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Biological Science Technician (Plants) (Temporary Seasonal)

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Colorado State Office, Upper Colorado River District, Grand Junction Field Office

Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource.

This position is located in Upper Colorado River District, Grand Junction, Colorado. More information can be found here.

We expect to fill 2 vacancies at this time; additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

This is a temporary appointment. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1039 hours in a service year.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/23/2025 to 01/05/2026
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$17.27 to - $19.33 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 4 - 5
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Grand Junction, CO
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - This is a temporary appointment. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1039 hours in a service year.
Work schedule
Full-time
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
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
COTEMP-26-12854471-SS
Control number
853206500

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens - No previous Federal Service is required. CTAP and ICTAP candidates in the local commuting area.

Duties

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  • Performs inventories of public lands to document occurrence and distribution of a variety of plant species especially those classified as either rare, sensitive, threatened, or endangered.
  • Photographs, collects, and mounts plant specimens encountered at import stages of development to facilitate field identification. Identifies and processes specimens for herbarium study mounts.
  • Performs field studies as a crewmember to document environmental factors affecting the plant species and its habitat.
  • Enters and retrieves data from automated databases.
  • This position requires the use of motor vehicles. In most cases this will be a 4-wheel drive vehicle or UTV (Utility Terrain Vehicle).

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Be sure to read the 'How to Apply' and 'Required Documents' Sections.
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
  • Direct Deposit Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
  • Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
  • Some locations may require that you possess (or obtain within 30 days of entrance on duty) and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position.

Qualifications

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

To qualify for this position at the GS-4 grade level, you must meet one of the following requirements:

EXPERIENCE:
You must possess 6 months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience (equivalent to at least the GS-03 level or pay band in the Federal service) that includes performing the following duties: Data entry, plant identification, field survey, tablet and computer programs, using maps for navigating.

-OR-

EDUCATION:
successfully completed 2 years of study that included at least 12 semesters hour in any combination of courses of scientific or technical courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics.

-OR-

COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION:
You may meet the qualifications requirement for this position with a total qualifying experience as a percentage of the 1 year of experience required for GS-4; then determine the applicant's education as a percentage of the 2 years of education that meets the requirements for GS-4. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS-4. A combination of experience and education to meet total experience.

To qualify for this position at the GS-5 grade level, you must meet one of the following requirements:

EXPERIENCE: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-4 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: Surveying, mapping and documenting botany species; assisting in performing botany studies; and compiling data obtained through survey/study for review.

-OR-

EDUCATION:
Bachelor's degree or 4 years of successfully completed education above high school (120 semester/180 quarter hours) with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must be directly related to Botany/Plants.

-OR-

COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION:
You may meet the qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate undergraduate education (in excess of the first 60 semester/90 quarter hours). Undergraduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position as listed above in the 'EDUCATION' section. A combination of experience and education to meet total 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.

You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands: Work requires some physical exertion such as bending and walking in terrain that is rough, rocky, mountainous and densely vegetated. Required to lift and carry equipment necessary to efficiently perform the work of the position, and to provide for personal comfort and safety. This can include tools, personal protective equipment, food and water for extended periods of work away from vehicles.

Work Environment: When doing fieldwork, incumbent is subject to cuts and bruises, extreme, adverse weather conditions, and injuries and discomforts from pests or animals. Employees will adhere to all safety rules.

Education

Applicants may qualify for these positions based on experience, education, or an equivalent combination as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement.

If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. See Required Documents section for more information.

Additional information

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

This position is not eligible for Telework.

All positions may not be filled or they may be filled at different times depending on budget, hiring needs, and requirements. These positions are temporary and are expected to last for up to 6 months. These positions have no promotion potential, if you want to be considered for a higher grade you must apply for the higher grade.

If selected from this announcement you may be rehired for identical positions without further competition based on work needs, funding, or any other condition of employment.

If selected from this or a similar competitive, seasonal announcement, your appointment may be creditable for consideration under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA)?. The Act allows certain individuals, who have or had time-limited appointments at land management agencies, to compete for any permanent position in the competitive service under "internal" merit promotion procedures. For more information, see the section under Eligibility, which starts with Question #15 (Q15. Who is eligible for appointment under these provisions?).

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. Qualified applicants will be placed in one of three predefined categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified and Qualified. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Candidates placed in the Best Qualified category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.

Your answers to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

  • Botany
  • Information Management
  • Vehicle Operation

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