Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results
 

Wildlife Biologist

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
ARP/Office of Airports Safety and Standards, Airports Safety and Operations Division (AAS-300)

Summary

This position serves as a National Wildlife Biologist for the Office of Airports Safety and Standards, Airports Safety and Operations Branch and is a recognized subject matter expert on mitigating wildlife hazards to aircraft that impact aviation safety.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
02/26/2026 to 03/12/2026
Salary
$95,489 to - $148,037 per year

The salary listed above does not include locality. Locality will be determined based on the duty location of the selectee.

Pay scale & grade
FV J
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
FAA Location Negotiable Upon Request - See Additional Info
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational telework may be permitted in accordance with agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - The job may require travel from time-to-time, but not on a regular basis. The travel may be for training or other work-related duties.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes— - Fixed Rate PCS - Permanent Change of Station (U.S. Citizens) - In accordance with applicable FAA Travel regulations, a fixed relocation payment of $10,000 will be paid to new hires to Federal service, former Federal employees (reinstatements), and student trainees. A fixed relocation payment of $25,000 will be paid to current Federal employees. Relocation expenses paid are subject to applicable taxes.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
NA
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes - This position is represented by AFSCME Local 1653.
Announcement number
AWA-ARP-26-3131BR-97360
Control number
858899500

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is issued under direct-hire authority to recruit new talent to occupations for which FAA has a severe shortage of candidates.

Duties

Help

Performs multiple, varying and complex assignments under the minimal direction of a manager, project/program manager, team leader, or more experienced technical specialist. Provides technical support, advice and guidance to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) national airport certification and safety program.

Applies experience, comprehensive technical knowledge and subject matter expertise in wildlife hazard management to solve complex problems and develop policy, procedures and guidelines for implementing national control programs, including providing recommendations on land use near airports. Serves as a senior advisor to management and staff on regulatory matters related to wildlife control. Develops regulations, orders, notices, standards, guidelines, criteria, advisory circulars, and other publications which provide information and direction for safety programs.

Provides expert consultation assistance to field elements within the FAA supporting Part 139 requirements relating to wildlife hazard management, environmental matters relating to wildlife management, and the collection of safety information. Coordinates with Regional FAA personnel on safety issues and incidents occurring on or near airports. Assists FAA Lines of Businesses/Staff Offices (LOBs/SOs), including Air Traffic, Flight Standards, Runway Safety Program Office, and the Office of Accident Investigation with issues regarding wildlife hazard controls. Assists with conducting training and performing guidance review to support the aviation industry and international partners in reducing wildlife collisions with aircraft. Represents the FAA on matters pertaining to wildlife control and other related wildlife hazard management issues, as assigned, on work groups and teams and at conferences, briefings and meetings with aviation industry groups, professional aviation associations, Federal, state, and local agencies, foreign governments, and international organizations.

Provides technical support to the Airports Safety and Operations Division with tracking wildlife related safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Office of Inspector General (OIG), General Accounting Office (GAO) audits, and other program auditing functions. Acts as liaison officer with the Department of Agriculture and Smithsonian Institution. Determines national strategies for management of wildlife issues using systematic investigation and scientific methods. Reviews basic research in ecology and wildlife management, determines how the results can be applied to airports and initiates research to test potentially new methodologies in wildlife control.

This position requires occasional domestic and international travel. This position also requires performing frequent work activities in the vicinity of hazardous moving aircraft (taxiing, landing and takeoff) and ground vehicles. This position may require the incumbent to walk considerable distances to examine airfields for wildlife mitigation efforts.

Broad policies and objectives provide general guidance for addressing issues, but allow considerable discretion to develop new and innovative approaches. Draws on experience to solve unusual problems and may create new solutions and policy interpretations as the situation requires. Provides policy guidance and instruction to others, both internally and externally. Resolves all but unique technical problems without the intervention of management or a more experienced technical specialist.

Work is reviewed rarely, typically though status reports and at project completion, to ensure technical compliance and alignment with the requirements of the project or other work activity. Work activities typically impact directly on the objectives of one or more major subdivisions or LOB/SOs and may impact on the objectives of the FAA. In some areas, the work may affect the safety and security of customers.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.
  • Travel Required: 20% (Domestic and International)
  • PCS is not an entitlement. PCS will only be offered to those relocating to the Washington, DC Area.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the FV-I, FG/GS-13 level. This experience is typically related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been at least equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE IS DEFINED AS:

Experience providing technical support, advice and guidance to management and/or staff on wildlife hazard management.

AND;

Experience applying knowledge of Federal regulations and guidance governing wildlife management and aviation safety to evaluate and analyze the effectiveness of national programs.

AND;

Experience communicating the agency's position on wildlife hazard management and mitigations in briefings, reports, presentations to various targeted audiences.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You should include relevant examples of the specialized experience in your work history. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered.

Answer all questions to the best of your ability. DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU HOLD, OR HAVE HELD THIS POSITION, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE FOUND ELIGIBLE. You may be asked to provide evidence or documentation that you have this type of experience later in the selection process. Your responses are subject to verification through job interviews, or any other information obtained during the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience or any attempt to conceal information can result in disqualification.

*Applicants who fail to demonstrate possession of any of the above criteria AND who do not provide the required documentation will receive no further consideration for this position.*

Applicants may be asked to verify information on your application for employment with the FAA.

**All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.**

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and/or selective placement factor(s) (SPF) may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) and/or Quality Ranking Factor (QRF) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: (1) score order; (2) category grouping; (3) alphabetical; or (4) priority grouping, and referred to the selecting official for selection consideration.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

Basic Requirements

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

    OR

  2. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

    If you are a current or former Federal employee, and you currently hold or previously held a position classified in the 0401 occupational series, you are not required to submit a college transcript provided you upload a copy of the SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, verifying your classification in the 0401 occupational series.

    Applicants, who are not currently in the 0401 occupational series in the Federal Government and fail to provide a copy of an unofficial or official transcript will not receive further consideration for this vacancy. Upon selection, if not currently employed in the 0401 occupational series, you will be required to submit an official transcript prior to appointment. If you do not have an official transcript (original, with the raised seal), you should contact your school immediately to request it.

    Foreign Education: For additional information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Preview job questionnaire

Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.
Position may be subject to a background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.

The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies. www.faa.gov/jobs/workinghere/financial-disclosure-requirements

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. On-the-Spot will be used to fill this position. The 'Rule of Three', Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

NOTES:

1. This position is covered by the FAA Core Compensation plan. Additional information about Core Compensation is available at: https://www.faa.gov/jobs/working_here/benefits.

2. As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA section, in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a human resource specialist as appropriate.

3. Some, all, or none of the applicants may be interviewed.

4. This Level 5 (Moderate Risk; Public Trust) position requires favorable adjudication of a Minimum Background Investigation (MBI) background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained.

5. Duty Location will be determined upon selection. Selectee will be expected to report to their closest FAA Facility. Below is a list of all currently available FAA duty locations for this position:

  • Anchorage, AK
  • Burlington, MA
  • Kansas City, MO
  • Jamaica-Queens, NY
  • Des Plaines, IL
  • Des Moines, WA
  • College Park, GA
  • El Segundo, CA
  • Fort Worth, TX
  • Washington, DC (PCS Authorized)

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA

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.



IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.