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Biological Science Technician (Plants)

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management

Summary

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

For more information about these locations, click on the links below:

Few positions are located in Fillmore, Utah.

Few positions are located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Few positions are located in Vernal, Utah.

We expect to fill few vacancies.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/05/2025 to 12/19/2025
Salary
$19.33 to - $23.94 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 7
Locations
Fillmore, UT
Few vacancies
Salt Lake City, UT
Few vacancies
Vernal, UT
Few vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Occasional travel - At times, travel for field work, meetings and/or training may be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Seasonal - 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
UTTEMP-26-12841803-EG
Control number
851751500

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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  • These positions serve as a Biological Science Technician (Plants) for the Green River and West Desert Districts.
  • Record data relating to plant studies.
  • Document occurrence and distribution of identified species.
  • Participate in environmental studies documenting factors affecting plant species and habitat.
  • Lead or conduct field searches for populations of sensitive, threatened or endangered plant species.
  • Photograph, collect and mount plant specimens encountered at different stages of development.
  • Collect ecological site information for population distribution, condition, trend, associated species, geology, soil type and prepare reports.

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.

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 at the GS-05 level you must meet the following:
Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-04 level comparable in difficulty and complexity to perform the duties of a Biological Science Technician (Plants). Qualifying specialized experience includes: inventorying plants and their habitats; entering and/or retrieving data relating to plants; OR surveying, mapping, and/or documenting botany species.
OR
Education:
To qualify based on education you must have four (4) years (120 semester hours) of education above high school, leading to a bachelor's degree with a major study or at least 24 semester 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 have been directly related to the position to be filled.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience:
You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate undergraduate education. Undergraduate level education must demonstrate the difficulty and complexity to do the work of this position.

To qualify at the GS-06 level you must meet the following:
Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-05 level comparable in difficulty and complexity to perform the duties of a Biological Science Technician (Plants). Qualifying specialized experience includes: identifying problems and making preliminary determinations on collected data from plant inventories; participating in habitat improvement projects; and gathering and/or assisting in analyzing samples.
OR
Education:
To qualify based on education you must have one (1) full year (18 semester hours) of graduate-level education in a related field of study.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience:
You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the difficulty and complexity to do the work of this position.

To qualify at the GS-07 level you must meet the following:
Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-06 level comparable in difficulty and complexity to perform the duties of a Biological Science Technician (Plants). Qualifying specialized experience includes: researching and compiling plant inventory data and analyzing findings; overseeing collection of data in the field for accuracy; interpreting aerial photos, landsat imagery, and/or topographic maps to determine land use and vegetation distribution; and processing and/or organizing samples and specimen brought in from the field.
OR
Education:
To qualify based on education you must have one (1) full year (18 semester hours) of graduate-level education in a related field of study.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience:
You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the difficulty and complexity to do the work of this position.

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: Office work is performed in a setting that is adequately lighted, ventilated, cooled and heated. When doing fieldwork is subject to cuts and bruises, extreme, adverse weather conditions, and injuries and discomforts from pests or animals. Employee 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.

Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7.

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.

These positions are 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.

After the vacancy closes, a review of your application package will be made to ensure you meet all qualification 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. Applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.

Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

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