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Fish Biologist

Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

As a Supervisory Fish Biologist with Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife Office in Klamath Falls, Oregon you will provide planning, oversight, analysis and advice for complex fish hatchery processes and programs, leading daily operations for rearing and other efforts to improve conditions for threatened or endangered fish species.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
01/15/2020 to 01/29/2020
Salary
$76,721 to - $99,741 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Klamath Falls, OR
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
R8-20-10695995-DS-DE
Control number
556693700

Duties

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  • Direct the day-to-day operation, maintenance, fish production and fish distribution to achieve the hatchery's goals in the most efficient manner.
  • Oversee the daily work assignments of the Hatchery for fish production, maintenance, and volunteer programs.
  • Coordinate the administrative supervision and operational oversight work of the Hatchery including planning the budget, forecasting future resource expenditures and program evaluation to ensure successful fish propagation and distribution programs.
  • Manage fish cooperative research or investigative programs to evaluate fish husbandry effectiveness, monitor fish health, growth and quality, and implement corrective measures or makes adjustments.
  • Communicate with the public or private sectors on fish cultural activities: including water use, Endangered Species Act requirements, National Pollution Discharge Elimination System requirements, fish release and transfers, etc.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
  • Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
  • Official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform required
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • May be required to complete Supervisory probation
  • Position is also advertised under R8-20-10696023-DS-MP for merit promotion and non-competitively eligible candidates. You must apply to each announcement to be considered under both recruitment methods..

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date can be credited.

BASIC QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: GS-0482

Degree: a major in biological science that includes the following: at least 6 semester (9 quarter) hours in aquatic subjects such as limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, or related courses in the field of fish biology; AND at least 12 semester (18 quarter) hours in the animal sciences in such subjects as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields. (Excess course work in aquatic subjects may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate.)

OR

Combination of education in an accredited college or university equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours) of which a minimum of 6 semester (9 quarter) hours were in aquatic subjects such as limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, or related courses in the field of fish biology; AND at least 12 semester (18 quarter) hours in the animal sciences in such subjects as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields (Excess course work in aquatic subjects may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate.) PLUS appropriate experience or additional education. The quality of the combination demonstrates that I possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the work of the position, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the completion of a full four-year course of study with a major as described above.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT, GS-12

At least one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience for this position is defined as work that primarily involved the following duties: 1) applying scientific understanding of fish physiology (e.g., nutrition, diseases, treatments, water chemistry and oxygen level requirements, feeding, density and distribution requirements, etc.) to propagate endangered fish in a hatchery environment ; 2) planning the operations of fish hatchery facilities to ensure effective fish culture and husbandry using legally compliant mechanical systems (e.g., water delivery, circulation & reuse systems, effluent management systems, egg isolation facilities, etc.); 3) managing administrative functions for a fish production organization such as tracking current fiscal expenditures, preparing budgets, planning long-term maintenance programs, preparing administrative documents on fish cultural activities, water use, ESA requirements, National Pollution Discharge Elimination System requirements or similar topics; or 4) supervising or leading lower graded staff in performing the procedural, scientific and time-critical aspects of fish hatchery processes. NOTE: To qualify under this option, your resume must contain sufficient detail to prove you have one year experience performing these duties.

IMPORTANT: Your resume/application must clearly describe how you qualify for this particular position. Assumptions will not be made based on job titles or series as to what duties you may perform in your current or other positions. One year of experience refers to full-time work. Part-time work is considered on a prorated basis: 20 hours per week for 12 months is credited as 6 months experience. Your resume must include the number of hours worked per week.

SUPERVISORY POSITION: As this is a supervisory position, applicants must have demonstrated in their work experience that they possess, or have the potential to develop, the qualities of successful supervision. An interview may be included in the evaluation process to assess these abilities. Applicants should possess proficiency or the potential to develop proficiency in the following ten competencies: 1) accountability; 2) customer service; 3) decisiveness; 4) flexibility; 5) integrity/honesty; 6) interpersonal skills; 7) oral communication; 8) problem solving; 9) resilience; and 10) written communication.

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

PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been or may be involuntarily separated (e.g. reduction in force, declining to relocate/transfer outside their local commuting area) from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal or Removal Notice; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; or Removal and most recent performance appraisal.). For more information visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/

  • To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System at https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.asp
  • FWS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.
  • A PCS Move is authorized as follows: travel and relocation expenses including reimbursable real estate expenses will be authorized in accordance with the Federal travel regulations excluding contractor-provided home sale. All moving expenses are taxable.
  • Supervisory Probationary Period: If you have not previously completed a supervisory probationary period, you will be required to serve a one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period for this position.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application: 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.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the basic qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you meet the basic qualifications your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience which resulted in you being listed in the highest quality category, you may lose consideration, or be assigned to a lower quality category for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIOLOGY, PHYSIOLOGY AND PROPAGATION OF ENDANGERED FISH SPECIES
  • ABILITY TO MANAGE A FISH CULTURE, PROPAGATION AND HUSBANDRY PROGRAM
  • ABILITY TO MANAGE A FISH HATCHERY FACILITY
  • SKILL IN STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
  • SKILL IN SUPERVISION
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. The category ratings for this position are:
  • Best Qualified
  • Well Qualified
  • Qualified
The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the basic qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach a copy of your DD-214 showing you were honorably discharged. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must attach an SF-15," Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" in addition to the proof required by that form.

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