The purpose of the position is to perform a wide variety of interrelated or nonstandard biological science technical support assignments in one, or more, of the following program areas: wildlife, fisheries, or plants.
Summary
The purpose of the position is to perform a wide variety of interrelated or nonstandard biological science technical support assignments in one, or more, of the following program areas: wildlife, fisheries, or plants.
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$17.99 to - $17.99 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 5
Location
Few vacancies in the following location:
Saint Paul, MN
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - 1039 Hours-The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period is April-October but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: April/May 2020
The Biological Science Technician serves in the resource management division of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MISS), a partnership-based national park in Minnesota. The incumbent will assist the field biologist in landscape restoration activities that include invasive species removal and control and re-introduction and care of native plant species. The incumbent will implement established natural resource management projects and field research by following instructions and standardized procedures to collect and organize field data. The incumbent will ensure adequate quality control of data collected samples. Recording all data collected and providing preliminary assessment and classification of the information will be expected. The incumbent will provide technical information, ensure quality control, and solve logistical or operational problems within the scope of the incumbent's knowledge and authority. MISS has a growing volunteer program including the Habitat Restoration Event (HRE) program; the incumbent will provide advice, assistance and training to support the park's volunteer programs on tasks such as treatment and removal of invasive and exotic species, and landscape restorations including planting and caring for native plant species.
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.
MOCC: Applicant must possess or be able to obtain a current Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC) or Motorboat Operator Instructor Certification Course (MOICC) by entrance on duty date or obtain one once on duty.
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.
Government housing is not available.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/09/2020-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.
Quality Ranking Factor Motorboat Operation/Instructor Certification Course: Applicant must possess or be able to obtain a current Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC) or Motorboat Operator Instructor Certification Course (MOICC) by entrance on duty date or obtain one once on duty.
- AND -
To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one or all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: Have 12 months of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level in the federal service. Specialized experience for Biological Technician GS-05 is that experience which demonstrates that you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position Examples of qualifying specialized experience include conducting biological field studies and surveys and assembling the information. Follow standardized procedures to collect data on Wildlife, Fisheries, or plants. Use statistical methods and procedures to perform testing of field data collected. Installs, operates, and maintains resource management equipment (tools, sampling and monitoring, photographic, and laboratory equipment) prepares graphs, charts, and illustrations for reports and technical publications relating to biological management activities. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR- EDUCATION: Have successfully completed a full four year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours are directly related to the position such as botany, forest ecology, silviculture, plant ecology, as wildlife biology, zoology, ornithology etc. You must include transcripts.
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).
-OR- COMBINATION: Have a combination of specialized experience as described and education as described above which total 100 percent. Only education beyond the 60 semester hours above high school is considered qualifying when combined with specialized experience. Thirty semester hours beyond the first 60 is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. For example, 6 month of specialized experience (50% of the specialized experience requirement) and 90 semester hours with at least 12 semester hours related to the position and 3 hours directly related to the position (50 % of the education requirement) would be considered qualifying. NOTE: If you are qualifying based in part, upon education, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts. You must include transcripts. You must include hours per week worked.
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; or in some situations the work may require physical exertion to scuba dive or operate a boat. 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 or outdoors. The work performed involves regular and recurring exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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:
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/09/2020:
Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, 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. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
A complete Occupational Questionnaire
Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, orMother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
Documentation that you meet Selective Factors.
College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 89 on the rating criteria for this position.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/09/2020. WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.
Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
Select documents you want included in this application.
Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
Select if you want to include your demographic information.
After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
Review and Submit Application.
While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
111 E Kellogg Blvd
Ste 105
St Paul, MN 55101
US
Next steps
Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.
IMPORTANT: Effective May 26, 2018, please note that a temporary seasonal employee can only maintain his or her non-competitive rehire eligibility if he or she works no more than a combined total of 1,039 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their service year. Accordingly, noncompetitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b ][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision ( which is defined as the National Park Service). .
If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months, and have already worked the maximum 1,039 hours during the last 12 months, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1,039 hours will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility. The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1,039 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1,039 hours.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/09/2020:
Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, 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. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
A complete Occupational Questionnaire
Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, orMother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
Documentation that you meet Selective Factors.
College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 89 on the rating criteria for this position.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/09/2020. WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.
Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
Select documents you want included in this application.
Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
Select if you want to include your demographic information.
After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
Review and Submit Application.
While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
111 E Kellogg Blvd
Ste 105
St Paul, MN 55101
US
Next steps
Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.
IMPORTANT: Effective May 26, 2018, please note that a temporary seasonal employee can only maintain his or her non-competitive rehire eligibility if he or she works no more than a combined total of 1,039 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their service year. Accordingly, noncompetitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b ][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision ( which is defined as the National Park Service). .
If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months, and have already worked the maximum 1,039 hours during the last 12 months, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1,039 hours will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility. The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1,039 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1,039 hours.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
