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Biological Science Technician - Fisheries (Aquatic Wildlife)

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Pacific West Region (Interior Regions 8,9,10 and 12) - Yosemite National Park
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Extended to 1/6/23 due to low applicant pool.

The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Yosemite National Park is April-May but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: April 2023

Open to the first 250 applicants or until 01/06/2023 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
12/20/2022 to 01/06/2023
This job will close when we have received 250 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$19.29 to - $27.87 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 6 - 7
Location
9 vacancies in the following location:
Yosemite National Park, CA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - Not To Exceed 1039 Hours
Work schedule
Multiple Schedules
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
PWR-1548-SR-23-11716753-DE
Control number
691148600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

The Pacific West Region is recruiting for TEMPORARY seasonal positions not to exceed 1039 hours work in a service year. Dates of employment will vary depending on funding, weather conditions and visitation. Within regulatory limitations, the length of initial appointment may be shortened or extended depending on work availability and funding.

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Duties

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Technicians will work in crews ranging from 2 to 8 individuals. Crews may be assigned to work on aquatic restoration projects (including removing nonnative fish and bullfrogs from alpine and sub-alpine lakes), amphibian and reptile projects (including surveys for Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs or other imperiled amphibians), and Northwestern pond turtle projects (including surveys, radio telemetry, and trapping of turtles). Projects may take place in the front country remote field settings (day field work, accessed by hiking and/or riding) or in remote wilderness settings (accessed via multi-night backpacking) and will involve night and weekend work. Projects require a high level of physical fitness, multi-night backpacking (up to 9 nights) in the wilderness, and the ability to work various work schedules (including weekends, split-shift, night shift, and regular day time work schedules). Duties may include:

  • Use of gill nets, backpack electro fisher, and turtle traps.
  • Eradicating Bullfrogs using pole spears, gigs, hand grab, and traps (this is night work).
  • Use of radio telemetry to track freshwater turtles.
  • Identifying and surveying for Sierra Nevada amphibian and reptile including species listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act.
  • Mark-recapture of reptiles or amphibians including scute notches and Passive Integrated Transponder ("PIT") tags, disease sampling in amphibians (BD/chytrid swabbing).
  • Trapping, handling, and marking freshwater turtles.
  • Deployment of iButtons, HOBO, or other temperature data loggers.
  • Performing visual encounter surveys (VES) and/or snorkel surveys.
  • Collecting environmental DNA samples from water bodies (aquatic "eDNA").
  • Repairing equipment in the field/office.
  • Communicating with the public regarding controversial topics in ecological conservation and technical scientific topics.
  • Working with and providing mentorship to volunteers and interns.
  • Office work involving data entry, compilation, and writing.
  • Using software to coordinate field work and summarize data collected including ArcGIS, the program R, and Microsoft Excel/Access databases.
  • Oversee aquatic wildlife or fisheries science in a leadership/crew lead role
  • Communicate with supervisors and colleagues regarding logistics and work assignments.
  • Instruct others in the setting and cleaning of fish from gill nets or site selection and trap placement.
  • Organize, plan and schedule field crews for remote backcountry work.
  • Supervisor a staff comprised of employees, interns, and volunteers performing aquatic ecological field studies.
  • Facilitate safety dialogues and discussions to ensure safe work practices in remote locations.
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.

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 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 wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 10 nights per month.
  • Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
  • Travel, transportation & relocation expenses will not be paid. Relocation expenses will be the employee's responsibility.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by 11:59 EST when the applicant cut-off is reached (which may be sooner than 01/06/2023).

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.

SELECTIVE FACTORS:
1.
Yosemite National Park is home to the following aquatic species which are listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act: Sierra Nevada Yellow Legged Frog, and the Yosemite Toad, as well as threatened species, or species of concern, including the Western Pond Turtle, California Red-Legged Frog, and Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog. You must be able to identify competing invasive species (bullfrogs, various trout species) in order to survey and eradicate them. In order to effectively meet regulatory requirements, incumbents must have the ability to identify these species. Must show experience in resume.

-AND-

2.
Qualified applicants must possess the experience and ability to backpack and camp for at least 6 consecutive days, carrying up to 50 pounds of gear in mountainous terrain and traveling up to 15 miles per day. Experience must be reflected in resume or application materials. Must show experience in resume.

-
AND-

3. These positions perform duties in and around lakes, streams, and rivers, often in wilderness areas of the park. The incumbent must be able to swim and be comfortable in and around rivers and large bodies of water. Must show experience in resume.

-
AND-

To qualify for this position at the GS-06 grade level:

EXPERIENCE: One full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. This experience includes activities such as: prior specific work experience in aquatic wildlife or fisheries science, presenting scientific information to peers and public; eradicating nonnative aquatic species or monitoring turtle species; setting and cleaning fish from gill nets or setting and checking turtle traps using a float tube or boat; electrofishing; conducting field work in remote wilderness doing wildlife restoration, research, or management; conducting amphibian, reptile, and/or fish surveys; using GPS technology to navigate and collect aquatic species data; following instructions and standardized procedures when gathering aquatic species data; and assisting in photo documentation of aquatic species sites. Must include hours per week worked.

-
OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full year (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) of graduate level education leading towards a master's degree with a major study in any combination of scientific or technical courses directly related to this position such as wildlife management, ecology, herpetology, ichthyology, and/or fisheries courses. Must submit Transcripts.

-OR-


Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. Must include transcripts and hours worked per week.

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level:

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: conducting biological aquatic surveys to obtain basic information for management of fish, amphibians, macroinvertebrates, and aquatic ecosystems; assisting researchers in aquatic surveys and monitoring activities; mapping locations using a Global Positioning Systems (GPS) unit; managing field crew workload and schedules to implement aquatic projects; and to assist in long-term monitoring projects by following established protocols to compile, store, analyze and report on aquatic data using a variety of computer programs. Must include hours per week worked.

-
OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full year (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) of graduate level education leading towards a master's degree with a major study in any combination of scientific or technical courses directly related to this position such as wildlife management, ecology, herpetology, ichthyology, and/or fisheries courses. Must submit Transcripts.

-
OR-

Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. Must include transcripts and hours worked per week.

ICTAP/CTAP Statement:
Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special prior­ity selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all

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

For additional questions about this position, please contact:
Rob Grasso, Aquatic Ecologist
Rob_Grasso@nps.gov
(209) 379-1438

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.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required. Heavy items (e.g., packs and equipment up to 50 pounds) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis.

Working Conditions: The work is performed in an office, laboratory, and in the field. Field work includes exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, pesticides, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals. Laboratory work may involve exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Telework: The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).

If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.

The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.

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 two categories:

  • 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:
  • Stamina
  • Fishery Biology
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Leadership
  • Oral Communication
  • Technical Competence
  • Managing Human Resources- GS-07 only

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