Biological Science Technician (Wildlife and Fisheries)

Summary The Pacific West Region is recruiting for summer seasonal Biological Science Technician (Wildlife and Fisheries), GS-0404-05/06. The typical seasonal period for Redwood National and State Parks is April - October but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Open to the first 250 applicants or until 12/09/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration. Responsibilities Major Duties: Conduct fish and/or wildlife censuses and surveys and assembles basic information on fish and/or wildlife populations. Use standard statistical methods and procedures in performing routine and recurring testing of the field data collected. Perform field work which requires the ability to accurately distinguish wildlife by sight and sound. May assist state biologists in the capture of wildlife, applying visual and radio tags, and gathering physiological and spatial data. Enters and retrieves data from Geographic Information System (GIS) and/or other information management systems. Assists in the preparation of reports, plans, and guidelines. Recommends modifications to field activity procedures. In addition to the duties listed above, GS 06 Major Duties include: Provide advice, assistance, and training to lower graded technicians and volunteers in gathering field data, including proper and safe handling of equipment and tools and operation of vehicles and/or watercraft. Physical Demands: The work requires physical exertion as a regular and recurring walking, hiking, or climbing over wet, rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; bending, crouching, stooping, lifting or reaching to observe, collect, or record field data, or in some situations the work may require physical exertion to snorkeling (up to 6 hours a day) or operate a boat. Heavy items (e.g., equipment and packs up to 50 pounds) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis. Working Conditions: The work is performed in an office or outdoors. The work performed involves regular and recurring exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals. Requirements 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 may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to 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 discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license. You may be required to work overtime. You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 8 nights per month. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Relocation expenses will be the employee's responsibility. Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by 11:59 PM (EST) when the applicant limit is reached which may be sooner than the closing date of this announcement-12/09/2024-. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. Specialized experience for this position includes: conducting wildlife field surveys to document and assess animal presence, abundance, reproduction, and population dynamics; conducting biological aquatic surveys to obtain basic information for management of fish, amphibians, macroinvertebrates, and aquatic ecosystems; assisting researchers in wildlife surveys and monitoring activities; mapping wildlife locations using a Global Positioning Systems (GPS) unit; working with field crews to implement wildlife projects; and to assist in long-term monitoring projects by following established protocols to compile, store, analyze and report on wildlife data using a variety of computer programs. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of education above high school (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or 24 semester hours of course work in a related field of scientific or technical study, such as in biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must be directly related to the position such as wildlife biology. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. NOTE: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting this requirement. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience. For example, six months of the specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and 3 years of college study from an accredited institution which included at least 12 semester hours of related coursework as specified above, and at least 3 semester hours in wildlife biology (50% of the qualifying education). The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts and hours per week worked. To qualify for this position at the GS-06 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. Specialized experience for this position includes: conducting wildlife field surveys to document and assess animal presence, abundance, reproduction, and population dynamics; conducting biological aquatic surveys to obtain basic information for management of fish, amphibians, macroinvertebrates, and aquatic ecosystems; assisting researchers in wildlife surveys and monitoring activities; mapping wildlife locations using a Global Positioning Systems (GPS) unit; lead field crews to implement wildlife projects; and assist in long-term monitoring projects by following established protocols to compile, store, analyze and report on wildlife data using a variety of computer programs. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one year of full-time graduate education leading to a master's degree with major study in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as biology, ecology, entomology, animal husbandry, mammalogy or zoology. Graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent. You must include transcripts. -OR- COMBINATION: Successful completion of a combination of experience and education that total at least one year. Experience and education should be computed as percentage of the overall requirements and must equal 100 percent when combined. You must include transcripts and hours per week worked. ICTAP/CTAP Statement: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special prior­ity selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Volunteer 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. Education To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Additional Information For additional information regarding this position, please contact: Keith Bensen, Fish and Wildlife Biologist keithbensen@nps.gov 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. Government Housing may not be available. A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS). If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility. The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM. Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations. The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.