Biologist

Duties

Arizona Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (AZFWCO) is part of a network of field stations located throughout the nation that works to conserve fish and aquatic resources. Over 300 biologists from the Arctic Circle to the Florida Keys monitor and control invasive species; protect imperiled species; evaluate native fish stocks and their habitats; and work with our partners to solve problems. Since 1956, the Arizona Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office has worked throughout the state and beyond on projects to monitor and conserve native fish species and aquatic habitats in the American Southwest. The Parker office, which is co-located with the Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge, work on conservation efforts on the Lower Colorado River with an emphasis on Razorback Sucker and Bonytail Chub and conduct water quality monitoring on important fish habitat in Arizona.

AZFWCO'S mission is to "work with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish and other aquatic organisms and their habitats in Arizona." Our daily activities are driven by 3 primary focus areas or goals and include Aquatic Species Conservation and Management, Aquatic Habitat Conservation and Management, and Cooperation with Native American Tribes. AZFWCO is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's lead station for recovery of threatened and endangered fish including Apache trout and Little Colorado spinedace, as well as works with loach minnow, Gila topminnow, and the "big river" fish such as razorback sucker, humpback chub, and bonytail that inhabit the Colorado River. Key duties for this position are:

• Assist with the development and review of comprehensive fish management plans and coordinates with other fish programs that effect biological resources including, but not limited to fish culture, fish management assistance, sampling of aquatic species, assessing fish populations, and recommending habitat restoration/management.
• Analyze and review biological implications of environmental assessments or comprehensive resource planning reports to evaluate environmental consequences of proposed actions on Federal projects.
• Utilize standard analytical techniques to design studies and interpret results for aquatic evaluations and evaluations of ecological interactions for wild fish populations.
• Leads and supervises employees on multi-day, fish sampling and data collection at remote field sites.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Resume (See "Required Documents"). Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is provided on resume.
• Eligibility and Supporting documents - You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to AND submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section.
• Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
• Driver's License: Selectees MAY be required to possess and maintain a valid State driver's license at all times during their tenure.
• Uniform: Official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform MAY be required.
• Probationary Period: Selectees MAY be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
• Individuals assigned male at birth after must be registered for Selective Service. To verify registration visit

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 08/30/2024 will be considered.

In order to qualify for this position, you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification.

Basic Requirement :

1. Bachelor's degree with a major in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. NOTE : You must submit copies of your college transcript(s) to support your educational claims. -OR-
2. A combination of education and experience that includes courses equivalent to a major in the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, PLUS appropriate experience, or additional education. NOTE : You must submit copies of your college transcript(s) to support your educational claims, and your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified.

Minimum Qualification [GS-09] :

1. One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-7 in the Federal service performing work in the field of fisheries and aquatic conservation. Examples of qualifying specialized experience may include assisting with development of work plans; participating in assessment and/or control of invasive species; ensuring equipment is maintained; completing biological surveys and recording data; managing data to support program delivery; drafting reports; participating on programmatic groups with diverse participants. NOTE : Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified. -OR-
2. Completion of two years of progressively higher-level graduate education at an accredited college or university leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in wildlife biology, ecology, or a directly related field appropriate to this position. NOTE : You must provide a copy of your college transcripts to support educational claims. -OR-
3. An equivalent combination of professional experience and graduate level education beyond the second year which together equals 100% of the requirements NOTE : Your resume must contain sufficient information, and you must submit copies of your college transcript(s) to support your experience/educational claims.

Minimum Qualification [GS-07] :

1. One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in Federal service that includes assisting in collecting and reviewing biological data for conservation related projects; maintaining and updating reports and files; -AND- gathering, organizing, and interpreting biological, ecological, pathological, public use, or other pertinent information for scientific studies involving natural resource issues. NOTE : Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified. -OR-
2. One full year of graduate education from an accredited college or university in wildlife biology, ecology, or a directly related field appropriate to this position. NOTE : You must submit copies of your college transcript(s) to support your educational claims. -OR-
3. Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) S.A.A. is based on (1) Class Standing, (2) Grade-Point Average, or (3) Honor Society Membership. (1) Class Standing: Upper one-third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision based on completed courses. (2) Grade-Point Average: A grade point average of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (B or better) as recorded on the official transcript or as computed based on four years of education, or computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum; -or- (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible B+ or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final two years of the curriculum. (3) Election to Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society: Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies. Freshman scholastic honor societies cannot be used to meet the requirements of this position. NOTE : You must submit copies of your college transcript(s) to support your educational claims. -OR-
4. An equivalent combination of professional experience and graduate level education beyond the second year which together equals 100% of the requirements NOTE : Your resume must contain sufficient information, and you must submit copies of your college transcript(s) to support your experience/educational claims.

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

PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

PCS INFORMATION : No PCS entitlements authorized

TELEWORK : This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval.

Additional Vacancies : One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) :Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For information on CTAP and ICTAP click

Reasonable Accommodation : The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here:

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Skill utilizing field and laboratory techniques to collect and analyze samples and statistical procedures for the interpretation of study results.
• Ability to communicate in writing in order to prepare correspondence, scientific, and administrative reports, management plans, and similar documents.
• Knowledge of the theories, principles and concepts of biology; related biological and physical science disciplines such as botany, chemistry, toxicology, hydrology, entomology, limnology, parasitology, and ecology.
• Ability to communicate orally in order to share information and present findings and recommendations.
• Ability to establish positive working relationships and exercise tact and diplomacy in coordinating activities with coworkers, and as needed, with representatives of other Federal agencies, state, tribal and local organizations, conservation organizations, and the general public.
• Attention to Detail; Decision Making; Flexibility; General; Integrity/Honesty; Interpersonal Skills; Learning; Reading Comprehension; Reasoning; Self-Management; Teamwork; Technical

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. The category ratings for this position are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified

The category rating process protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link:

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
• As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  You must submit a complete application package. We will not make assumptions about your experience and/or education.
  
  Required Documents:
  
  1. Resume: You are highly encouraged to use to ensure all required information is included in your resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose then you must describe your job-related qualifications that includes:
  1. Beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience.
  2. Hours worked per week, month and year of employment for each job title listed.
  3. Salary and description of job duties.
  4. Name and address of employer; supervisor name and telephone number.
  Additional information on what to include can be found . Your experience needs to address every required qualification.
  
  Important Note: Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
  
  2. College Transcripts:Please refer to the education section above for additional information. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. A copy of your official transcripts may be required if you are selected. All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name.
  
  Additional Documentation, if applicable:
  1. Cover Letter
  
  2. Veterans' Preference Documentation: If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach a copy of your DD-214 Member Copy 2 or 4 showing you were honorably discharged. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, attach an SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference in addition to the proof required by that form (i.e. VA letter). You may not be awarded preference if you do not attach the correct Veteran Documentation as specified above.
  
  3. CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR a) for CTAP and 5 CFR for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
  
  4. Current and former federal employees - It is recommended that you submit a copy of your SF-50(s) (Notification of Personnel Action) to support your experience. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include appointments/separations, promotions, within-grade increases.
  
  Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted
  
  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
  
  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from .
  
  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
• Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
  
  Review the appointment eligibility criteria in the application preview linked below. The eligibility section of the application allows you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to and submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section or the application text. The application process is as follows:
  
  1. Click the Apply Online button.
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
  5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
  6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
  7. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
  8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
  
  For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources:
  
  To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
  
  To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: . Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Human Resources Staffing Division
  
  Phone Email
  
  Next steps
  
  Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
  
  Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
  
  Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the hiring official.
  
  You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely.
  
  You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated.
• The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  

Required Documents

You must submit a complete application package. We will not make assumptions about your experience and/or education.

Required Documents:

1. Resume: You are highly encouraged to use to ensure all required information is included in your resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose then you must describe your job-related qualifications that includes:

1. Beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience.
2. Hours worked per week, month and year of employment for each job title listed.
3. Salary and description of job duties.
4. Name and address of employer; supervisor name and telephone number.

Additional information on what to include can be found . Your experience needs to address every required qualification.

Important Note: Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.

2. College Transcripts:Please refer to the education section above for additional information. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. A copy of your official transcripts may be required if you are selected. All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name.

Additional Documentation, if applicable:
1. Cover Letter

2. Veterans' Preference Documentation: If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach a copy of your DD-214 Member Copy 2 or 4 showing you were honorably discharged. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, attach an SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference in addition to the proof required by that form (i.e. VA letter). You may not be awarded preference if you do not attach the correct Veteran Documentation as specified above.

3. CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR a) for CTAP and 5 CFR for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.

4. Current and former federal employees - It is recommended that you submit a copy of your SF-50(s) (Notification of Personnel Action) to support your experience. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include appointments/separations, promotions, within-grade increases.

Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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