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Supervisory Biologist

Department of the Interior
Geological Survey
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
This job announcement has closed

Summary

What General Information Do I Need To Know About This Position?

The Government-Wide direct hire authority for Scientific, Technical, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) Occupations, GS-0401, is being used to fill this position.

Position sensitivity level is Non-Sensitive. Risk level is High Risk.

(Summary continued Below Under Duties)

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/01/2023 to 05/19/2023
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$116,393 to - $151,308 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
La Crosse, WI
Location Negotiable After Selection
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel on average 5 nights per month for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Relocation expenses are authorized.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
USGS-RES-23-11913943-DHA-DG
Control number
721999200

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Duties

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Summary Continued Below:

Duty Station: There is only one vacancy for this position. The physical worksite option for this advertisement is located in La Crosse, WI. This position is eligible for workplace flexibilities which include telework. The final duty location of the selectee will be a joint decision made between the selectee and the hiring official. Locality pay will be adjusted appropriately and determined by the final duty location of the selectee.

The duty station of this position may remain that of the selectee that is agreed upon by the selecting official and the selectee. If the agreed duty location results in the relocation of the selectee, the travel, transportation, and relocation expenses may be paid by the Federal Government.

Telework Eligibility: If your final duty location is La Crosse, WI, you may have an option to telework in accordance with the DOI Telework policy and with supervisory approval. The selectee will typically report to the designated physical worksite on a regular and recurring weekly basis.

Salary:

  • GS-14: $116,393 (Step 01) to $151,308 (Step 10) (Rest of the US pay scale)
  • Salary dependent upon the agreed upon duty location of the position. Locality pay tables for other than Rest of the US can be found here.

NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.

Duties:

As a Supervisory Biologist within the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, some of your specific duties will include:

  • Exercises a broad range of technical and administrative supervisory authorities and responsibilities over four or more employees within the Long Term Resource Monitoring (LTRM) Branch, including determining appropriate staffing levels and pathways (e.g., federal permanent, term or temporary, student, contract) and identifying training requirements. Assures workload and project responsibilities are specifically delegated and defined to employees. Recommends monetary, non-monetary, and honor awards for staff.
  • Evaluates performance of employees. Gives advice, counsel, or instruction to employees on work and administrative matters. Provides for mentorship and professional development by maintaining and supporting training plans for each employee. Effects minor disciplinary measures such as warnings and reprimands, recommending action in more serious cases. Identifies and keeps supervisor informed and makes recommendations for developmental and training needs. Interviews candidates for positions and exercises delegated authority to make or recommend appointment, promotion, or reassignment.
  • Leads the intergovernmental consultation among LTRM monitoring component principal investigators, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and state-operated LTRM field station (IA, IL, MN, MO, WI) Team Leaders to: Identify and select priority research topics, science and monitoring focal areas and needs; Directly communicate and coordinate with USACE Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program Managers the funding requests to implement a more than $15M annual reimbursable monitoring and science program that collectively impacts more than $75M annual habitat rehabilitation and enhancement in the UMRS.
  • Maintain close liaison and working relations with the scientific community and with administrators and professional personnel in DOI, USGS, and other Federal and State natural resources agencies.
  • Manages branch budget and coordinates annual budget planning and Scopes of Work preparation with USACE to implement the UMRR Program. Evaluates the appropriateness of expenditures for supplies, equipment, and travel.
  • Prepares routine reports of progress and accomplishments for inclusion in Center and USGS reports and occasionally prepares manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals. Tracks and documents review and approval of study plans and information products (e.g., manuscripts, reports, abstracts, presentations, data) prepared by LTRM scientists in accordance with UMESC and USGS policies (e.g., USGS Fundamental Science Practices).
  • Keeps abreast of new developments in areas of restoration ecology, aquatic and terrestrial ecology, and new and emerging science topics related to branch activities. Identifies research and interpretive products that are of national or regional sensitivity and advises the Center Director, Program Managers / Coordinators and other higher-ranking officials of status and issues. Advises Center Director and other agency management officials of research progress and findings as they pertain to their jurisdictional area of responsibility. Provides the Center Director with responses to requests for information from congressional staff and DOI and USGS staff. Advises the Center Director on briefings and meetings with Congressional offices and participates in Congressional office visits for activities related to branch science.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

  1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
  2. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
  3. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
  4. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
  5. Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.
Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?
  • If selected you may be asked to provide information regarding your COVID-19 vaccination status for the purposes of implementing workplace safety protocols, such as those related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.
  • This vacancy is limited to the first 100 applications received and will close at midnight 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 Eastern 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.
  • This position requires completion of a one year supervisory/managerial probationary period, if one has not previously been completed.
  • You will be required to operate a government-owned or -leased vehicle in the performance of your official duties. Applicants for this position must meet the following requirements: (1) possess a valid State license, and (2) possess a safe driving record. If selected, you will be required to provide proof of a valid State license & a copy of your driving record.
  • A recruitment or relocation incentive MAY be authorized in filling 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.
  • If selected for this position, you may be required to file one or more financial statements upon reporting and annually, some of which may be subject to public disclosure.
(Requirements Continued Below Under Qualifications)

Qualifications

(Requirements Continued)

  • 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.
  • 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)

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Biologist, all grade levels.

A. Degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

*OR

B. Combination of education and experience--courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above (24 semester hours or the equivalent in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position), plus appropriate experience and/or additional education for a total of 4 years. The education or combined education and experience must be comparable in type, scope and thoroughness to that acquired through successful completion of a 4-year course of study as described in "A" above.


For GS-14:

In addition to the basic education requirements as stated above, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at or equal to the next lower grade level, GS-13.

Specialized experience is defined as: 1) Desired applicants will have at least one year of experience working in an interdisciplinary natural resource research or management organization. 2) Application of theoretical and applied principles, practices and concepts of biological, chemical, and ecological research or ecosystem restoration necessary to perform the full range of duties. 3) Management of research projects or long-term monitoring studies (or other ecosystem management projects) and in the coordination of ecosystem-focused research (or management) activities with colleagues. 4) Effective oral and written communications, and partner group interactions on frequently controversial, complex, and highly technical, scientific, and policy relevant issues. Work examples should document the application of wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment to perform scientific work of marked difficulty and responsibility.

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: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-federal-jobs .

Additional information

Other Information:

  • 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 Department of the Interior (DOI) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.
  • THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
Agency Benefits:

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

--Basis of Rating: The government-wide direct hire authority for Scientific, Technical, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) Occupations, GS-0401, is being used to fill this position. All applicants who meet the eligibility requirements and minimum qualification requirements will be referred for consideration.

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