Biologist (Computational)

Summary This position serves as a Research Fellow within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The candidate should be highly motivated, innovative and possess a strong quantitative background in spatial ecology, population ecology, disease ecology, epidemiology, and/or wildlife management, and proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., R, Matlab, C++, etc...). Responsibilities The duties may include, but are not limited to: Conducting research related to one health and/or invasive species management. Simulation modeling, statistical analysis, and/or epidemiological modeling. Developing models, analyzing data, and writing up peer-reviewed publications or technical reports, and presenting results to stakeholder Conducting all phases of the research with minimal oversight Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. BASIC REQUIREMENT: degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience including courses equivalent to a major (24 semester hours), as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. (Education must be degree-seeking and transcripts must be provided with application documents) -AND- FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: (1) Proficiency with a statistical programming language and data analysis and/or simulation modeling; (2) Ability to lead all aspects of first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals; (3) Ability to develop code-based pipelines for automating data cleaning and management of ecological and wildlife disease surveillance data; (4) Ability to effectively and efficiently communicate technical information about wildlife disease research both orally and in writing to diverse audiences; (5) Ability to coordinate disease surveillance and/or ecological data collection workflows and assist with data collection in wildlife as needed to ensure statistically sound study designs in the field.; OR Successful completion of at least 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. (Education must be degree-seeking and transcripts must be provided with application documents) OR Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. TRANSCRIPTS are required if: This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified. You are qualifying for the position based on education. You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university. 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 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 Please see above for education qualification requirement information. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be well qualified, which means having knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies that exceed the minimum qualification requirements for this position. CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100 to receive selection priority. First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.