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Wildlife Biologist

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

These positions are located in the Pacific Northwest Region, Region 6 throughout Oregon and Washington and will be located at a designated Forest Service Office.

See additional information for locations. This position is responsible for providing professional wildlife expertise in the protection, management and improvement of wildlife.

For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact- Kristen McBride at 541-480-3450 or kristen.mcbride@usda.gov.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
01/06/2023 to 01/12/2023
Salary
$46,696 to - $69,107 per year

Salary wage as shown is for Rest of the U.S. For more information, refer to the Office of Personnel Management, Salary and Wages web page.

Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 11
Location
11 vacancies in the following location:
Location Negotiable After Selection
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Travel may be required for field work, site visits, training and/or meetings.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
23-R6-GVA-11755530-DP-HE
Control number
693708200

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Duties

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  • Responsibilities listed below are at the full performance level of GS-11.
  • Provide professional wildlife expertise in the protection, management, and improvement of wildlife within the framework of multiple-use management of forest and rangelands.
  • Provide guidance for the development of wildlife or habitat management plans for technical soundness and adequacy in meeting overall wildlife management objectives and ensure plans are implemented.
  • Correlate wildlife management with other resource uses (e.g. timber, recreation, and minerals management) and implement wildlife habitat management programs with emphasis on maintaining and enhancing bio-diversity.
  • Analyze data to assess the effects of management activities on fish, wildlife and plant resources and document in an Environmental Assessment.
  • Conduct and monitor special studies on the habitat of unique, rare, threatened and endangered species and make recommendations for habitat protections.
  • Inspect habitat improvement projects for compliance with approved plans and recommend improvements.
  • Prepare or review biological evaluations for threatened, endangered or sensitive species.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

Basic Requirement:

GS-0486:
Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in biological science that included at least 9 semester hours in such wildlife subjects as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, wildlife management, or research courses in the field of wildlife biology; and at least 12 semester hours in zoology in such subjects as general zoology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, ecology, cellular biology, parasitology, entomology, or research courses in such subjects (Excess courses in wildlife biology may be used to meet the zoology requirements where appropriate.); and at least 9 semester hours in botany or the related plant sciences.

OR

Combination of education and experience -- equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), with at least 9 semester hours in wildlife subjects, 12 semester hours in zoology, and 9 semester hours in botany or related plant science, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.

Specialized Experience Requirement:
For the GS-07 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as one or more of the following: Assisted with the collection of field data on wildlife habitats and vegetation; Assisted with interpretation of aerial photos to determine vegetation types; Assisted with assembling biological and vegetation use data from records to determine past wildlife and livestock use; Assisted with communication and interpretative programs related to wildlife and their habitats.

OR

One full year of graduate level education. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work in fields such as forestry, forest ecology, botany, biology, ecology.

OR

An appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as defined above (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

OR

Qualified based on Superior Academic Achievement. Go to this site to determine if you are eligible: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

For the GS-09 level: Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as one or more of the following: Served as an advanced trainee specializing in wildlife biology and performing common qualitative and quantitative analyses of wildlife resources; Conducted surveys and drafting tentative professional opinions to assist in determining wildlife resource needs and remedies; Assisted in carrying out a range of analytical/scientific assignments in the wildlife biology profession that included researching and analyzing data, issues, and information that support wildlife project recommendations.

OR

A master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.

OR

An appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

For the GS-11 level: Applicant must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as one or more of the following: Provided input in the wildlife management program by gathering, compiling, and analyzing data to determine environmental conditions, characteristics, and values, and the interrelationship of wildlife resources with other resources; Analyzed data and recommended solutions to problems involving a limited section of wildlife resources issues, e.g., interpreting the effect and impact of changes on wildlife habitat as a result of specific resource activities; Provided input in the preparation, maintenance, and revision of wildlife plans that involved interpretation of data obtained from studies and field surveys.

OR

3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled).

OR

An appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate-level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.).

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.

Work Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary, or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate, or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.

Education

See above for education that may be qualifying for the specific grade level.

Additional information

These positions are located in the Pacific Northwest Region, Region 6 throughout Oregon and Washington and will be located at a designated Forest Service Office. Final duty station to be determined at time of selection. May fill at the full performance level as well as the GS-7 or GS-9 level.

The duty location for positions filled through this announcement are not remote.

Possible duty locations are listed below:
Dufur, OR
Sandy, OR
Roseburg, OR
Sisters, OR
Joseph, OR
Tonasket, WA
Wenatchee, WA
Bend, OR
Prairie City, OR
Springfield, OR
Hood River, OR
Enterprise, OR
Oxbow, OR
Halfway, OR
Elgin, OR
La Grande, OR
Riggins, ID
Baker City, OR
Chelan, WA
Cle Elum, WA
Leavenworth, WA
Winthrop, WA
Entiat, WA
Naches, WA


The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered.

If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is not guaranteed.

This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.

The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-and-leave-flexibilities-for-recruitment-and-retention/

This is a bargaining unit position and is represented by either NFFE, AFGE, or NAGE.

Forest Service daycare facilities are not available.

Government housing is not available

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
LOCATION NEGOTIABLE AFTER SELECTION: Selecting the "Location Negotiable After Selection" option as well as selecting your preferred duty location(s) during the application process implies your willingness to accept a position in any duty location listed for this announcement. Selecting the Location Negotiable After Selection option, along with any specific duty locations, is encouraged as an opportunity to increase your chances of being considered and receiving an offer.

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 in accordance with the category rating procedure as defined in the USDA Demonstration Project Plan. Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be placed in the Eligible category. You will be further evaluated against criteria for placement in the Quality category. This evaluation is based on the level of your experience, education, and/or training as determined by your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. Individuals with veterans' preference are listed ahead of applicants who do not have veterans' preference within each category.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11755530

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