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Seasonal Wildlife Biologist

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Summary

This is a temporary position not to exceed 1039 hours.

This is an excepted service appointment that does not confer competitive status.

The typical season for this position is May through October but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. The anticipated entry on duty is May 2026.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
02/24/2026 to 03/03/2026
Salary
$33.44 to - $43.47 per hour

An additional 3% cost of living allowance (COLA) will be added to the salary above. Pay is subject to annual review and adjustment.

Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Bartlett Cove, AK
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - 1039 hours
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
AK-1537-GLBA-26-12893122-LH
Control number
858662300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This position is being filled using the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) local hiring authority (16 USC 3198). Any U.S. Citizen who has acquired special knowledge or expertise regarding the natural or cultural resources of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, by reason of having either lived or worked in or near the unit may apply. See Qualifications section for eligibility requirements.

Duties

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Duties of the position include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Conducts data collection, processing and analysis for Glacier Bay National Park humpback whale monitoring study, adapting established protocols or developing new protocols to accommodate new situations when necessary.
  • Provides field data on whale distribution to Park managers for 'whale waters' actions and disseminates whale-related information to the public.
  • Processes, archives and ensures backup of whale photographic and tabular data and uses a variety of computer programs to compile, reduce, store, retrieve, and report data and other resource information.
  • Assists with response to marine mammal strandings and entanglements.
  • Leads the maintenance and repair of the Park's humpback whale skeleton exhibit and oversees volunteer assistants.
  • Assists with underwater acoustic monitoring and projects as needed and participates in Resource Management activities including planning and NEPA processes.


Please visit find a park for additional park information.

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 submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.

  • You will be required to operate a small watercraft less than 26 feet in length. Operation includes transport of personnel (including visitors), tools, and materials/supplies to job/work sites. In performing this duty, the incumbent may be required to have a current Department of Interior Motorboat Operator Certification Course (DOI-MOCC) certificate.

  • 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 may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.

  • 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, and overtime.

  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to one nights per month.

  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

  • Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement 03/03/2026 unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Special knowledge or expertise concerning the park's or preserve's natural and/or cultural resources and the management thereof is required. Local knowledge of the resources and the typical conditions that affect the work to be accomplished will be applied in the performance of duties.

-AND-

To be eligible your application package must clearly show periods of time having lived or worked in or near the area of consideration. The area of consideration can be found in the below paragraphs.

Areas considered "near" Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is the area within the State of Alaska that extends from Dixon Entrance on the south to Icy Bay on the north. (See map of local hire geographic area)

-ALSO-

The following are the competencies identified for this position. Applicants are not required to address these competencies in a separate document but are encouraged to include in their resumes experience related to these competencies:

  1. Knowledge of the theory, principles and methods of marine ecology investigations in marine ecosystems including marine mammals, fish populations, standard sampling designs and statistical analyses for marine biology studies, sex/age class or population estimations, marine habitat analyses and animal behavior studies.
  2. Experience using equipment including 35mm SLR digital cameras, acoustic monitoring devices, hydroacoustic instruments, computer data archiving, relational database programs, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and behavioral observation techniques to study marine mammals.
  3. Skill at working independently - and in team settings - to plan and carry out work requiring utmost accuracy and attention to detail.
  4. Knowledge of conservation and management issues facing marine mammals in including knowledge of the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Organic Act and other laws relevant to marine mammal conservation.
  5. Skill at communicating orally and in writing, and working effectively with a wide variety of individuals and groups including scientists, managers, and the general public.

Education

There is no substitution of education for the required special knowledge or expertise concerning the park's or preserve's natural and/or cultural resources and the management thereof as outlined in this announcement.

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.

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

Government housing may be available.

All travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the sole responsibility of the selectee.

Alaska currently does not have a state income tax.

Selectee may be moved between duty stations within park boundaries.

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. Assignments may be performed in potentially hazardous areas including steep rocky terrain, arctic environments, and forests. Flying in fixed and rotary wing aircraft is possible.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents, responses to the questions in the assessment). If your application package does not clearly reflect having lived / worked within the area of consideration, does not clearly reflect special knowledge of the natural and/or cultural resources of the park or preserve, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible' or 'not qualified'.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

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