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Biological Science Technician (Plants)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Yosemite National Park
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Provides construction monitoring & logistical support for vegetation & fuels reduction projects within Vegetation & Ecological Restoration Branch.

This position doesn't convey permanent status in the Federal service & will be for a period not to exceed 13 months, with possible extension up to a total of 4 years without further competition.

Open to the first 50 applicants or until 12-10-20 whichever comes first. Applications submitted by 11:59EST on the closing day will receive consideration.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/30/2020 to 12/02/2020
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$43,251 to - $56,222 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Location
El Portal, CA
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel occasionally for this position. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Term - not-to-exceed 13 months but may be extended up to 4 years
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
PW-1549-YOSE-21-10961926-DE
Control number
584723400

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Duties

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  • Provides construction monitoring to protect sensitive vegetation and soils during construction projects year-round.
  • Provides logistical support to large projects, such as purchasing, vehicle rental and fleet management, property inventory, safety systems support, post-planting care, and volunteer coordination for vegetation projects.
  • Organizes, schedules, and coordinates a wide variety of established vegetation management projects executed by volunteer groups. Plans field projects, independently choosing from among several possible courses of action at different stages of each project.
  • Collects and organizes field data using standardized data collection procedures and equipment; uses judgment to apply precedents and established techniques to new situations. Ensures adequate quality control of data collected. Performs field and laboratory analysis of collected samples. Records all data collected and provides preliminary analysis and classification of the information.
  • Makes field observations of natural resource conditions. Evaluates observed conditions and problems, and interprets variables, trends, correlations, and interrelationships among data and conditions. Recommends management actions based on prescribed guidelines in existing park plans.
  • Provides logistical support and area orientation for contract or cooperating scientists; provides technical information, ensures quality control, and solves logistical or operational problems within the scope of the incumbent's authority.
  • Provides advice, assistance, and training to students, student conservation assistants, and volunteers involved in resource management projects and field research.
  • Utilizes a variety of computer programs to compile, reduce, store, retrieve, analyze, and report data and other resource management information, including research and long-term monitoring projects. Maintains and organizes computer databases.
  • Provides information to other employees and visitors about the natural resource management program. May develop and present related interpretive programs to the public.

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.
  • Youwill be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also 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 disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
  • You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
  • You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You may be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and/or overtime.
  • You will be required to complete a one-year trial period.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/10/2020-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-07 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications:

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience for this position is: (1) Logistical experience supporting ecological restoration or vegetation management projects; (2) monitoring for proper implementation of vegetation protections on construction sites; and (3) experience directing volunteers on vegetation projects.. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full year of progressively higher-level graduate education with a major study that is directly related to the work of this position. Qualifying majors may include, but are not limited to: botany, ecological restoration, vegetation management, agriculture or related plant science. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent) earned towards a graduate degree and divide by 18 semester hours (or equivalent). Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. NOTE: Only directly related graduate education is creditable toward meeting this requirement. 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

Graduate Education: One year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study, or by 18 semester hours (27 quarter hours). Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis.

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

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required. 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, laboratory, and in the field. Field work includes exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, pesticides, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals. Laboratory work ma-y involve exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Nongovernment housing: may be available for rent in the local communities of Groveland, Mariposa, Midpines, Bootjack, Oakhurst, and Catheys Valley. El Portal is a small community bordering the west side of Yosemite National Park and 15 miles west of Yosemite Valley.

Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to situational and/or emergency telework with supervisor approval.

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:
  • Biology
  • Botany
  • Leadership
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Technology Application

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