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Biological Science Technician

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

Summary

This position is located in National Capital Regional Office, at the Center for Urban Ecology. Please visit find a park for additional park information.

Current and former Federal employees with status, or who are reinstatement eligible; veterans eligible under the VEOA authority, or who are 30% or more disabled; applicants eligible under special appointing authorities such as individuals with targeted disabilities, certain military spouses, former Peace Corps and Vista Volunteers, etc. For more information, select the following link(s): 1) Merit Promotion, 2) Status Candidate, and/or 3) Veteran Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA).

Current or former displaced Federal employee in the local commuting area eligible under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), current Department of Interior (DOI) employees in the local commuting area eligible under the Career Transition Program (CTAP), and Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) eligibility. For more information, select the following link(s): 1) Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP), 2) Career Transition Program (CTAP), and/or 3) Veteran Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA).

Current or former time-limited (temporary and term) employees of a land management agency eligible for permanent positions under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA). For more information, select the following link: Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA).

This is a Career-Seasonal position and subject to release and recall procedures. A permanent career-seasonal position includes all the benefits of permanent employment, but does not provide employment on a full year-round basis. As such, selectee will be in a non-pay/non-duty status for at least 2 weeks to 6 months per year based on project requirements or weather conditions. Selectee are guaranteed to work at least 6 months per year but not more than 50 weeks per year, with the work schedule to be determined upon appointment. The typical season for National Capital Regional Office is March through November, but can be variable during these months due to project requirements or weather conditions.

This is a Seasonal Career/Career-Conditional Full-Time appointment.

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

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
03/22/2018 to 04/04/2018
Salary
$41,369 - $59,762 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6 - 7
Location
Washington DC, DC
1 vacancy
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Multiple - Career Seasonal
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Promotion potential
7
Supervisory status
No
Announcement number
NC-1616-NCRO-18-10165948-ST
Control number
494140000

Duties

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  • Assists with all aspects of water and vegetation monitoring field work including the assisting with the planning, management and implementation.
  • Uses database applications to enter, manage and review field data.
  • Works with geographic information systems (GIS) to manage and query spatial data.
  • Works closely with the NCRO GIS Technician to develop and maintain GIS data sets and GPS-based data systems.
  • Performs the required quality assurance/quality control procedures on field data to ensure accuracy.
  • Provides work direction to lower graded technicians, volunteers and interns in gathering and managing field data.
  • Oversees the work of lower graded technicians and provides guidance on field and office safety.
  • Operates field equipment used during monitoring activities such as field computers, water monitoring probes, continuous monitoring sondes and discharge meters.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

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
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service). Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
  • You may be required to operate a government motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter, 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.
  • 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 will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.

Qualifications

For the GS-6
Possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 grade level which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience collecting, maintaining, and measuring biological samples related to biological control agents of agricultural and urban pests. Receiving, distributing and conducting physical inventory of a biological collection; handling and packaging biological samples; and documenting inventories or distributions. OR
Possess some Graduate level education or an internship that meets the requirement where it is directly related to the work of the position. OR
Possess a combination of education and specialized experience.

For the GS-7
Possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-6 grade level which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience collecting, maintaining, and measuring biological samples related to biological control agents of agricultural and urban pests. Experience includes recording and compiling research results and data. Receiving, distributing and conducting physical inventory of a biological collection; handling and packaging biological samples; and utilizing a database or spreadsheet program to document inventories or distributions. OR
Possess one full year of graduate education in a related field. OR
Possess a combination of education and specialized experience.

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.

You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for Part-time work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies".

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.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.


Physical Demands: The work requires regular physical exertion such as walking or climbing over wet, rough, uneven and/or rocky surfaces; bending, crouching, stooping or reaching to observe, collect and/or record field data; or in some situations the work may require physical exertion to wading in fast and/or deep water or operate a boat. Moderately heavy items, such as equipment packs weighing up to 50 pounds, must be lifted and carried on a regular basis. The incumbent may be required to hike several miles in a day.

Working Conditions: The work environment varies from office/laboratory settings to field sites. The work performed in the field involves regular and recurring exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, poisonous plants, biting and wild animals.


The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to 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 Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Candidates who apply under Competitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are highly qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Best qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

Candidates who apply under Noncompetitive Merit Promotion procedures will undergo a quality review to determine if they are minimally qualified based on the content of their resume and their responses to the questionnaire. Qualified candidates will be referred if all required supporting documentation has been provided.

You will be evaluated on the following competencies:

  • Biology
  • Botany
  • Data Management
  • Hydrology
  • Teamwork

National Park Service

Agency contact information

Michelle Kahoun
Phone
(703) 754-1652 X1133
Email
michelle_kahoun@nps.gov
Address
National Capital Regional Office
1100 Ohio Drive SW
Washington, DC 20242
US

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

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