This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Competitive Service Positions to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. About the Position: Serves as technical leader for various environmental assessments and environmental impact statements related to civil works' water resources projects, ecosystem restoration and protection, and mitigation and monitoring.

Duties

Ensures that water resources projects are in compliance with all environmental laws and regulations such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), etc. Creating and monitoring plans for wetland mitigation and restoration projects, primarily forested wetlands. Leading field investigations for large scale restoration and mitigation projects in wetlands; processing, analyzing, and maintaining databases for wetland mitigation and restoration monitoring data. Accurately assesses the condition of wetland restoration projects. Reviews biological components of environmental assessment documents and contractor work products for technical accuracy. Coordinates with other environmental agencies and academic institutions and accurately represents their views/findings in internal meetings. Serves as environmental coordinator on multi-disciplinary planning efforts on numerous complex Civil Works projects involving significant biological and ecological plan formulation issues.

Requirements

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• One-year probationary period may be required.
• Temporary travel (TDY) of up to 10% of the time may be required.
• May be required to possess and maintain a valid State motor vehicle operator's license based on site-specific, job-related requirements.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Basic Requirement for Biologist Position: A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, fisheries, wildlife or forestry or a discipline appropriate to the position. OR B. Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: Specialized Experience for the GS-09: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) supporting biological and/or ecological projects; AND 2) general familiarity with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act and/or other environmental laws, regulations and guidance and their application in civil works projects and studies, or similar experience; AND 3) collecting and compiling data from field investigations for projects. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07). OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: biological sciences, natural resource management, or related disciplines. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. Specialized Experience for the GS-11: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) supporting Civil Works projects involving biological and/or ecological issues; AND 2) ensuring projects are National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliant and adhere to all state and federal environmental laws and regulations; AND 3) writing environmental sections of documents and reviewing biological components of work products for technical accuracy, AND 4) coordinating with other environmental agencies and/or academic institutions and accurately represents their views/findings in internal meetings. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09). OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, fisheries, wildlife or forestry or a discipline appropriate to the position. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. Specialized Experience for the GS-12: One year of specialized experience at the GS 11 level including experience: 1) developing and executing monitoring plans for wetland mitigation and restoration projects AND; 2) leading field investigations for ecological conditions as related to proposed, ongoing or completed civil works projects and studies, or similar experience to include restoration and mitigation; AND 3) conducting consultation with state and federal agencies in accordance with the Endangered Species Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Coastal Zone Management Act, and other environmental laws and regulations; AND 4) writing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents to include environmental assessments, environmental impacts statements and associated documents. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11). Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

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 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Contacts

• Address RG-W2R902 US ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT-NEW ORLEANS DO NOT MAIL New Orleans, LA 70118 US
• Name: Army Applicant Help Desk