Biologist

Summary This position is a Biologist, GS- 0401-9/11 working in Klamath Falls, Oregon for the R8-Klamath Falls Fish and Wildlife Office. Responsibilities As a Biologist your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Perform environmental assessments and/or Section 7 consultations for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance Prepare NEPA, archeological clearance, and endangered species consultation documents for action on federal lands Negotiate with stakeholders to resolve conflicts especially between groups or individuals with divergent viewpoints relative to fish and wildlife management issues Use fish and wildlife biology, aquatic and plant ecology, and geomorphic concepts to interpret habitat restoration needs in a given area Coordinate with other staff and agencies concerning procedures to evaluate and protect fish and wildlife resources from environmental contaminants Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Only experience and education obtained by 10/15/2024 will be considered. In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification. Basic Requirement: Possess a bachelors or higher degree from an accredited college or university in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Possess a combination of education and experience which includes courses equivalent to a major in the biological sciences (at least 24 semester hours) as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in the biological sciences, agriculture, or natural resources management or related disciplines appropriate to the position. A combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement Minimum Qualification GS-9 One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-7 in the Federal service. Experience include: assisting in the planning and execution of studies and assessments, organizes and implements limited studies concerning biological, chemical, and physical processes that affect ecosystems; Gathering, organizing, and interpreting a wide variety of biological, ecological, pathological, public use data or other information pertinent to scientific studies; Conducting geospatial analysis, gathering, analyzing, tabulating and summarizing scientific, programmatic, and/or budgetary data. . OR Successfully completed two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in an accredited college or university leading to a Masters degree or equivalent degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines. OR Have an equivalent amount of such experience and graduate education. (To compute, first, determine your experience as a percentage of the experience required in 1; then determine your graduate education as a percentage of the education required in 2. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100%). Minimum Qualifications GS-11 One year specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade to the GS-9 level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience may include: conducting moderately complex biological or ecological investigations to determine the impact of various land and water development projects upon endangered species and their habitats; negotiating alternative actions or mitigation measures, etc.; developing habitat conservation or restoration projects; serving as a technical advisor on the Endangered Species Act for other staff, government agencies, land owners, private interest groups, etc.; preparing biological portions of environmental assessment/impact statements or comprehensive resource planning reports; and implementing federal environmental laws (i.e., Endangered Species Act, specifically Sections 7 and 10; Clean Water Act; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act; National Environmental Policy Act), regulations, and policies involving natural resource issues. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified. OR Completed 3 years of graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in wildlife biology, ecology, or a directly related field appropriate to this position. OR An equivalent combination of professional experience and graduate level education beyond the second year which together equals 100% of the requirements. (When combining education with experience, first determine the total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then determine the experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; finally, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level.) Performance rating of record review: All applicants must provide a copy of their current performance rating dated within the past 18 months verifying their performance is at a fully successful level or higher. Applicants who do not have a current rating of record available must provide a reason and certify that their performance is acceptable, and they have not been advised that their performance is currently at an unacceptable level. Applicants who have an unsuccessful performance rating, or who have certified that their performance is not at an acceptable level will not be eligible for hiring consideration. 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. Time In Grade Requirement: Applicants must meet both eligibility and qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the JOA. Specifically, i. Area of Consideration. ii. Time-in-grade (TIG) requirements as specified in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. iii. Time after competitive appointment as specified in 5 CFR 330.502. iv. Qualification requirements outlined in OPMs Qualifications Standards for General Schedule Positions or for Federal Wage System (FWS), wage grade positions, applicants are evaluated using the OPM Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations and the job element examining method Your SF-50 will be used to confirm you meet all requirements 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 institutions 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 schools 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov) 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. Reasonable Accommodation: The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process. Current 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; 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. Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP):Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. CTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP 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, 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 visit: CTAP