Job opening: Biological Science Technician - (Plants)
Salary: $18 per hour
Published at: Dec 20 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
This position is located in a National Park Service (NPS) Unit. The purpose of the position is to perform a wide variety of interrelated or nonstandard biological science technical support assignments in plants.
Duties
The selectee(s) will implement the park's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program; coordinating the day-to-day activities of identification, mapping, and removal of invasive weeds using mechanical, chemical, and biological controls; ensuring adequate quality control of collected data; evaluating observed conditions and making preliminary determinations on the cause of the problems; solving logistical or operational problems within the scope of incumbent's knowledge and authority; and assisting in the preparation of reports, plans, and guidelines. The work also includes vegetation monitoring, and revegetation activities as needed.
Field work involves hiking long distances over uneven terrain, in a wide variety of weather conditions. Collects field data using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, using ArcGIS Pro and other computer programs to track exotic plant control progress, and writes reports. Works with interns and volunteer groups, providing them with advice, assistance, and training on exotic plant treatment techniques. Properly operates resource management equipment, e.g., tools, monitoring, and photographic equipment. Selectee may also assist with a variety of other established natural resource management projects as needed.
The work is performed both indoors and outdoors, often under adverse weather conditions. Work requires frequent bending, stooping, walking, standing and working in cramped positions. Wearing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be required. Work requires lifting and moving heavy items. Incumbent may need to operate All-terrain vehicles (ATVs), UTVs and herbicide equipment.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/28/2023-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-05 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: At least one full 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: Specialized experience for Bio-Tech (Plants) GS-05 is experience which demonstrates you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position. The specialized experience required is normally work performed in a controlled environment. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Conducting plant censuses and surveys and assembling the information. Following standardized procedures to collect data on the condition of range, grazing or forage. Use statistical methods and procedures to perform testing of field data collected. Install, operate, and maintain resource management equipment (tools, sampling and monitoring, photographic, and laboratory equipment) prepare graphs, charts, and illustrations for reports and technical publications relating to plant management activities. Research activity or control program work, nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least a full four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least twenty-four (24) semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least six (6) semester hours are directly related to the position such as botany, forest ecology, silviculture, plant ecology, etc. IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify you must document your course work and/or degree completed in your resume or other application materials you submit. You must submit a copy of your transcripts that identifies for each course the college or university, semester or quarter hours earned, grade received, and date completed. If you are qualifying based on education and you do not submit specific course work information as described previously, your application will be rated not qualified for consideration. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take education beyond the sixty (60) semester hours above high school is considered qualifying when combined with specialized experience. Thirty (30) semester hours beyond the first sixty (60) is equivalent to six (6) months of specialized experience. For example, six (6) month of specialized experience (50% of the specialized experience requirement) and 90 semester hours with at least twelve (12) semester hours related to the position and three (3) hours directly related to the position (50% of the education requirement) would be considered qualifying. NOTE: If you are qualifying based in part, upon education, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts. 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 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.
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 Midwest-West Regional Human Resources Office
246 S Chicago Street
Hot Springs, SD 57747
US
- Name: MWR HR West Team
- Phone: 402 661 1986
- Email: [email protected]