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Fish and Wildlife Biologist

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

Summary

This vacancy announcement is part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Southwest Regional Hiring Initiative to fill professional biological science/natural resource management positions at the GS-7 and 9 grade levels. One or more positions may be filled at various locations. YOU MUST APPLY FOR ALL OF THE DUTY STATIONS FOR WHICH YOU ARE INTERESTED.

As a Fish and Wildlife Biologist you will be working closely with other groups (Federal, state, tribal, commercial industry, surrounding landowners, etc.) to conduct environmental impact assessments, process permits, develop fish and wildlife management plans, and ensure the preservation, protection and enhancement of native fish and wildlife and their habitats.

The Carlsbad and Sacramento duty locations each have one position focused on plant conservation. The incumbent serves as a staff Botanist providing scientific oversight and direction for plant conservation, with responsibilities that range from a focus on ecosystem-wide issues to individual species or projects. Such ecosystem work includes shaping the direction of plant conservation throughout the jurisdiction, including policies, practices, and philosophies; ensuring consistency of Service plant conservation activities; providing technical advice and guidance to staff regarding conservation and management of plants and plant communities, serving as a technical authority for contacts with agencies and other outside parties; and evaluating program progress and success. The incumbent may play a lead or support role in all Endangered Species Act work, including prelisting conservation, petition management, listing/delisting, recovery, habitat conservation plans, recovery permits, and conservation banking.

Pay Advance: Advance payment of up to 4 weeks of basic pay based on employee salary at time of hire is authorized for newly appointed federal employees to the Federal Service, or employees returning to Federal Service after a break in service of 90 days or more.

Salary: The salary for each location may vary depending on locality. Locality tables may be found at Locality Pay Tables. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2018/general-schedule/

This announcement is being advertised concurrently under R8-18-10201322-KL-DE is open to all qualified recently graduated students. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/17/2018 to 05/31/2018
Salary
$41,365 to - $74,444 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Locations
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Arcata, CA
Carlsbad, CA
Palm Springs, CA
Sacramento, CA
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Promotion potential
11
Supervisory status
No
Announcement number
R8-18-10201321-KL-MP
Control number
499848200

Duties

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Plans, evaluates, and conducts a ecological investigations or inspections involving land and water resource development projects, proposals and/or license applications/renewals to determine their impact upon fish and/or wildlife resources and habitats and to ensure that legal standards and other requirements are met and implemented in a manner most beneficial to fish and/or wildlife resources.

Reviews and/or prepares biological portions of environment assessment/impact statements or comprehensive resource planning reports to evaluate environmental consequences of proposed actions on Federal fish and wildlife resources of concern.

Conducts private land wetland impact restorations including landowner contacts, mapping, surveying, staking, construction monitoring, seeding, etc., and prepares management plans for restored areas.

Evaluates biological data and Federal program or project operational data to determine the effects of those programs or actions on threatened or endangered species through formal and informal consultation procedures.

Assesses impacts of proposed Federal actions on threatened and endangered species and develops draft biological opinions required under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Amendments for supervisor's review.

Maintains and updates files on permits issued for activities associated with endangered, threatened, proposed, and candidate species and their habitats.

Develops, coordinates, or reviews plans that may encompass any and all programs that affect fish and/or wildlife and their habitat conditions including, but not limited to, fire management, moist soil management, cooperative farming, wetland management, water quantity/quality, timber/forestry, or grassland management and/or restoration.

Plans, organizes, and implements biological work and/or habitat preservation and development work. Prepares reports on progress and completion of studies, uses data to formulate future program recommendations and effect improvements in management practices.

Maintains contact and communication with biologists throughout the assigned Region and with other agencies (Federal, Tribal, and state) that have endangered species programs. Provides technical biological guidance to requestors implementing programs for the conservation and recovery of threatened and endangered species.

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
  • Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Direct deposit of salary payments to a financial institution is required
  • 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.
  • Time-in-Grade requirements apply to status candidates.

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 05/31/2018 will be considered.

BASIC QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In order to meet the basic qualification requirement for the GS-0401 series as a Fish and Wildlife Biologist, your application materials must demonstrate that you meet either A or B below. You must submit copies of transcripts that reflect all of your course work, grades, and hours earned semester and/or quarter, in order to receive consideration for this position.

A. Successful completion of all requirements for a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

B. Possess an appropriate combination of education and experience that is equivalent to a major in a biological science. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that the applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. In addition to courses in the major and related fields, a typical college degree would have included courses that involved analysis, writing, critical thinking, research, etc. These courses would have provided an applicant with skills and abilities sufficient to perform progressively more responsible work in the occupation. Therefore, creditable experience should have demonstrated similarly appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the work of the occupation.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT - In addition to meeting the Basic Qualification Requirement outlined above, you must also meet the additional qualifications for each grade level you wish to be considered.

To be found qualified at the GS-07 grade level, your application materials must demonstrate either A, B, C, or D below:

A. Possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level that demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position at the GS-7 grade level. You must have direct and/or related experience in the examples listed below to meet the minimum qualifications for this position. Examples of specialized experience are: collecting data to carry out less complex studies or portions of larger investigations to assist higher grade biologists in order to determine the impact of various land and water development projects on the fish and wildlife resources of an area; collecting, analyzing, and assessing biological and ecological data; and assisting in implementing laws (Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, National Environmental Policy Act), regulations, and policies involving natural resource issues. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified.

B. Successful completion of at least 1 full year of graduate education from an accredited college or university in a field directly related to one of the following disciplines: biological sciences, natural resource management, biology, ecology, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

C. Possess Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) S.A.A. is based on (1) Class Standing, (2) Grade-Point Average, or (3) Honor Society Membership. (1) Class Standing: Upper one-third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision based on completed courses. (2) Grade-Point Average: A grade point average of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (B or better) as recorded on the official transcript or as computed based on four years of education, or computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum; -or- (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 0 (B+ or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final two years of the curriculum. (3) Election to Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society: Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies. Freshman scholastic honor societies cannot be used to meet the requirements of this position.

D. Possess a combination of qualifying specialized experience as described in response A and qualifying graduate education as described in response B that equals 100 percent of the GS-07 requirement when computed as percentages and combined. NOTE: To qualify under this option you must submit transcripts to verify your education and include proof of your experience in the text of your resume.


To be found qualified at the GS-09 grade level, your application materials must demonstrate either A, B, or C below:

A. Possess one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in Federal service. You must have direct and/or related experience in the examples listed below to meet the minimum qualifications for this position. Examples of specialized experience are: conducting investigations of moderate complexity to determine the impact of various land and water development projects upon the fish and/or wildlife resources of an area; assisting in developing comprehensive fish and/or wildlife management plans; assisting in preparing and reviewing biological implications of environmental impact statements or comprehensive resource planning reports to evaluate environmental consequences of proposed actions; and implementing federal or state environmental laws (i.e., Endangered Species Act, specifically Sections 7 and 10; Clean Water Act; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act; National Environmental Policy Act), regulations, and polices involving natural resource issues. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified.

B. Possess at least two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in biology, ecology, or a directly related field.

C. Have a combination of graduate education and specialized experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position. (When combining education with experience, first determine the total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then determine the experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; finally, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level.)

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.

Promotion Potential: This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed represent the full performance level of GS-11. At lower grade levels, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.The selectee may be promoted without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

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

To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System at https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx

FWS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

The following conditions of employment may apply to the advertised positions.
- Drug testing
- Motorboat certification
- Required to wear US Fish and Wildlife Service uniform
- State pesticide license
- Work schedule may include weekends/holidays/evenings
- Extensive travel may be required
- Swift water Safety Certification
- Occupy government furnished housing/quarter on federal premises

The Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA),P.L. 114-47, allows certain individuals who currently or formerly were under time-limited competitive appointments at certain land management agencies to compete under merit promotion procedures:

Current appointees:

Note: You must submit ALL SF-50s and performance information for each period of temporary/term employment that qualifies for LMWFA.

  • Must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency.
  • Must have served under 1 or more time limited appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; AND
  • Must have performed at an acceptable level.

Former appointees:

  • Must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency,
  • Must have served under 1 or more time limited appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years;
  • Must apply for position within 2 years after separation,
  • Must have been separated for reasons other than misconduct or performance; AND
  • Must have performed at an acceptable level

Public Land Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority:
Note: You must provide a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Compliance Hiring Based for Public Land Corps Service.
(1) In order to be eligible for PLC non-competitive status, a former member of the PLC must provide documentation, as part of their application, verifying their eligibility and meet the following criteria:
(a) Served as a qualified youth on an appropriate conservation project completing a minimum of 640 hours of satisfactory service that included at least 120 hours through the PLC;
(b) Applied to a vacancy announcement for which applications are being accepted from individuals with non-competitive status;
(c) Meet the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) minimum qualification standards stated in the vacancy announcement for the position which you are applying; and
(d) Completed his/her most recent Corps service, which provided him/her with a total of 640 hours, inclusive of 120 hours on a PLC project as defined in 16 USC 1723(d), within the last two (2) years.
(2) Appointments must be effected within the two years requirement.
(3) The two year time-frame cannot be extended.
(4) Selectees will be subject to a probationary period.
(5) This authority may be used for General Schedule and Federal Wage System positions.
(6) Competitive service appointments may be made for temporary, term or permanent positions.

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 principles, concepts and theories in fish and/or wildlife biology and a working familiarity with related disciplines to determine the effect of land and water development projects on the fish and/or wildlife resources of an area.
- Skill and diplomacy in coordinating activities with other agencies and organizations; ability to exercise tact and diplomacy in official association with Federal, state, and local agencies, and with private organizations and individuals.
- Skill in verbal and written communications to present data and to write objective reports requiring a minimum of reviewing and editing.
- Knowledge of the concepts, principles, methodologies, and practices of conservation biology and ecology in order to provide a critical review of listing, delisting, critical habitat and special rule documents.
- Knowledge of applicable Federal environmental laws and Executive Orders, (i.e., Endangered Species Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Acts, etc.).
- Knowledge of the habitat and life history requirements of fish and wildlife species to evaluate Federal projects, actions, and programs in relation to their effects on the subject species, wetlands, migrating birds and other trust resources.
- Knowledge of and skill in planning and conducting complex inspections of existing projects to ensure that legal standards and other requirements are met and implemented in a manner most beneficial to fish and/or wildlife resources.

Career Transition Assistance Program 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 ICTAP or CTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP or CTAP 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/

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