Fish And Wildlife Biologist

This position is a Fish and Wildlife Biologist, GS- 0401-7 working in Grand Junction, Colorado for the R6-Colorado Ecological Services Field Office. The full performance level of this position is GS-11.

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

• Researching potential impacts of proposed Federal program or project operational data to determine the effects of those programs or actions on threatened and endangered species and prepares draft biological opinions as required under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Amendments for the supervisor's review and/or discussion;
• Participating in the review and/or preparation of biological portions of environment assessment/impact statements or comprehensive resource planning reports to evaluate environmental consequences of proposed actions on Federal fish and wildlife resources of concern; and
• Accompanying supervisor or senior biologists conducting private land wetland impact restorations including, but not all inclusive, landowner contacts, mapping, surveying, staking, construction monitoring, and seeding; and assists with preparing management plans for restored areas.

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

No

11

• Job family (Series)

  0401 General Natural Resources Management And Biological Sciences

• Requirements

  RequirementsConditions of Employment
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.
  • Resume and supporting documents (See How to Apply).
  • Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation.
  • Uniform: Official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform may be required.
  • Probationary Period: Selectees may be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
  Qualifications
  Only experience and education obtained by 09/21/2021 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 above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
  Minimum Qualification [GS-07]
  • 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience may include: assisting with and participating in conducting scientific studies, to include communicating with other participants; analyzing biological data to make conclusions; and assisting with and/or participating in conservation planning; OR
  • Successful completion of 1 full year (18 semester hours) of graduate education in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR
  • A combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above that, when combined, equals 100% of the total requirement; OR
  • Successful completion of a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in a field of study that demonstrates the competencies required by this position with either (1) a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 based on a 4.0 scale; (2) a 3.5 GPA based on a 4.0 scale for all required courses completed in a qualifying major field of study at either the time of application or during the last two years of your undergraduate curriculum; (3) class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or a major subdivision of the college; or, (4) membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies.
  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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

  Additional information

  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 or ICTAP applicants must be determined to be well-qualified for this position in order to receive special selection priority. To be well-qualified, a CTAP or ICTAP applicant must meet the following: OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors, where applicable; special OPM approved qualifying conditions for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receives a rating of at least 85 on the questionnaire For more information visit: OPM's Employee Guide to Career Transition
  
  Applicants are ineligible for this position if ANY time they have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime of domestic violence, unless such conviction was expunged, set aside or the applicant receives a pardon.
  

  How You Will Be Evaluated

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

  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 qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you meet the qualifications your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. Note: If, after reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications 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):

  • Knowledge of the theory, principles and methods of fish and wildlife biology, fishery biology, and/or wildlife biology and a working familiarity with related disciplines.
  • Knowledge of applicable Federal environmental laws and Executive Orders, (e.g., Endangered Species Act, National Environment Policy Act, Coastal Barrier Resources Act, Clean Water Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Oil Pollution Act and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act); of other Federal regulations; and of Service/Department policies or guidelines in order to ensure that legal standards are met in the review of proposed land and water resource development projects (Federal, Tribal, State, commercial industry, and surrounding landowners/FWP).
  • Ability to research literature (including familiarity with appropriate scientific journals and computer searching processes), analyze data, and apply scientific methods as related to the formulation of mitigation or management plans and recovery packages and related documents.
  • Ability to communicate orally to inform peers and coorperators/partners, explain results, and present information at meetings.
  • Ability to communicate in writing to prepare correspondence and reports for diverse audiences.
  
  
  Background checks and security clearanceSecurity clearance

  Not Required

  Drug test required

  No

  Position sensitivity and risk

  Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

  Trust determination process

  Suitability/Fitness

• Required Documents

  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 USAJOBS Resume Builder 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 beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience, hours worked per week, month and year of employment for each job title listed, annual salary, and description of job duties. Include name and address of employer; supervisor name and telephone number. Additional information on what to include can be found here. Your experience needs to address every required qualification.

  2. Proof of Eligibility:
  
  CTAP/ICTAP Documentation:

  • Certification of Expected Separation or Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice or Notice of Proposed Removal AND
  • Most recent Performance Rating AND
  • Most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location or SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action.
  OR

  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, you must 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. College Transcripts: A copy of your transcripts must be submitted. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. A copy of your official transcripts will be required if you are selected.

  Additional Documentation if applicable:

  1. Cover Letter

  Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may 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 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.

• 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. Opens in a new windowLearn 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.

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

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

This position is only open to Federal employee eligibles who are eligible for ICTAP/CTAP and VEOA.