Duties

As a Fish Biologist your duties will include but are not limited to the following:

• Provides leadership, guidance, and coordination on very complex scientific and technical matters associated with trust fishery resources. These matters will include interjurisdictional, as well as threatened and endangered species, and ecosystem restoration and management using an interdisciplinary approach for standardizing and implementing stock assessments of various trophic levels; evaluating population dynamics, behavior, and habitat requirements of finfish and freshwater mussels in a changing environment; restoration concerns such as fish disease and exotic species problems; genetic stock; stocking practices; and habitat assessments, restoration, and/or creation.
• Acts as liaison and technical specialist for fisheries-related issues between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Fish and Wildlife Service's Ecological Services field stations (Virginia and Chesapeake Bay Field Offices) regarding relevant environmental matters, particularly those concerning water quality, dredging, entrainment, flow needs, fish passage, and other issues related to state or federally licensed or permitted activities in the basin.
• Incumbent serves as Project Leader and directs the cooperative fishery program within the framework agreed upon with partners. In this capacity the incumbent frequently represents the Service directly with state agency directors, and other top-level managers. Makes appearances at public functions and before the media to explain Service's mission and the roll of station in that mission. Provides requested technical information on interjurisdictional and other fishery issues. Coordinates and integrates Federal, state, local governmental and non-governmental interests in the development and implementation of conservation projects in support of partnership initiatives, such as the Atlantic Coast Fish Habitat Partnership, Fisheries Joint Ventures, National Fish Habitat Action Plan, National Fish Passage Program, and Regional focus area implementation plans.
• Responsible for and participates with Complex Manager to develop and implement annual work plans, annual budget requests, program reports, and program evaluations for fish and aquatic resources management and habitat restoration programs. Develops annual and long-range goals, objectives, plans and budgets for large-scale projects, watersheds, focus areas, and ecosystems.
• Supervises a small team of professional or technical staff. Performs the full range of technical and administrative supervision, which includes outlining objectives, determining scope of work and developing overall plans. Plans the work to be accomplished, sets and adjusts priorities, and deadlines. Schedules, assigns and directs the work, administers supervisory personnel functions, evaluates work performance, and takes necessary action to assure that the work of subordinate employees meet standards of quantity and quality.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.
• Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply).
• Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation.
• Driver?s License: Selectees must possess and maintain a valid State driver's license at all times during their tenure.
• Uniform: Official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform is required.
• Supervisory Probationary Period: Selectees who have not previously completed a supervisory probationary period, will be required to serve a one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period for this position.
• Notice of Financial Disclosure Report Requirement: This position is subject to a financial disclosure requirement and you will be required to complete either OGE Form 278e or OGE Form 450 as applicable within 30 days of your appointment
• Required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law.

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 02/04/2022 will be considered.

In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification.

Basic Requirement:

Possess at least a Bachelor's Degree with a major in a biological science that includes the following course work: 1) 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 2) at least 12 semester hours in the animal sciences subjects such as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, ecology, cellular biology, parasitology, entomology, or research courses in such subjects. OR

Possess a combination of education and experience that is equivalent to a major in a 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 described in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Minimum Qualification: Possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal government performing all of the following: 1) experience managing a fish hatchery including its infrastructure and staff, 2)experience in fisheries management or fish culture; 3) experience in reintroduction and monitoring of endangered fish species; 4) experience working as a lead where instructions and guidance is given to others; and 5) experience planning, coordinating, and managing budgets. This experience must be clearly reflected in your resume.

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

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.

Relocation Expenses Reimbursement: 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.

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: OPM's Employee Guide to Career Transition