What General Information Do I Need To Know About This Position? This vacancy is limited to the first 100 applications received and will close at 11:59PM EST on the day this application limit is reached regardless of the closing date specified in this vacancy announcement. Any application received prior to midnight Central Time the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. You are strongly encouraged to submit all required documents at the time of the application.
Summary
What General Information Do I Need To Know About This Position? This vacancy is limited to the first 100 applications received and will close at 11:59PM EST on the day this application limit is reached regardless of the closing date specified in this vacancy announcement. Any application received prior to midnight Central Time the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. You are strongly encouraged to submit all required documents at the time of the application.
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$16 to - $20.80 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GG 05
Location
FEW vacancies in the following location:
Hot Springs, SD
FEW vacancies
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
50% or less - An average of 16 overnights per month is required for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - This is a temporary appointment not-to-exceed 1 year. Employment may not exceed 180 working days in a service year. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status in the Federal service.
THIS IS A TEMPORARY EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITION for which all qualified applicants, with or without Federal status may apply and be considered. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status in the Federal service, and will only be for the duration of the position (1039 hrs or less). Positions may offer rehire eligibility for subsequent appointments, provided the employee has not exceeded 1039 hrs of work in a 12 month period and has achieved an acceptable level of performance.
The USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Center is seeking biological science technicians for the 2019 summer field season of the Annual Brome Adaptive Management project. The GG-05 positions vary in length (14-26 weeks) and beginning/ending dates (outside range May 15-November 15, 2019) depending on position and funding availability. The Annual Brome Adaptive Management project is building a structured decision making framework for invasive and native vegetation management in seven National Park Service units of the northern Great Plains.
As a BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE TECHNICIAN (FIELD ASSISTANT) within the NORTHERN PRAIRIE WILDLIFE CENTER, some of your specific duties will include:
Collecting data related to cover, composition, and diversity of northern mixed-grass prairie vegetation.
Measuring plant cover and density by species; recording species richness; and measuring litter depth and mass
Acts daily as a member of a field crew and performs correct use of field forms and techniques, organizes field equipment, confirms quality and accuracy of data, and alerts supervisor to procedural, technical, and logistical problems.
Applies and adapts existing methods to accomplish project objectives
Cares for and maintains equipment
Enters data into an established database; checks and corrects data entry
Maintains data and protocol consistency.
Operates a government vehicle. As part of the required duties for this job position, the employee will be routinely required to drive up 300 miles/ day to remote areas to conduct field work. This work is routinely conducted as a solo operation so the employee will be required to operate a government vehicle to complete these duties.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Field work will be strenuous at times. Position demands hiking moderate distances in varying temperatures, carrying equipment, and lifting objects weighing up to 20 pounds. Field work is extensive, and may require long hours of walking, bending, squatting, and/or kneeling; extensive exposure to sun and insects and potential exposure to bison and rattlesnakes; and walking over rough terrain in grasslands. Most office work (data management and computer use) is performed while seated, although occasional periods of standing, walking, bending, or carrying light objects are required.
Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.
Selectee subject to successful completion of a pre-employment medical exam.
More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?
Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
This position requires completion of a medical examination at Federal expense.
Applicants for this position must meet the following requirements: (1) possession of a valid State driver's license, and (2) possess a safe driving record. If selected, you will be required to provide proof of a valid State License and a copy of your driving record.
Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
Qualifications
In order to qualify at the GG-5 level, you must meet one of the following: --Nine months of field party experience. Field party experience includes activities associated with making and recording geologic, hydrologic, or topographic field observations; collecting geologic, biological, or water samples for laboratory analysis; applying accepted data collection techniques and methods in the performance of field work in support of scientific investigations; and using a variety of surveying instruments and electronic or mechanical instrumentation in the making and recording of field measurements and observations designed to collect data for geologic physical science investigations. Only time actually spent in the field can be credited when qualifying individuals under the field party experience option.
*OR* --Three years sub-professional experience. Sub-professional experience is defined as technical work performed in support of field or laboratory investigations relating to the biological sciences, physical sciences, or closely related disciplines, which provided basic knowledge or skills in gathering, recording, and assembling scientific or engineering data; using scientific instruments to measure angles, degrees weights, strengths, intensities, etc.; setting up and operating test apparatus, and manipulating quantitative data. Experience may include assisting professional employees in such duties as calibrating and operating measuring instruments, mixing solutions, making chemical analyses, setting up and operating test apparatus, and compiling and processing scientific data. Experience as a laboratory mechanic or in a trade or craft may be credited as experience when the work was performed in close association with physical or biological scientists or other technical personnel and provided a good working knowledge of appropriate scientific principles, methods, and techniques.
*OR* --Three years college study related to biology plus 3 months of lab or field work experience. Satisfactory completion of a field course of study may be substituted for the 3 months of field and/or laboratory experience.
You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.
Education
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 completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.usgs.gov/ohr/oars/quals/foreign.html.
Additional information
The U.S. Geological Survey has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.
Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) may compete for civil service jobs. Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only in very limited circumstances where there are no qualified citizens available for the position.
USGS employees are subject to Title 43, USC Section 31(a) and may not: (a) have any personal, private, direct or indirect interest in lands or mineral wealth of lands under survey; (b) have any substantial personal, private, direct or indirect interests in any private mining or mineral enterprise doing business with the United States; or (c) execute surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations.
The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
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.
Temporary appointees expected to work at least 130 hours per month for at least 90 days will be eligible to enroll in a Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) plan. Individuals eligible under this rule receive the full government contribution to their premiums regardless of work schedule and will also be eligible to participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts and Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. Temporary appointees are not covered by the Federal Employee Retirement System and are ineligible for Federal life, dental, or vision insurance.
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.
Basis of Rating: All applicants who meet the basic eligibility and qualification requirements will be referred to the selecting official in veterans’ preference order. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
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.
Temporary appointees expected to work at least 130 hours per month for at least 90 days will be eligible to enroll in a Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) plan. Individuals eligible under this rule receive the full government contribution to their premiums regardless of work schedule and will also be eligible to participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts and Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. Temporary appointees are not covered by the Federal Employee Retirement System and are ineligible for Federal life, dental, or vision insurance.
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.
If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) or list of course work, which includes semester hours earned and grade received, by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. This proof may be faxed, document uploaded, or hand delivered to the servicing Human Resources Office (see "Required Documents" and/or "Contact Information"). Please ensure that all documentation is legible.
If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.
If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans’ preference and that your character of military service is honorable.
If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders.
Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans’ preference. Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.
Required documents may be: 1) faxed to the Agency Contact (see "Contact Information") 2) uploaded directly from your desktop 3) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments 4) hand delivered to the servicing Human Resources Office (see 'Contact Information').
Auto-Requested Fax: allows you to submit required documentation that will be electronically displayed along with your resume.
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.
Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Most libraries, employment offices, and all USGS personnel offices can provide access to the Internet. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.
This vacancy is limited to the first 100 applications received and will close at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the day this application limit is reached regardless of the closing date specified in this vacancy announcement. Any application received prior to midnight Central Time of the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. You are strongly encouraged to submit all required supporting documents at the time of application should the vacancy close earlier than stated in this announcement due to the applicant limit being reached. Supporting documents will not be accepted once the vacancy announcement closes.
Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement: 1) Click the blue "Apply Online" button. 2) If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile. 3) As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application. 4) Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen. 5) Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy. 6) Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below. 7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
INTERIOR, Geological Survey
W 6th Ave Kipling St 612
Lakewood, Colorado 80225
United States
Next steps
--We expect to make a selection within 30-45 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified via email of the outcome. You can also go to "My Account" within USAJOBS to review your Application Status.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) or list of course work, which includes semester hours earned and grade received, by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. This proof may be faxed, document uploaded, or hand delivered to the servicing Human Resources Office (see "Required Documents" and/or "Contact Information"). Please ensure that all documentation is legible.
If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.
If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans’ preference and that your character of military service is honorable.
If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders.
Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans’ preference. Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.
Required documents may be: 1) faxed to the Agency Contact (see "Contact Information") 2) uploaded directly from your desktop 3) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments 4) hand delivered to the servicing Human Resources Office (see 'Contact Information').
Auto-Requested Fax: allows you to submit required documentation that will be electronically displayed along with your resume.
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.
Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Most libraries, employment offices, and all USGS personnel offices can provide access to the Internet. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.
This vacancy is limited to the first 100 applications received and will close at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the day this application limit is reached regardless of the closing date specified in this vacancy announcement. Any application received prior to midnight Central Time of the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. You are strongly encouraged to submit all required supporting documents at the time of application should the vacancy close earlier than stated in this announcement due to the applicant limit being reached. Supporting documents will not be accepted once the vacancy announcement closes.
Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement: 1) Click the blue "Apply Online" button. 2) If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile. 3) As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application. 4) Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen. 5) Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy. 6) Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below. 7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
INTERIOR, Geological Survey
W 6th Ave Kipling St 612
Lakewood, Colorado 80225
United States
Next steps
--We expect to make a selection within 30-45 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified via email of the outcome. You can also go to "My Account" within USAJOBS to review your Application Status.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
