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This vacancy announcement is part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Southwest Regional Hiring Initiative to fill professional biological science/natural resource management positions at the GS-7 and 9 grade levels. One or more positions may be filled at various locations. YOU MUST APPLY FOR ALL OF THE DUTY STATIONS FOR WHICH YOU ARE INTERESTED.
As a Fish Biologist, you'll work at a fish hatchery or in the field to develop hatchery or fishery management plans for species needing conservation, conduct ecological studies on factors such as population distribution, abundance, survival rates, etc. to understand the current situation and develop recommendations for restoration and management.
Pay Advance: Advance payment of up to 4 weeks of basic pay based on employee salary at time of hire is authorized for newly appointed federal employees to the federal Service, or employees returning to Federal Service after a break in service of 90 days or more.
This announcement is being advertised concurrently under R8-18-10201635-KL-DE, open to all qualified recently graduated students. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.
05/17/2018 to 05/31/2018
$41,365 - $79,410 per year
GS 7 - 9
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
No
Permanent
Full-Time
11
No
R8-18-10201636-KL-MP
499848500
Current or former competitive service federal employees.
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
Federal Employee, Merit Promotion, Status Candidate, Land Management, 30% disabled, Military Spouse, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Vista, VRA, VEOA, ICTAP, Schedule A, Individuals with disabilities, Former Overseas Employees
Develops and reviews comprehensive hatchery and fishery management plans and coordinates with other fishery programs that effect biological resources including, but not limited to: fish culture, hatchery quality control, fishery management assistance, sampling for exotic species, assessing fish populations, and recommending habitat restoration/management.
Plans and conducts a variety of complex investigations including the design, collection, and analysis of biological data pertaining to species reared and released from National Fish Hatcheries in the assigned area or to assist in implementing hatchery reform initiatives.
Leads the application of techniques for hatchery evaluations and/or ecological interactions between hatchery and wild fish, including stream ecology studies involving population distribution, abundance, survival, age/length composition, behavior, competition and habitat assessments.
Maintains a high level of technical skill and knowledge necessary to ensure that recommendations for the field office/hatchery/fish health center are consistent with current published literature and other professionally endorsed practices.
Prepares reports on progress and completion of activities and formulates recommendations that guide future programs and influences the improvements in fisheries program management/hatchery operations/aquatic habitat restoration and/or fish health practices.
Reviews and analyzes biological implications of environmental assessments or comprehensive resource planning reports to evaluate environmental consequences of proposed actions on Federal projects.
Responsible for the final collation, preparation and editing of contract reports, annual reports and scientific documents (potentially to be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals) produced as a result of the fishery activity as well as preparing for and conducting briefings (for example, to regional office personnel).
Presents project results at public and scientific meetings and conferences.
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) and grade point average or class ranking. 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System at https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx
FWS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
The following conditions of employment may apply to the advertised positions:
- Drug testing
- Motorboat certification
- Required to wear US Fish and Wildlife Service uniform
- State pesticide license
- Work schedule may include weekends/holidays/evenings
- Extensive travel may be required
- Swift water Safety Certification
- Occupy government furnished housing/quarter on federal premises
The Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA),P.L. 114-47, allows certain individuals who currently or formerly were under time-limited competitive appointments at certain land management agencies to compete under merit promotion procedures:
Current appointees:
Note: You must submit ALL SF-50s and performance information for each period of temporary/term employment that qualifies for LMWFA.
·Must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency.
·Must have served under 1 or more time limited appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years; AND
·Must have performed at an acceptable level.
Former appointees:
·Must have been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited appointment with a land management agency,
·Must have served under 1 or more time limited appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of 2 or more years;
·Must apply for position within 2 years after separation,
·Must have been separated for reasons other than misconduct or performance; AND
·Must have performed at an acceptable level
Public Land Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority:
Note: You must provide a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Compliance Hiring Based for Public Land Corps Service.
(1) In order to be eligible for PLC non-competitive status, a former member of the PLC must provide documentation, as part of their application, verifying their eligibility and meet the following criteria:
(a) Served as a qualified youth on an appropriate conservation project completing a minimum of 640 hours of satisfactory service that included at least 120 hours through the PLC;
(b) Applied to a vacancy announcement for which applications are being accepted from individuals with non-competitive status;
(c) Meet the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) minimum qualification standards stated in the vacancy announcement for the position which you are applying; and
(d) Completed his/her most recent Corps service, which provided him/her with a total of 640 hours, inclusive of 120 hours on a PLC project as defined in 16 USC 1723(d), within the last two (2) years.
(2) Appointments must be effected within the two years requirement.
(3) The two year time-frame cannot be extended.
(4) Selectees will be subject to a probationary period.
(5) This authority may be used for General Schedule and Federal Wage System positions.
(6) Competitive service appointments may be made for temporary, term or permanent positions.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the basic qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you meet the basic qualifications your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience which resulted in you being listed in the highest quality category, you may lose consideration, or be assigned to a lower quality category for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
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 schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
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.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/499848500. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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