Biologist (Aquatic Invasive Species), GS-0401-09 (TERM Appointment)

Biologist (Aquatic Invasive Species), GS-0401-09 (TERM Appointment)

13 Jul 2024
Wyoming, Yellowstonenationalpark 00000 Yellowstonenationalpark USA

Biologist (Aquatic Invasive Species), GS-0401-09 (TERM Appointment)

Vacancy expired!

    Duties

    Summary

    WHO MAY APPLY: All United States citizens.

    The Northern Rockies Servicing Human Resources Office (NR SHRO) in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, is accepting applications through USAJOBS, to recruit for one temporary, full-time Term position of Biologist (Aquatic Invasive Species), GS-0401-09.

    Duty Station: Yellowstone National Park

    Housing may be available.

    Responsibilities

    Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Natural Resources Program Manager, incumbent will work within the Yellowstone Center for Resources (YCR) Vegetation and Resource Management (V&RM) work group, providing daily direction and scheduling of seasonal V&RM Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) boat inspection staff and assist the park AIS Coordination Lead. The primary duty of the position is to implement parkwide AIS management programs and projects in Yellowstone. This will include interpreting recommendations from the Yellowstone AIS Science Panel report, including program, safety and all identified deficiencies essential to properly mitigate the AIS threat to Yellowstone. Incumbent will also provide public and internal outreach.

    Incumbent will provide daily oversight and schedule staff for AIS watercraft inspection and decontamination (WID) stations (currently three stations) operated in accordance with the Yellowstone protocols based on the "Uniform Minimum Protocols and Standards for Watercraft Inspection and Decontamination Programs for Dreissenid Mussels in the Western United States" (also known as UMPS III).



    Ensure safe, efficient and effective operation and quality control assurance for watercraft inspections and decontaminations (WID) by implementing SOBA (State Organization for Boating Access) and WIT (Water Inspection and Decontamination Interception Training) guidelines.



    Operate, maintain and perform routine repairs for aquatic invasive species (AIS) watercraft inspection and decontamination (WID) station equipment.

    Conduct or assist with early detection monitoring for AIS, including aquatic plants and animals, collecting data and identifying specimens.



    Assist in development of documents and processes necessary to AIS management in Yellowstone including but not limited to, AIS rapid response, detection and preparedness; AIS risk/vulnerability assessments; boat inspection operations (WID SOPs); parkwide AIS management strategic planning; monitoring plans and park-specific AIS regulations.

    Develop procedures to address all AIS pathways (in addition to watercraft) including angling, construction/maintenance, firefighting, park concessions operations, etc. Will operate small watercraft (less than 26-feet in length), in performance of duties.

    Draft reports, guides, maps and plans, website material, brochures, articles, and signage for visitor information. Coordinate with other organizations, partners, and visitors. Review, update, expand and improve AIS public and internal contact materials in conjunction with the park's Strategic Communications Branch.



    Use computers, tablets and associated technology including Windows-based and web-based software programs to record, manage, and present data. Develop charts, graphs, tables, and maps. Conduct information research.

    Will work with the park AIS Coordination Lead to engage partners on several levels, such as evaluating use of regional AIS passports, initiating use and maintaining the WID (Colorado) watercraft database and by attending key partner and regional/national AIS meetings and trainings.

    PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Position may require strenuous physical activity including periods of standing, walking, climbing, lifting and carrying heavy objects. Some activities will occur in physically dangerous areas or settings. Documentary research and writing reports is sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and write extended periods of time.

    WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is performed indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. Assignments may be performed in potentially hazardous areas including steep rocky terrain, artic environments, and forests. Use of watercraft and flying in fixed and rotary wing aircraft is possible.

    AREA INFORMATION: Park headquarters is located in Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park. Elevation at Mammoth is 6,200 feet. Temperatures vary from an average of 70 degrees Fahrenheit in summer to sub-zero at times in winter. A school is available, with kindergarten through 12th grade, in Gardiner, Montana, five miles north of headquarters. Free bus transportation is provided for school children between Mammoth and Gardiner. Many community facilities such as stores, a drugstore, day care, motels, and restaurants are available in Gardiner. A medical clinic is available in Mammoth. All other services are available within 55 to 75 miles from Mammoth.

    Travel Required

    Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

    Supervisory status

    No

    Promotion Potential

    None

  • Job family (Series)

    0401 General Natural Resources Management And Biological Sciences

  • Requirements

    Requirements

    Conditions of Employment

    • U.S. Citizenship required.
    • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
    • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
    • Preemployment and random drug testing required.
    • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
    • You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You may be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You may also 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 disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.

    • You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
    • You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
    • You may be required to work weekends and holidays.
    • You will be required to complete a one-year trial period.
    • Occasional travel may be required to travel overnight away from home. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
    • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

    Qualifications

    To qualify you must meet the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Qualification Standards which include experience and/or education requirements, and also a selective placement factor (SPF) as listed in the Occupational Questionnaire and outlined below.

    All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-06/25/2020-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

    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). NOTE: You must indicate the total number of hours worked per week in your resume employment history. Without this information we will not be able to determine your qualifying experience, therefore you will be considered not qualified.

    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.

    1. OPM'S Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) for the GS-0401 Professional Series (Selective Placement Factor): The GS-0401 occupational series has a basic education requirement, or a combination of education and experience. If you do not meet this factor you will be consider ineligible.

    A. Must have successfully completed a 4-year degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to this position.

    OR,

    B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education

    2. Qualification Standards for Biologist, GS-0401-09: In addition to meeting the IOR, you must also meet the experience and/or education requirements as listed below. If you do not meet these requirements, you will be considered ineligible.

    A. Must have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of the GS-07 grade level in the federal service, which has equipped you with the knowledge, skill and ability to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience: Conducting various aspects of an aquatic invasive species (AIS) management program such as 1) performing AIS watercraft and equipment inspections and decontaminations (WID), 2) preparing and implementing plans and procedures to prevent or reduce AIS introduction and spread such as those for rapid response/preparedness, containment/prevention, risk assessments and law enforcement regulations, 4) sampling and monitoring for early detection of AIS, 5) analyzing and identifying aquatic species, and 6) preparing articles on AIS suitable for peer-reviewed scientific journals or distribution to the public and partners.

    OR,

    B. Must have successfully completed 2 years (36 hours) of progressively higher level of graduate education leading to a Masters degree or equivalent graduate degree in related disciplines appropriate to this position. IMPORTANT: You must document your course work and/or degree completed in your resume or other application materials you submit. You must submit a copy of your transcripts or a complete list of college courses taken that identifies for each course the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, grade received, and date completed. If you do not submit specific course work information, you will be considered ineligible. NOTE: If selected, a copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty.

    OR,

    C. Must have an equivalent combination of related education and specialized experience. For example, six months of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level (50% of the experience requirement), and 27 semester hours of directly related graduate level education in an accredited educational institution (50% of the qualifying education). Only graduate level education in excess of 18 hours, required for the GS-07 grade level, may be combined with experience.

    CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

    1. You must possess a valid state driver's license by the entrance-of-duty date, if selected. Please include in your resume, your license number, state and expiration date. Do not upload photo copies of your license.

    2. You will be required to obtain the Department of Interior Motorboat Operator Certification Course (DOI MOCC) certificate after entering on duty, to operate small watercraft.

    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

    A TERM position is considered a temporary appointment and does not convey permanent status in the Federal service. The appointment can be terminated any time, due to lack of work, lack of funds, weather conditions or employee performance. Initial appointment will be for a period not-to-exceed 13 months, with possible 12-month extensions up to a maximum total of four years without further competition. TERM positions offer all the benefits as for all permanent positions, i.e., health/life insurance, retirement, sick and annual leave benefits.

    This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

    If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=AlternateApplicationInformation.


    How You Will Be Evaluated

    You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

    A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you will be rated not-qualified for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

    Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

    • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position

    • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job

    • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

    You will be evaluated on the following competencies:

    • Data Management
    • Ecology

    • Leadership

    • Technical Competence

    • Writing


    Background checks and security clearance

    Security clearance

    Not Required

    Drug test required

    Yes

    Position sensitivity and risk

    Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

    Trust determination process

  • Required Documents

    Required Documents

    The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/25/2020:

    • Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, 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. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.

    • A complete Occupational Questionnaire

    • Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:

      • Veterans Preference Documentation:

        • If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
        • If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
        • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.

      • Documentation that you meet the Selective Placement Factor.

    • College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
    • Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified, 80 or above, for this position.

    Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

    Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

  • Benefits

    Benefits

    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. Learn more about federal benefits.

    Review our benefits

    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.


Help

This job is open to

  • Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

    Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

  • The public

    U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

Open to the first 50 applicants, or until the closing date , whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing date, or on the day the applicant limit is reached, will receive consideration.

Job Details

  • ID
    JC4333262
  • State
  • City
  • Full-time
  • Salary
    $52,905 a year -  Full-time, Part-time, Temporary
  • Hiring Company
    US Department of the Interior
  • Date
    2020-06-11
  • Deadline
    2020-08-10
  • Category

Jocancy Online Job Portal by jobSearchi.