This position is located on the Colville National Forest at Tonasket, Washington. The incumbent serves as a Fish Biologist or Hydrologist responsible for planning, administering, and providing professional expertise in fisheries and hydrology programs. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Matt Marsh by e-mail at [email protected]

Duties

Responsibilities listed are for the full performance level. Provides recommendations relating to stream and lake habitat management, including streamside and riparian area management and in-channel work. Conducts hydrologic analysis for cooperative watershed projects authorized under public law. Independently conducts or directs surveys of the water resources of the Forest. Compiles consultation documents for any project that could have an impact on threatened or endangered fish species or listed fish habitat. Provides input regarding fisheries and hydrology needed to implement the Forest Plan and other laws and regulations, such as the Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act. Participates on interdisciplinary teams for the evaluation of the impact of Forest Service or non-Forest Service activities on National Forest lands, and the development of land management plans. Represents the Forest Service at meetings related to watershed and fisheries management. Performs administrative and human resources management functions for the unit as a supervisor.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary. Basic Requirement: Fish Biology Series, 0482 Degree: Successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in biological science that included 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 at least 12 semester hours in the animal sciences in such subjects as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields. (Excess course work in aquatic subjects may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate.). OR A combination of education and experience-courses 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 above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Basic Requirement: Hydrology Series, 1315 Degree: Successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in physical or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics. Calculus and physics, as described above, are requirements for all grade levels. OR A combination of education and experience- course work as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. *Acceptable experience must have included performance of scientific functions related to the study of water resources, based on and requiring a professional knowledge of related sciences and the consistent application of basic scientific principles to the solution of theoretical and practical hydrologic problems. The following is illustrative of acceptable experience: field or laboratory work that would require application of hydrologic theory and related sciences such as geology, geo-chemistry, geophysics, or civil engineering to making observations, taking samples, operating instruments, assembling data from source materials, analyzing and interpreting data, and reporting findings orally and in writing. In some cases, professional scientific experience that is not clearly water resource experience may be acceptable if such experience was preceded by appropriate education in hydrology or by professional hydrology experience. Specialized Experience Requirement: For the GS-09 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level; OR a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related; OR an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as one or more of the following: Assisted in implementing well-established hydrology / fisheries / watershed projects; Collected field data on fish habitats and other aquatic resources for preparation of maps and management plans using all types of sampling equipment; Conducted hydrologic studies/aquatic habitat/fish inventories and analyzed data and prepared comprehensive reports on the resource; Assisted in the assessment of water resource capability and suitability and identifying goals, issues, and concerns for water resource management; Written Biological Evaluation (BE's), Biological Assessments (BA's), Categorical Exclusions (CE's) or similar documents for a variety of projects ranging from recreation projects to routine timber sales. For the GS-11 level: You must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 in the Federal service. Qualifying specialized experience includes meeting one or more of the following: Provided recommendations related to stream and lake-habitat management, including streamside and riparian area management and in-channel work. Collected original data, assembled previously collected records, and analyzed and evaluated all assembled data to develop long-range prescriptions or plans for management's use in watershed management. Wrote Biological Assessments (BA's) for a variety of project types ranging from recreation projects to complex timber sales. Participated as required in the development of environmental assessments and environmental impact statements. Worked with partners and collaborators to develop and obtain grant funding for such projects. OR Successfully completed three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled. OR An appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.). 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. Work Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position. TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

See above for education that may be qualifying for the specific grade level.

Contacts

• Address USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT. Albuquerque, NM 87109 US
• Name: HRM Contact Center
• Phone: 1-877-372-7248 X2
• Email: [email protected]