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Ecologist

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

Summary

This TERM position is located in the Vegetation & Ecological Restoration Branch of the Resources Management & Science Division of Yosemite National Park. Serves as a staff or technical advisor in ecology for the assigned park to apply a systems approach to the study and analysis of organisms and ecological relationships.

Open to the first 75 applicants or until 05/17/2021 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
05/10/2021 to 05/15/2021
This job will close when we have received 75 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$53,433 - $69,462 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Location
3 vacancies in the following location:
El Portal, CA
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Term - 13 months and may be extended
Work schedule
Multiple Schedules
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
PW-1549-YOSE-21-11101192-DE
Control number
600621800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) may compete for civil service jobs.

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Duties

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These are term positions based on project work related to revegetation, ecological restoration and/or plant ecology projects.
Duties include, but are not limited to:

  • As directed, develops and prepares portions of the park resources management plan that requires the application of ecological principles. Identifies research needs and recommends request for proposals or statements of work.
  • Develop and maintains liaisons and effective working relations with stakeholders (such as partner groups, other agencies, public, etc.).
  • Coordinates the park ecological strategies and programs with those on adjacent lands for the purposes of achieving broad ecosystem protection strategies and preventing human impact.
  • Assists with testing, and implementation of scientific monitoring protocols to identify, evaluate, and do short and/or long-term monitoring of ecosystem components, (i.e. flora and fauna), and ecological processes.
  • Prepares management and scientific reports regarding the results of protection, mitigation, restoration, reintroduction, inventory, monitoring, and research activities, and makes recommendations to supervisor on problems found.
  • Carries out statistically valid data collection protocols for ecological components and processes. Performs data collection using advanced technology such as electronic data collectors when appropriate. Performs data entry and carries out control checks on data collection and entry performed by others.
  • Incorporates appropriate GIS technology into job to provide comprehensive and scientifically sound answers to inquiries from managers and others. Uses automated methods of data collection, analysis or illustration.
  • May prepare environmental assessments (EA's) for projects in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Evaluates EA's and environmental impact statements prepared by other federal agencies or groups for impacts on park resources.
  • Acquires and maintains equipment and supplies necessary to conduct field activities.
  • May administer and track project funds and prepare accomplishment reports, as needed. Maintains awareness of applicable funding sources within NPS and outside.
Performs supervisory duties up to 20% of the time. Directly supervises a staff of seasonals and/or temporary employees. Must plan, prioritize, organize and review work for a workforce with responsibilities for completing project work in vegetation management and restoration. Responsible for evaluating subordinates. Has full range of responsibility for hiring, training, promoting, disciplining, planning work, setting priorities and preparing work plans for subordinate work units.


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 may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), 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 wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • This position has a mixed work schedule based on the varying workload, and your work schedule is subject to change from part-time to full-time as workload dictates. You may be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
  • You will be required to complete a one-year trial period.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 2 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-05/17/2021-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.

BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR 408:

  • You must possess a Bachelor's degree (or higher-level degree) in biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences.
- AND -To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess one of the following qualifications:
  • EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes: (1) Coordinate the implementation of scientifically credible ecological restoration or vegetation projects; and (2) Collect, maintain, summarize, and report on natural resource data in order to ensure highly credible data acquisition and reporting. You must include hours per week worked. -OR-
  • EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least two (2) full years of graduate level study (36 semester units or the number of units your school uses to describe two graduate years of academic study) leading to a Master's degree or LL.B., J.D., in biological sciences, natural resource management, or related field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform this work. You must include transcripts. -OR-
  • Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of the first year may be used to qualify for the GS-09 level. If your education is currently described in quarter hours, convert them to semester hours by multiplying by 2/3rds. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree, in excess of 18 semester hours, and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent. Then take the number of months experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.

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

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

TERM positions do not convey permanent status in the Federal service and will be for a period not to exceed thirteen months, with possible extensions up to a total of four years without further competition. NOTE: The National Park Service retains the right to extend the duration of this appointment after selection and/or appointment, based on changes to the regulation governing the number of years term appointments may last. This change, which may be made at the agency's sole discretion and without further competition, shall not be construed or interpreted as the granting of a right to a selectee or employee to such an extension. No extension to a term appointment shall be granted to a selectee/employee to an amount of time that exceeds the maximum number of years authorized under any present or current regulation, unless such regulation expressly allows such action.

Physical Demands: The position may require strenuous physical activity including periods of standing, walking, climbing, and lifting and carrying of heavy objects. Some activities will occur in physically dangerous areas or settings. Documentary research and report writing work is sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and write for long periods of time.

Working Conditions: Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather, including extreme heat. Assignments may be performed in potentially hazardous areas including steep rocky terrain, high elevation environments, and forests, and amongst wildfire smoke, stinging insects, and poisonous snakes. Flying in fixed and rotary wing aircraft is possible.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for situational telework at supervisor's discretion.


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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. 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:
  • Botany
  • Ecology
  • Leadership
  • Project Management
  • Technology Application


In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, including a panel resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

National Park Service

The Department of Interior places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates, including candidates from all ethnic and racial backgrounds, women, LGBT individuals, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Yosemite National Park, California, known worldwide for its spectacular natural beauty is the backdrop for this position. Sitting astride the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the park covers 1,182 square miles of varied wilderness ecosystems, from river valleys to alpine meadows to lofty 13,000 foot high peaks. Yosemite Valley is located 208 miles from San Francisco, 81 miles from Merced, and 94 miles from Fresno. Shopping, medical, postal and laundry services are available in the park. Elevation at the Valley floor is approximately 4,000 feet and 2,200 feet in El Portal. The park is open year-round with the majority of activities occurring during the busy season March through October.

Please visit find a park for additional park information.

Agency contact information

Sally Dillinger
Phone
628-249-3914
Email
sally_dillinger@nps.gov
Address
Yosemite National Park
5037 Stroming Road
Mariposa, CA 95338
US

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