Job opening: Biological Science Technician (Plants-Nursery)
Salary: $17 - 23 per hour
Published at: Dec 04 2023
Employment Type: Multiple Schedules
These positions are located in Olympic National Park, in the Natural Resources Division.
The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Olympic National Park is April but can be variable due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: April 2024
Open to the first 125 applicants or until 12/11/2023 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.
Duties
These positions serve with the Revegetation / Nursery Crew at Olympic National Park in Port Angeles, WA.
Major duties include working with hand tools in the field in all weathers to inventory potential restoration sites, collect seed and cuttings of native plants, and salvage plants from construction areas. You may also inventory invasive exotic plants in areas to be restored to native species. Nursery work includes long hours standing and walking to sow, water, fertilize, transplant, harvest, and weed native plants in containers as well as those in the park's seed increase field. You will record site and species data using paper forms and data loggers, transfer the data to computer databases, and present synthesized data in verbal and written reports. The work is physically demanding and will require hiking with heavy packs (up to 50 pounds) in mountainous terrain, including off-trail hiking in steep, exposed terrain, unstable ground or snow, and in inclement weather. Most work is in the frontcountry, generally in groups of two to ten employees and/or volunteers, and often in full view of park visitors.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by 11:59 EST when the applicant cut-off is reached (which may be sooner than 12/11/2023).
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 at the GS-04 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: At least 6 months of general experience AND 6 months of specialized experience related to the work of this position. Specialized experience equips one with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the GS-04 and included things such as implementation of vegetation management and monitoring or ecological restoration, noxious weed survey, mapping and control, erosion control, hydrologic restoration, re-vegetation, the collection of plant data or plant materials for re-vegetation projects using routine sampling techniques and procedures, and inputting/retrieving data using computers and GPS units. You must include hours worked per week in your resume.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 2 years of progressively higher-level undergraduate education that included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must be directly related to the position to be filled. IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent) of education above high school and divide by 60 semester hours (or equivalent). Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week worked and transcripts.
To qualify for the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: At least at least one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: 1) collecting scientific data on vegetation; 2) implementing/assisting with vegetation inventories, studies, and surveys; 3) participating in site rehabilitation through soil preparation, native seed dispersal or collection, live planting and weeding; 4) performing a variety of manual, mechanical, chemical, or bio-control methods in planned management of plants; or 5) nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment; monitoring or controlling vegetation pests or diseases. You must include hours worked per week in your resume.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four years of progressively higher-level undergraduate coursework leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent undergraduate degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position to be filled. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent) earned towards a bachelor's degree, in excess of 60 semester hours, and divide by 60 semester hours (or equivalent). Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week worked and transcripts.
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.
ICTAP/CTAP Statement: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies.
Education
To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an
accredited institution 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
education completed in foreign colleges or universities 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.
Contacts
- Address Olympic National Park
600 E Park Avenue
Port Angeles, WA 98362
US
- Name: Alexis Brooks
- Email: [email protected]
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