Incentive: Selected Applicant at Theodore Roosevelt National Park may be eligible for a recruitment incentive.
  • Housing: Government housing may be available.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-03/02/2020-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.

To qualify for this position at the GS-02 grade level, you must possess at least one or all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: Have three months of general experience. General Experience is (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation; Examples of qualifying experience include work in a greenhouse or other controlled environment, assisting with plant surveys; assisting in site restoration work; routine and repetitive field work or lab operations such as sorting and preservation of collected specimens. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Have successfully completed high school education or equivalent in an accredited educational institution. You must include transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-03 grade level, you must possess at least one or all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: Have six months of general experience. General Experience is (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation; Examples of qualifying experience include work in a greenhouse or other controlled environment, assisting with plant surveys; assisting in site restoration work; removing non-native plant species; assisting with identifying and monitoring plant species'; etc. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Have successfully completed one year of education above high school in an accredited educational institution (30 semester hour or 45 quarter hours) which included at least 6 semester hours of scientific or technical courses, such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture or mathematics. NOTE: IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify you must document your coursework and/or degree completed in your resume or other application materials you submit. You must submit a copy of your transcripts or a complete list of college courses taken that identifies for each course the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, grade received, and date completed. If you are qualifying based on education and you do not submit specific coursework information as described previously, your application may be rated not qualified for consideration. (A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected). You must include transcripts.
-OR-
COMBINATION: Have a combination of specialized experience as described above and education as described above which total 100 percent. For example, I have 3 months of experience (50% of the experience requirements for this position and grade level) combined with 1/2 year of education as outlined above (50% of the education required to qualify), which included at least 3 semester hours of scientific or technical courses, such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. You must include transcripts.

Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Individuals selected under this vacancy announcement are eligible for the possibility of extensions or rehire in subsequent service years.

Physical Demands: The work requires physical exertion such as regular and recurring walking, hiking, or climbing over wet, rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; bending; crouching, stooping, lifting or reaching to observe, collect, or record field data. Heavy items (e.g., equipment and packs up to 50 pounds) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis.

Working Conditions: The work is performed in an office and in the field. Field work involves regular and recurring exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • Botany
  • Research
  • Technology Application

National Park Service

Please visit find a park for additional park information.

Badlands National Park - Point of Contact: Mark Slovek, 605-433-5264, mark_slovek@nps.gov
Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Point of Contact: Blake McCann, 701-623-4730 x1433, blake_mccann@nps.gov

Agency contact information

MWR HR West Team
Phone
(605) 745-3663 X224
Email
mwr_nekota_hr@nps.gov
Address
Midwest-West Regional Human Resources Office
246 S Chicago Street
Hot Springs, SD 57747
US

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https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/index.htm

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