Biologist

Summary You will serve as a Biologist, GS- 0401-11 working in San Francisco, California for the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as Career appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis. You will work from approximately mid-July thru the end of June, and you will be in a non-pay status the first two weeks of July. Responsibilities As a Biologist your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Plans and implements natural resources management such as restoration, wildlife species protection, invasive species control, and other actions. Uses and applies professional knowledge of ecological principles from a variety of natural resources disciplines with experience working on management and restoration of California Mediterranean species and ecosystems. Plans, implements and interprets natural resources monitoring and inventory to determine the status of plant and animal populations and communities as well as the success of natural resources management and restoration projects. Uses and applies professional knowledge of monitoring and inventory of natural resources including threatened and endangered species as well as data management, analysis, and mapping. Carries out program and project management duties including proposal/grant writing, contract/agreement administration, budget tracking, cost scoping and work planning. Performs a variety of program and project administration functions including track funding, write grant proposals, and plan work. Works with interdisciplinary staff of different levels. Communicates effectively on technical and non-technical matters to a wide audience and works with a variety of groups and stakeholders including agencies, contractors and the public. Prepares compliance documents for natural resources projects and reviews compliance documents for other projects' impacts on natural resources. Ensures park operations are consistent with laws, regulations and policies including the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Has knowledge of, and applies, National Park Service policies, and environmental laws and regulations to the management and protection of natural resources, with particular emphasis on the federal Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act. For more information about the area, please visit: Golden Gate National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service). Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Probation/Trial Period Continued: 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 your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement--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. 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. You must include transcripts. -OR- Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. You must include transcripts and your resume must reflect number of hours worked per week. Minimum Qualification: One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-09 in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This specialized experience includes activities such as: 1) developing and implementing priorities for ecological management of California Mediterranean ecosystems; 2) experience in ecological monitoring, compiling and analyzing monitoring results, and communicating monitoring results to a variety of audiences; and 3) project and program management including developing work plans, scopes of works, budget tracking, grant writing, and contract/agreement administration. 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. -OR- Education: 3 years progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. -OR- Combination of education and experience. To qualify based on a combination of education and experience, you must have successfully completed graduate education beyond the second full year (36 semester hours or equivalent) that is directly related to the work of this position and possess qualifying specialized experience. To calculate your qualifications, divide your total qualifying graduate semester hours in excess of 36 semester hours by 18 semester hours. Then divide your total months of qualifying specialized experience by 12 months. Add the two percentages together. The combined total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must submit copies of your transcripts with your application and your resume must reflect hours worked per week. 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. 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 programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional Information Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. 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 excluding contractor-provided home sale. 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 selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. 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. 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. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position with a score of 85 or above on the rating criteria for this position., and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP 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. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee\_guides/career\_transition.asp. The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval. Physical Demands: The position may require strenuous physical activity including periods of standing, walking, climbing, and lifting and carrying heavy objects. Some activities will occur in physically dangerous areas or settings. Documentary research and report writing work is sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and write for long periods of time. Work Environment: Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. Assignments may be performed in potentially hazardous areas including steep slopes, rocky terrain, volcanoes, caves, firelines, arctic environments, swamps, deserts, and forests. Flying in fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters is possible.