Fish Biologist

Summary You will serve as a Fish Biologist (Assistant Project Leader) within the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 3, Iron River National Fish Hatchery, location in Iron River, WI. Salary Range Information: GS-11: $74,678 - $97,087 GS-12: $89,508 - $116,362 First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate. Responsibilities This position is designated as a Code 4 supervisor, with less than 25% of duties involving the supervision of a small hatchery team and performing the full range of technical and administrative supervisory responsibilities, including setting objectives, defining work scope, and developing overall plans. Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Provide technical and operational oversight, training, guidance, and assistance to staff and volunteers engaged in station operations and maintenance. Monitor fish health, growth, and quality, and implement corrective measures or administer therapeutic and prophylactic treatments. Assist with formulation, implementation, and evaluation of production and distribution plans. Plan, develop, and conduct studies and investigations, developing diagnostic protocols, and recording experimental fish culture data such as those related to using hormones and testing new and modified pharmaceuticals, fungicides, and other pesticides. Work with the Hatchery Manager to hire, direct, assign, promote, reward, suspend, discipline, or remove employees. Schedule, assign, and direct work; administering supervisory personnel functions; evaluating work performance; taking necessary action to ensure work meets quality and quantity standards. Work in conjunction with the Project Leader to develop and implement the hatchery outreach program by providing tours, making presentations, speaking to various organizations and groups, maintaining the hatchery visitor center, and conducting fishing events. Plan, schedule, attend, and conduct meetings with elected officials (local, county, state, Congressional), varying levels of government units (local, state, federal), interest groups (landowners, county, state bureaus, state and national environmental groups). Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. Requirements Conditions of Employment Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. Much obtain and maintain a valid Commercial Driver's license throughout employment. Pre-employment and random drug testing are required. You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received. You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. You are required to obtain and maintain a Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC), Merchant Mariners Document (MMD), and Transportation Workers Information Credential (TWIC) card. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Additional Requirements located under qualifications Qualifications Additional Requirements You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles. Shift work is required. You will be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and holidays. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/15/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Basic Educational Requirement AND Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying. Basic Educational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one of the following: A. Degree: major in biological science that included at least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects such as limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, or related courses in the field of fishery biology; AND at least 12 semester hours in the animal sciences in such subjects as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields. (Excess course work in aquatic subjects may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate.) You must submit transcripts. -OR- B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), of which a minimum of 6 semester hours were in aquatic subjects and 12 semester hours were in the animal sciences, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. -AND- To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level: Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: (1) carrying out daily activities of hatchery production operations; (2) propagating cold, cool and warm water aquatic species; (3) assisting in program planning and budget preparation; (4) observing fish for signs of stress or disease and initiating the appropriate steps to alleviate stress or treat disease; and (5) maintaining records of fish production and distribution. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: 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 in the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or closely related field which provided the knowledge skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position. You must include transcripts. -OR- Combination of education and experience: To combine education and experience, first take the total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week and transcripts. To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level: Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: (1) planning and carrying out daily activities of hatchery production operations; (2) propagating cold, cool and warm water aquatic species; (3) program planning and budget preparation; (4) developing and carrying out hatchery work plans; and (5) planning and conducting fisheries studies, including design, collection, and analysis of biological data related to fish culture, fishery resources, and fish health. Volunteer Experience: 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 This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification Additional Information Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor. Telework: The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval. 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. If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive. PCS: 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 excluding contractor-provided home sale. Physical Demands/Work Environment: The work is often strenuous and conducted at propagation facilities and in remote field locations requiring physical exertion such as walking over wet, rough, and uneven surfaces, bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, lifting, and carrying moderately heavy items that weigh up to 50 pounds. All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.