Supervisory Fish and Wildlife Biologist

Summary This position is a Supervisory Biologist, GS- 0401-14, in the Branch for Recovery and Conservation Planning within the Ecological Services Program working in Baileys Crossroads, Virginia. The branch is responsible for the conservation and recovery of endangered and threatened species as well as candidate or at-risk species to preclude their listing under the Endangered Species Act. Responsibilities The duty station of the position is located in Baileys Crossroads, VA, however; at managements discretion, your physical report date may be extended up to 90-calendar days from the official entrance-on-duty (EOD) date. The physical report date cannot go beyond 90-calendar days from the EOD. As a Supervisory Fish and Wildlife Biologist your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Providing leadership and direction to the Branch and serving as the authority for the Services management and administrative activities related to the conservation and recovery of endangered and threatened species as well as candidate or at-risk species to preclude their listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Ensuring timely coordination and liaison with other Ecological Services Divisions and Branches, Regions and Field Offices, other Service Programs, Solicitors Office, the Department and congressional representatives on activities, policies, on-going initiatives, and issues. Performing a full range of supervisory/managerial duties and responsibilities over the assigned Branch staff and evaluating work products for meeting Branch goals and objectives. Monitoring progress, evaluating effectiveness, and recommending changes and modifications to program-specific goals and objectives; ensuring optimal use of administrative resources such as funding, equipment, and personnel; estimating and justifying funding needs; managing budgets for assigned programs; and determining need for special projects and studies to be carried out by the Branch. Specific areas of Branch responsibility under recovery planning and implementation include: Ensuring that recovery plans and other recovery efforts provide the roadmaps necessary for the Service and our partners to implement effective actions to recover species listed under the ESA. Providing guidance, support, and assistance to regions, field offices, and the national recovery planning team as needed on recovery planning and implementation. Overseeing projects and initiatives related to recovery planning; species assessments; species-specific Section 10(j) experimental population rules; grant review and administration; training; reporting; and policy, regulation, and guidance development. Specific areas of Branch responsibility under conservation planning include: Overseeing voluntary conservation efforts under ESA Section 10(a)(1)(A) and 10(a)(1)(B) related to enhancement of survival and incidental take permits. Providing guidance, support, and assistance to regions, field offices on Habitat Conservation Plans, Conservation Benefit Agreements, and recovery permits. Overseeing projects and initiatives related to policy, regulation, and guidance development; practitioner coordination; grant criteria development and review; and training. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Only experience and education obtained by 10/14/2024 will be considered. In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification. Basic Educational Requirement: A. A degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR B. Combination of education and experience that includes courses equivalent to a major in the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, PLUS appropriate experience or additional education. The quality of this combination of education and experience demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. Minimum Qualification GS-14 One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service managing programs designed to benefit fish and wildlife species. Experience must include: (1) providing a full range of supervision or leadership for a team to achieve defined natural resource conservation goals; (2) consulting and negotiating on complex natural resource conservation and management programs, policies, and activities; (3) exercising direct responsibility for the development or implementation of policies, plans, standards, or procedures to carry out natural resource conservation and management, including the provision of technical and policy guidance to staff; (4) preparing reports, briefing materials, and position papers on natural resource conservation and management programs, policies, and activities; and (5) managing teams focused on planning, directing, and executing short- and long-term activities in support of natural resource conservation that affect a diverse group of partners and interested parties. 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 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: -Yes, entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable. -In addition, relocation discretionary entitlements MAY be authorized for this position including contractor-provided home sale. 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: OPMs Employee Guide to Career Transition 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.