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Biological Science Technician

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

Summary


The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is April to October, but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: Spring 2020

Open to the first 100 applicants or until 01/10/2020 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/31/2019 to 01/05/2020
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$33,949 to - $33,949 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 4 - 7
Location
12 vacancies in the following location:
Page, AZ
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
IM-1541-GLCA-20-10665570-DE
Control number
555051200

Duties

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Employees play an important role in implementing parks native and exotic vegetation management field programs. Duties require the safe, efficient, and often independent operation and maintenance of natural resource field instruments, work tools, and vehicles. Data collection and management may include the use of established protocols, GPS equipment, GIS equipment, and digital cameras. Data collection requires the ability to identify many plants, including grasses, forbs, and shrubs. Employees will work among other crew members, volunteers, and youth groups.

The level of responsibility and complexity of the work will depend on the grade level the employee is hired for. Employee's working at the GS-4 level will perform work under closer supervision, whereas employees at the GS-5, and/or GS-7 levels will perform work more independently or be called upon to lead or instruct others performing field work. Crew members at the GS-07 levels are expected to be able to lead crews and participate in project planning and logistics and prepare reports for resource management projects.

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.
  • You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
  • 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 complete training and operate a watercraft 26 feet in length.
  • You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/10/2020-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.
All qualifications listed below must be met by the closing date of the announcement. Candidates who do not meet the requirements by the close of this announcement will receive no further consideration.

In order to be considered, applicants must show they qualify for a grade level by demonstrating they have the required experience or education or a combination of experience and education as described below.

GS-04
You must show you have six months of general experience and six months of specialized experience for a total of one year of experience. The specialized experience must have been equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of at least the GS-3 grade level in the Federal service.
-OR-
Complete two years of education above high school in an accredited educational institution (60 semester hour or 90 quarter hours) which included at least 12 semester hours of scientific or technical courses, (such as in biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, ecology, or mathematics, or other directly-related subject matter); and at least 6 semester hours of this coursework was in plant or botany-related subjects.
-OR-
Show you have an equivalent combination of education and experience. For example, 6 months of general experience combined with one year of education, which included at least 6 semester hours of scientific or technical courses, and at least 3 semester hours of directly related courses (plant or botany-related subjects).

GS-05
You must show in your resume that you have one year of specialized experience. This experience must have been equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of at least the GS-4 grade level in the Federal service.
-OR-
Complete a full four year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as scientific or technical courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture or mathematics; and at least 6 semester hours of this coursework was in plant or botany-related subjects.
-OR-
Show you have a combination of specialized experience and education which total at least one year. For example, 6 months of specialized experience and three years of education above high school, with 12 semester hours in scientific or technical courses and 3 of those in plant or botany-related subjects. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e. beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.

GS-7
SELECTIVE FACTOR: The GS-7 grade level positions perform planning, logistics, and oversight of vegetation ecology field projects, and prior experience in this area is required. Candidates applying to the GS-7 grade level must have experience providing leadership for a vegetation project including training and leading a crew in field work, data collection, vegetation management activities and/or sampling; providing logistical support; and ensuring quality control of field work and data collection.
- AND -
You must show in your resume that you have one year of specialized experience. This experience must have been equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of at least the GS-6 grade level in the Federal service.
-OR-
Complete at least one year of graduate level education with a major study in a related field such as natural resource management, botany, range science, forestry or other related sciences. One year of graduate education is considered to be 18 semester hours.
-OR-
Show you have a combination of specialized experience and education which total at least one year. For example, 6 months of specialized experience and 9 graduate level semester hours.

General Experience: is (1) Any type of work that demonstrates my ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation.
Specialized Experience: is experience that equips the applicant with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the work of the position.
(See specific examples of general and specialized experience for each grade level in the Occupational Questionnaire)

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

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.

Individuals selected under this vacancy announcement are eligible for the possibility of extensions or rehire in subsequent service years.

Physical Demands and Work Conditions: Lifting moderately heavy objects, digging, bending, stooping for long periods, and strenuous use of hand tools on uneven terrain. Foot travel may be off trail through dense brush, forest, or rocky slopes. Work is performed in harsh and varied weather out of doors. Some office work required. May work in proximity to herbicide applications and congested roadways. May require carrying a pack (35-50 pounds) over varied terrain for extended periods of time. May require the operation of trucks and all-terrain vehicles.

Relocation: 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.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are NOT suitable for telework.

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:
  • Hydrology
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Oral Communication
  • Physical Strength and Agility
  • Research
  • Technical Competence
  • Technology Application
  • Vehicle Operation
  • Written Communication

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