Biological Science Technician

This position is located in Saguaro National Park, in the Science and Resources Division.

Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

  12/20/2024 to 01/03/2025

  This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date.

  
  
• Salary

  $44,910 – $64,879 per year
  Salary Range for GS-6: $44,910-58,385 Per Year Salary Range for GS-7: $49,906-64,879 Per Year

• Pay scale & grade
  

  GS 6 – 7

• Location

  3 vacancies in the following location:

• Remote job
  

  No

• Telework eligible
  

  No

• Travel Required

  25% or less – You may be expected to travel for this position.

  
  
• Relocation expenses reimbursed
  

  No

• Appointment type

  Multiple Appointment Types – Initial appointment of 13 months, can be extended up to four years total

  
  
• Work schedule
  

  Full-time

• Service
  

  Competitive

• Promotion potential
  

  None

• Job family (Series)
• Supervisory status
  

  No

• Security clearance
• Drug test
  

  No

• Position sensitivity and risk
• Trust determination process
• Financial disclosure
• Bargaining unit status
• Announcement number

  IM-1541-SAGU-25-12653609-DE

  
  
• Control number
  

  825523000

This job is open to

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Duties

This is a term position (more than 1 year) with an initial appointment expecting to last at least 13 months but may be extended up to a total of four years, or more based on any changes to regulations governing the number of years term appointments may last, without further competition. Term positions do not convey permanent status in the Federal service.

The National Park Service retains the right to extend the duration of this appointment after selection and/or appointment, based on changes to the regulation governing the number of years term appointments may last. This change, which may be made at the agency’s sole discretion and without further competition, shall not be construed or interpreted as the granting of a right to a selectee or employee to such an extension. No extension to a term appointment shall be granted to a selectee/employee to an amount of time that exceeds the maximum number of years authorized under any present or current regulation, unless such regulation expressly allows such action.

Major Duties of this position include:

• Performs technician work that is supportive of professionals in resource management (i.e. Ecologists, Botanist etc.). These positions are primarily concerned with carrying out field studies on plants and plant ecology, inventorying, monitoring, and mapping plant populations; leading field crews in exotic plant eradication or revegetation work; conducting grazing and monitoring studies; developing improved methods of controlling weed and plant diseases; performing nursery work, seed collection, and similar work usually concerned with higher plant life. May also perform some forestry work concerned with monitoring, rehabilitation, reforestation, propagation, and/or thinning; monitoring hazard tree and disease programs; and monitoring and/or controlling disease and insect infestations. Specific duties will vary by park location.
• Implements natural resource management projects following established procedures. Collects and organizes field data, ensuring quality control of data or collected samples. Provides assessment and classification of data.
• Assists in the preparation of reports, plans, and guidelines related to resource management projects.
• Provides logistical support for resource management projects as well as advice, assistance, and training to students, volunteers or lower graded technicians.
• Uses a variety of computer programs to compile, reduce, store, retrieve, analyze, and report data and other resource management information. Uses a wide variety of specialized equipment to carry out resource management projects.
• GS-7 position is distinguished from GS-6 in the following ways: assignments require that the incumbent have greater knowledge, experience, and judgment in order to complete a variety of conventional projects of relatively limited scope; independently resolve problems for which precedents exist; select, from several alternatives, the most appropriate course of action for planning and executing work; and apply a wide range of conventional methods and solutions to new situations. As a result, the position has a broader scope and effect; unlike lower-graded positions, this position directly affects the design, operation, and adequacy of natural resource activities.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver’s license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator’s License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver’s licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
• You may be required to work overtime.
• You will be required to complete a one-year trial period.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 3 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
• Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/03/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.

To qualify for this position at the GS-6 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

• SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: implementing established natural resource management projects; following instructions and standardized procedures; collecting and organizing field data; ensuring quality control of data collected; performing routine and recurring testing of collected samples; recording data collected and providing preliminary assessment and classification of the information; assisting in the preparation of resource management reports, plans, and guidelines. Duties are supportive of professional specialists in resource management; relevant to research, conservation and management of natural resources such as but not limited to wildlife (land or aquatic) monitoring or control; field studies on plant or forest ecology, inventorying, monitoring, and/or control of invasive plants, or making other field observations on the state of natural resource conditions. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

• EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full year of graduate education in an accredited educational institution (18 semester hour or 27 quarter hours) directly related to this position. Examples of directly related education are biology, botany, range science, forestry, ecology, environmental science, zoology, fisheries, animal husbandry, natural resource management or other directly related fields. You must include transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-7 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

• SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-6 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: following instructions and standardized procedures; collecting and organizing field data; ensuring quality control of data collected; performing routine and recurring testing of collected samples; recording data collected and providing preliminary assessment and classification of the information; assisting in the preparation of resource management reports, plans, and guidelines. Additionally, experience must demonstrate ability to execute established natural resource management projects by independently planning and carrying out steps using established techniques to resolve problems. For example, planning field projects, independently choosing from among several possible courses of action at different stages of the project (e.g., selects site locations, sampling techniques, appropriate equipment, logistics, etc.). Duties are supportive of professional specialists in resource management; relevant to research, conservation and management of natural resources such as but not limited to wildlife (land or aquatic) monitoring or control; field studies on plant or forest ecology, inventorying, monitoring, and/or control of invasive plants, or making other field observations on the state of natural resource conditions. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

• EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full year of graduate education in an accredited educational institution (18 semester hour or 27 quarter hours) directly related to this position. Examples of directly related education are biology, botany, range science, forestry, ecology, environmental science, zoology, fisheries, animal husbandry, natural resource management or other directly related fields. You must include transcripts.

-OR-

• Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, 6 months of specialized experience and half a year of directly related graduate level education.

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

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your 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.

Additional information

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.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
Physical Demands: The work requires regular physical exertion such as walking or climbing over wet, rough, uneven and/or rocky surfaces; bending, crouching, stooping, or reaching to observe, collect and/or record field data; or in some situations the work may require physical exertion to handle wild animals, prepare soil for planting, camp overnight in backcountry locations, to scuba dive or operate a boat (varies by location). Heavy items, such as equipment packs weighing up to 50 pounds, must be lifted and carried on a regular basis. May be required to hike several miles in a day.

Working Conditions: The work is performed in an office, laboratory, and in a field environment. The work performed in the field involves regular and recurring exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, poisonous plants, biting insects and wild animals. Some positions require the use of chemicals (for example, pesticides/herbicides to control invasive plants or chemical treatments for invasive aquatic species). The employee is required to follow all safety procedures based on the task being carried out which may require use protective clothing/gear such as gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves, etc.

The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

• Benefits
  

  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .

  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

  
  
  

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated ‘ineligible’, ‘not qualified’, or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran’s preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

• Best Qualified – applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
• Well Qualified – applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
• Qualified – applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

You will be evaluated on the following competencies:

• Biology
• Leadership
• Research
• Technology Application

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

• Benefits
  

  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .

  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

  
  
  
• Required Documents

  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have – whether you’re a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you’re eligible under their policies.

  The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/03/2025:

  
  
  1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  2. Complete All Required Assessments.
  3. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
     • :
       • If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the . If you don’t have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the .
       • If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
       • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or , you must submit all additional proof required by the , and if applicable, a completed . You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
       
       
     
     
  4. College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
  5. Documentation for consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 80 on the rating criteria for this position.
  
  

  Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials – you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

  Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency’s staffing offices.

  
  
  

  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 .

  
  
  

  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.

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