Skip to main content

This job has expired

Wildlife Biologist

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Falls Church, Virginia
Closing date
Oct 2, 2020
Duties

Summary

Serves as the National Coordinator for the Service's Migratory Bird Joint Venture Program providing leadership, direction, and technical assistance in bird conservation planning, implementation, and evaluation for the 21 U.S. Migratory Bird Joint Venture regional partnerships.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

This announcement is being advertised concurrently under R9-20-10911753-DP (MP) for current and former federal employees serving under a competitive service career or career-conditional appointment or reinstatement eligible. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

The incumbent manages national allocations for joint venture activities in the Service, develops strategic budgeting plans, and tracks and reports on program accomplishments (reports may be produced for: the Service Directorate, the Office of the Secretary of the Interior, the White House, or other federal agencies).

Serves as a liaison with population and habitat specialists throughout the Service and a wide variety of federal, state, and private conservation agencies and organizations relative to migratory bird conservation.

Works directly with Joint Venture Coordinators and other staff to lead and/or coordinate strategic planning, partnership development, budgeting, program guidance, application of protocols and procedures, and biological planning, monitoring, and evaluation of joint venture activities.

Coordinates with joint ventures and other existing ecoregion planning efforts both within the FWS and with external partners and develops partnerships with State and Federal land management agencies and with other organizations involved in landscape conservation, to facilitate cooperative work at the joint venture, ecosystem and Regional levels.

Prepares national level documents and reports related to planning, programming, budgeting, and evaluating the joint venture program.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
  • Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • The incumbent may be required to obtain and properly wear the official Fish and Wildlife Service uniform


Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 10/16/2020 will be considered.

Basic Requirements for this position: You must meet A or B and C below to qualify for the position.

A. Have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited college or university in biological science that included at least 9 semester hours in such wildlife subjects as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, wildlife management, or research courses in the field of wildlife biology; and at least 12 semester hours in zoology in such subjects as general zoology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, ecology, cellular biology, parasitology, entomology, or research courses in such subjects; and at least 9 semester hours in botany or the related plant sciences. Note: 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.

B. Have a combination of education from an accredited college or university and experience courses equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), with at least 9 semester hours in wildlife subjects, 12 semester hours in zoology, and 9 semester hours in botany or related plant science, as shown in "A" above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Note: 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.

And

You may qualify at the GS-13 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

C. One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service that demonstrates the work as a professional biologist applying migratory bird management concepts and practices in landscape scale planning to address the conservation needs of priority migratory bird species; collaborating with a diverse range of individuals and organizations using community-based processes and consensus building techniques in developing goals, objectives, and effective implementation plans.

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 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.

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 school's 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been or may be involuntarily separated (e.g. reduction in force, declining to relocate/transfer outside their local commuting area) 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 for the position; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal or Removal Notice; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; or Removal and most recent performance appraisal.). For more information visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/

To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System at https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx

FWS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval. More than one position may be filled from this announcement.

A PCS move is not authorized.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

DRIVER'S LICENSE: You must possess and maintain a valid State driver's license at all times during your tenure.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information .

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the basic qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you meet the basic qualifications your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience which resulted in you being listed in the highest quality category, you may lose consideration, or be assigned to a lower quality category for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

1. Knowledge in the general principles, practices, and concepts of migratory bird management and conservation planning. This includes an understanding of migratory bird life histories, distribution, status, and their responses to management practices and the skill and ability to develop conservation plans that integrate and address the conservation needs of priority migratory bird species.

2. Mastery of the principles, theories, methods and practices of wildlife biology, conservation biology, wildlife ecology, ecosystem management and research, and their application in the field as it relates to management of wildlife habitat.

3. The ability to effectively communicate complex scientific issues orally and in writing to both scientific and laymen audiences. The ability to give effective presentations before large groups. Ability to write plans, correspondence, and reports, which communicate effectively, and which are characterized by good style, correct spelling and good grammar.

All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. The category ratings for this position are:

Best Qualified
Well Qualified
Qualified

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the basic qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach a copy of your DD-214 showing you were honorably discharged. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must attach an SF-15," Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" in addition to the proof required by that form.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
  • Resume or Application. At a minimum, your resume MUST contain job title (include job series and grade, if federal), duties, starting and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and salary. USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YX7o1PBoFk
  • Other supporting documents:
    • Cover Letter, optional
    • Official or unofficial College Transcript(s), if the position has education requirements, or if you are using your education to qualify. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. A copy of your official transcripts will be required if you are selected. 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: http:// http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html
    • Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g., DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service, SF-15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
    • If applicable, documentation/proof that you are eligible Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)


    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

    Get job alerts

    Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

    Create alert