MAJOR DUTIES: Primary duties include but are not limited to:
Assist biologists in planning biological studies related to fish culture, hatchery quality control, fishery management assistance, and assessing fish populations.
Assist with biological studies related to rearing stocks of threatened, endangered, and imperiled fish in a controlled environment for research purposes, maintain ark populations, and release in impacted waters to supplement natural reproduction.
Participate in studies/evaluations including the design, collection, and analysis of biological data pertaining to rearing/propagation activities and aquatic species cultural requirements of species.
Assist with hatchery evaluations and ecological interactions between hatchery and wild fish, including stream ecology studies involving population distribution, abundance, survival, age/length of composition, behavior, competition, and habitat assessments.
Assist in routine maintenance of hatchery facilities, grounds, and equipment; inspect and maintain recirculating and flow through systems including pumps, pipes, filters, controllers, and heater/chiller systems.
Assist with the Hatchery's imperiled aquatic species program involving rearing stocks of threatened, endangered and imperiled fishes, mussels, and reptiles.
Assist Biologists in implementing and managing the cool- and or warm-water fish production and distribution programs at the Hatchery.
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
May be required to successfully complete a trial period
Required to obtain and wear an official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform
Required to work a non-standard tour of duty that may include weekends, holidays, and night shifts
Must be able to operate a government-owned or leased motor vehicle. A valid state driver's license is required.
Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must meet both the Basic Education Requirements and Additional Qualification Requirements listed below.
BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
All applicants must meet the following Basic Education Requirements. For each question, choose the response that best describes your education. NOTE: Copies of your transcripts MUST be submitted to document educational accomplishments and MUST list your coursework taken as well as the degree you were awarded and the date this degree was conferred (if applicable). Your answers will be verified by your transcripts. If your transcripts do not show proof of your response, you will be determined to be not qualified for this position.
A. Have a Bachelor's Degree with a major in a biological science that includes the following course work: 1) at least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects such as limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, or related courses in the field of fishery biology; AND 2) at least 12 semester hours in the animal sciences subjects such as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields. OR
B. Have an appropriate combination of education and experience that is equivalent to a major in a biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours) of which a minimum of 6 semester hours were in aquatic subjects and 12 semester hours were in the animal sciences as described in "A" above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
In addition to the Basic Education Requirements, applicants must meet the following Additional Qualification Requirements to qualify for this position. Please note that in determining your qualifications, your response will be verified against the information you provide in your resume. Therefore, your responses MUST be supported and clearly shown in your resume. If your resume does not support your response, you will be determined as not qualified for this position.
A. Have at least one year of full-time specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level (GS-05 in the Federal service). This specialized experience MUST include: (1) conducting biological studies of aquatic/fish species; (2) observing and recording a wide variety of fish habitat and aquatic species data; (3) assisting in the compilation and analysis of aquatic species/fish data; (4) collecting, handling, identifying, tagging, and caring for a variety of endangered, native, and recreational fishes; and (5) operating and maintaining various types of scientific field sampling gear. OR
B. Have successfully completed a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in a field of study that demonstrates the competencies required by this position with either (1) a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 based on a 4.0 scale; (2) a 3.5 GPA based on a 4.0 scale for all required courses completed in a qualifying major field of study at either the time of application or during the last two years of your undergraduate curriculum; (3) class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or a major subdivision of the college; or, (4) membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies. OR
C. Have successfully completed one full year (18 semester hours) of graduate level education in an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in one of the following related fields: limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, fish and wildlife management, marine science, or other fields directly related to fishery biology. The education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position. OR
D. I possess an equivalent combination of professional experience and graduate level education in excess of the first year which together equals 100% of the requirements.
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.
NOTE: Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this vacancy announcement will be considered.
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 Federal 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 for the position; 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/
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.
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and transcripts will be used to determine whether you meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements listed on this announcement. If you meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements, your resume will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. Therefore, your resume MUST support and clearly show your responses to the assessment questions. If, after reviewing your resume, 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):
(1) Knowledge of fish/aquatic biology, with emphasis on imperiled aquatic species production and distribution
(2) Knowledge of fishery biology and fish hatchery programs to collect and analyze data
(3) Knowledge of fish hatchery operations
(4) Skill in operating and maintaining hatchery equipment
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. This means that veterans with preference will be referred over non-veterans per rating category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the Minimum 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).
Veterans: If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must submit the Member Copy 4 copy of your DD-214 showing your military service that that you were honorably discharged. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must attach the Member Copy 4 copy of your DD-214 showing your military service and that you were honorably discharged as well as a SF-15," Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" along with your Department of Veterans Affairs letter stating % of disability.
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.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
Resume or Application. At a minimum, your resume MUST contain job title (include job series and grade, if federal), duties, starting and ending dates (month/day/year), hours worked per week, and salary. Your resume must also clearly show the responses you choose under Minimum Qualification Requirements and the Assessment Questionnaire. USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YX7o1PBoFk
Other supporting documents:
Cover Letter, optional
Official or unofficial College Transcript(s), if the position has education requirements, or if you are using your education to qualify. NOTE: To be considered, your transcripts MUST show your coursework as well as the degree awarded and the date this degree was conferred (if applicable). If you claim that you are qualified for this position based, in whole or part on education, and you do not submit transcripts or your transcripts do not include the required information, your education will not be used in making a qualification determination and you may be found "not qualified". A copy of your final, official transcripts will be required if you are selected. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the transcripts from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See: https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx. Also see the "Education" section of this announcement for what documentation is required if your education is from a foreign institute.
Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable. You must provide the Member 4 copy of your DD-214 showing your military service and honorable discharge; your SF-15 Form; and your Department of Veterans Affairs letter stating % of disability.
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
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.
Resume or Application. At a minimum, your resume MUST contain job title (include job series and grade, if federal), duties, starting and ending dates (month/day/year), hours worked per week, and salary. Your resume must also clearly show the responses you choose under Minimum Qualification Requirements and the Assessment Questionnaire. USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume.
Online Application and Assessment Questionnaire. You must also complete the online application and assessment questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
DEADLINE DATE: A complete application package must be received by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/14/2018 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is received. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Division of Human Resources
Division of Human Resources
500 Gold Avenue, SW Room 5222
Albuquerque, NM 87103
US
Next steps
Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the customer office.
You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJobs Account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
Resume or Application. At a minimum, your resume MUST contain job title (include job series and grade, if federal), duties, starting and ending dates (month/day/year), hours worked per week, and salary. Your resume must also clearly show the responses you choose under Minimum Qualification Requirements and the Assessment Questionnaire. USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YX7o1PBoFk
Other supporting documents:
Cover Letter, optional
Official or unofficial College Transcript(s), if the position has education requirements, or if you are using your education to qualify. NOTE: To be considered, your transcripts MUST show your coursework as well as the degree awarded and the date this degree was conferred (if applicable). If you claim that you are qualified for this position based, in whole or part on education, and you do not submit transcripts or your transcripts do not include the required information, your education will not be used in making a qualification determination and you may be found "not qualified". A copy of your final, official transcripts will be required if you are selected. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the transcripts from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See: https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx. Also see the "Education" section of this announcement for what documentation is required if your education is from a foreign institute.
Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable. You must provide the Member 4 copy of your DD-214 showing your military service and honorable discharge; your SF-15 Form; and your Department of Veterans Affairs letter stating % of disability.
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
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.
Resume or Application. At a minimum, your resume MUST contain job title (include job series and grade, if federal), duties, starting and ending dates (month/day/year), hours worked per week, and salary. Your resume must also clearly show the responses you choose under Minimum Qualification Requirements and the Assessment Questionnaire. USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume.
Online Application and Assessment Questionnaire. You must also complete the online application and assessment questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
DEADLINE DATE: A complete application package must be received by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/14/2018 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is received. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Division of Human Resources
Division of Human Resources
500 Gold Avenue, SW Room 5222
Albuquerque, NM 87103
US
Next steps
Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the customer office.
You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJobs Account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
