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

Performing, and providing oversight and guidance in regards to, risk assessments especially as related to pesticides, toxicology, and water quality.

This entails experience with complex and controversial actions and negotiations, working effectively and collaboratively in a dynamic and energetic team environment, and proactively coordinating with internal and external partners.

The position also includes application of critical thinking skills, completing assigned analyses and writing tasks, and managing a diverse and challenging workload.

Implementing Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This includes developing guidance, policies, and regulations;

conducting analyses of complex federal agency actions; interacting with senior Service and Department of Interior officials at briefings and meetings, etc.

BNC biologists work on a diverse array of species and projects and actively coordinate with staff throughout the Service.

Working collaboratively with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), other Federal agency partners, and stakeholders on ESA section 7 consultations, including EPA's national pesticide registrations.

These complex and challenging consultations include consideration of various effects of those actions to many of the 1,600+ domestically listed, proposed, and candidate species and their critical habitats and ways to avoid, reduce, or otherwise minimize such effects.

Working with other Federal agencies (e.g., BLM, DOD, FS, OSMRE, etc.), providing technical assistance and conducting consultations on their actions at a national scale.

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.
• 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 07 / 15 / 2024 will be considered.

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

Basic Requirement :

• A bachelor's or higher degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR
• A combination of education and experience that includes courses equivalent to a major in the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, PLUS appropriate experience or additional education.

The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field.

Minimum Qualification GS-12

• One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service.
• Experience MUST include (a) providing technical, biological guidance on ecotoxicological assessment, ecological risk assessment, biomarker and biochemical techniques including development and needs assessments, management of natural resources using aquatic and / or wildlife toxicology assessment approaches, determining when and which field and laboratory techniques are applicable and / or using appropriate statistical evaluation of data for complete interpretation;
• AND (b) utilizing the principles and regulations governing environmental conservation statutes and regulations (e.g., Endangered Species Act;
• National Environmental Policy Act; Clean Water Act; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act;

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) to evaluate the effects of actions of fish and wildlife species and habitats.

Minimum Qualification GS-13

• One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service.
• Experience MUST include (a) leading, coordinating and providing technical, biological guidance on ecotoxicological assessment, ecological risk assessment, biomarker and biochemical techniques including development and needs assessments, management of natural resources using aquatic and / or wildlife toxicology assessment approaches, determining when and which field and laboratory techniques are applicable and / or using appropriate statistical evaluation of data for complete interpretation;
• b) serving as a technical and policy expert on environmental conservation statutes and regulations (e.g., Endangered Species Act;
• National Environmental Policy Act; Clean Water Act; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act;
• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) and their application to fish and wildlife conservation;

AND (c) providing consultation, national oversight and guidance to programs and regional and field staff on resource and / or environmental contamination, responsibilities under the Clean Water Act, monitoring surveys, and / or chemical analysis of pesticides and hazardous substances.

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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