Fish Biologist

Clarification from the agency

This position will be filled under the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority and is open to all United States citizens and U.

S. nationals. Veteran's preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications do not apply. All qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration for this position.

Duties

As a Fish Biologist (Habitat Restoration Coordinator) your duties will include but are not limited to the following :

Serves as a senior fish biologist associated with implementation of the AFRP and CVPIA, and as an expert on resource issues relative to fish management, habitat protection and enhancement, and endangered species.

Develops and facilitates science to inform restoration and management of aquatic habitats.

• Plans and implements program initiatives, or portions of programs and formulates long and short-term budget needs and negotiating for program funds to support fish restoration and monitoring aspects of fish habitat restoration.
• Coordinates with other Federal and State agencies; counties and municipalities; universities, industries; public and private utilities and irrigation and water districts;
• urban, agricultural, industrial, and environmental organizations; local watershed workgroups and technical advisory committees;

and other interest groups to express Service policy and negotiate positions and projects that will provide increased protection and enhancement of fish and their habitats.

• Develops, coordinates, negotiates and manages contracts, grants, task orders, purchase orders, reimbursable agreements, and cooperative agreements necessary to implement activities in support of increased protection and enhancement of fish populations and their habitats.
• Develops and coordinates development of the technical information, implementation plans, reports and other documents, including environmental and permitting documents, necessary to facilitate implementation and monitoring of restoration projects
• Reports status of projects and implementation of specific projects to the interested public, professional societies, community leaders, congressional staff members, news media, landowners, local watershed workgroups, and officials of other Federal, State, and local agencies.

Promotion Potential : This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed represent the full performance level of GS-12.

At lower grade levels, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-12.

Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.

The selectee may be promoted without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Resume (See "Required Documents"). Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.

It is your responsibility to ensure all information is provided on resume.

• Eligibility and Supporting documents - You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to AND submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section.
• Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation.
• Driver’s License : Selectees may be required to possess and maintain a valid State driver's license at all times during their tenure.
• Probationary Period : Selectees may be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
• Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 09 / 18 / 2024 will be considered.

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

Basic Requirement :

Possess a Bachelor's or higher degree with a major in biological science that included (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 animal science subjects such as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields.

Excess coursework in aquatic subjects may be used to satisfy the animal science coursework requirement when appropriate.) OR

Possess a combination of education and experience that includes coursework 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.

The quality of my combination of education and experience is sufficient to demonstrate that I possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities comparable to those normally acquired through the successful completion of a full four-year course of study.

Minimum Qualification GS-11

• One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-09 in the Federal service.
• Specialized experience must include : 1) conducting studies and investigations aimed at resolving habitat protection or enhancement issues for endangered fish species management;
• 2) providing biological information verbally and in writing to representatives or other government agencies, staff members, private interest groups, and the general public;

and 3) provide authoritative advice and recommendations particularly as it applies to fish habitat protection and enhancement.

Your resume must clearly reflect ALL of this experience. OR

• Possess three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D., or possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, that clearly demonstrates that it provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. OR
• A combination of education (beyond the second year) and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement

Minimum Qualification GS-12 : Possess one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service.

• Specialized experience must include : 1) serving as an expert on anadromous fish species resource and management issues including habitat protection and enhancement;
• 2) providing technical advice to biologists on fishery resource issues; 3) coordinating fishery restoration efforts between multiple organizations;

and 4) developing and nurturing partnerships, to coordinate efforts with outside groups, and directing and coordinating work of others to implement programs to protect and enhance fish populations and their habitats.

Your resume must clearly reflect ALL of this 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

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.

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