Clarification from the agency

This position is only open to those who are eligible for ICTAP/CTAP; Veterans eligible for VEOA; Public Land Corp Eligibles.

Duties

As a Biologist your duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Carbondale, IL - 2 vacancies:
Habitat Conservation Program : This position will serve as our lead biologist for projects undertaken on Department of Defense lands under the Sikes Act acting as our liaison to two military bases in Illinois and Indiana. Leads and/or participates in the application of various fishery techniques in support of carrying out complex biological studies related to monitoring of aquatic species, habitat rehabilitation, and/or habitat restoration; provides technical guidance and expertise related to biological studies of native aquatic species and invasive species management on Department of Defense lands (including technical guidance and biological recommendations to military partners); oversees fish surveys, aquatic habitat management, and terrestrial habitat restoration on Department of Defense lands.

Aquatic Species Program: Serves as the lead biologist for projects in our aquatic invasive species program in the Ohio River Basin. Planning and implementing activities related to tracking the movement of invasive carps using acoustic transmitters; analyzing data related to fish movements; working with state and academic partners related to invasive carp movements in the Ohio River Basin; leads and/or participate in the application of various fishery techniques in support of carrying out complex biological studies related to monitoring of aquatic species; and works with supervisor and other biologists to develop and implement studies by contributing ideas, determining methods, establishing sampling procedures and protocols for accomplishing and reporting findings.

Bloomington, MN - 1 vacancy:
Aquatic Species Program: Supports key aspects of the Aquatic Invasive Species Program in Region 3: Support Prevention and Risk Assessment Program; drafts Ecological Risk Screening Summaries and coordinates with Prevention Program leads in Region 3 and Region 5 to conduct horizon scanning activities with partners; support the Great Lakes Early Detection and Monitoring Program to draft communication and reporting with partners, including assisting with transmission of molecular sampling results; participate in Mississippi River and Great Lakes Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) panels to assist with partner collaboration and related tasks; and assist with implementation of invasive carp coordination with other Service Regions and with partners.

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. Drug Testing Position: Selectees tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Medical Requirements: Selectees must pass a pre-employment medical examination and may be subject to post-employment medical examinations to determine if they are maintaining the fitness standards for this position. Driver's License: Must obtain and maintain a valid State Driver's License. Uniform: Official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform is required. Probationary Period: Selectees may be required to successfully complete a probationary period. Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 07/08/2024 will be considered.

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

Basic Requirement: Degree: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, PLUS appropriate experience or additional education. Minimum Qualification [GS-7] Possess one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience includes: 1) Assisting in field surveys related to fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats; 2) Participating in the development of reports, briefings, presentations, or training materials related to fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats; and 3) Assisting in work with partners, stakeholders, or the general public. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified. OR Possess one full year graduate level education. NOTE: To qualify under this option you must submit transcripts (official or unofficial) to verify your education. OR Possess 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 4.0 (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. Superior academic achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled. NOTE: To qualify under this option you must submit transcripts (official or unofficial) to verify your education. OR Possess a combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement. NOTE: To qualify under this option you must submit transcripts (official or unofficial) to verify your education. Minimum Qualification [GS-9] Possess one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 level or higher in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience includes: 1) Participating in and leading field surveys related to fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats; 2) Participating in and composing reports, briefings, presentations, or training materials related to fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats; or 3) Working with partners, stakeholders, or the general public. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified. OR Possess two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in a field directly related to the work of the position. NOTE: To qualify under this option you must submit transcripts (official or unofficial) to verify your education. OR Possess a combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above that when combined, equals 100% of the total requirement. NOTE: To qualify under this option you must submit transcripts (official or unofficial) to verify your education. 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:

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