This position is a technical advisor in ecology for one or more parks to apply a systems approach to the study and analysis of organisms and ecological relationships. The ecologist is responsible for program development and implementation located in Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network, in the MW Division. Open to the first 75 applicants or until 11/21/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Duties

Conduct field operations for long-term monitoring of aquatic resources (fish, aquatic invertebrates, aquatic vegetation, water quality, aquatic habitat) as described in monitoring protocols and standard operating procedures (SOP). Contribute to periodic updates and refinements of protocols and SOPs. Conduct all aspects of fish community and aquatic invertebrate monitoring including field data collection using electrofishing equipment and nets, sample processing and identification of fish and invertebrates, stream habitat assessment, maintaining current nomenclature for fish and/or aquatic invertebrates and maintaining a specimen reference collection for quality control and training. Analyze and interpret aquatic resource monitoring data using statistical software tools and ecological metrics, and communicates results in summary briefs, technical reports, and journal articles. Use data management systems to enter monitoring data, perform data quality assurance, document metadata, and prepare data exports for statistical analysis. The duties listed above are at the GS-09 level. At the GS-07 level this is an advanced trainee position. Developmental assignments are designed to prepare a GS-07 for the higher graded positions in the career ladder. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. Physical Demands: The position may require strenuous physical activity including periods of standing, walking, climbing, and lifting and carrying heavy objects. Some activities will occur in physically dangerous areas or settings. Documentary research and report writing work is sedentary, entails the ability to concentrate and write for long periods of time. Working Conditions: Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. Assignments may be performed in potentially hazardous areas including steep slopes, rocky terrain, volcanoes, caves, firelines, arctic environments, swamps, deserts, and forests. Flying in fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters is possible. This is a Career-Seasonal position and subject to release and recall procedures. A permanent career-seasonal position includes all the benefits of permanent employment but does not provide employment on a full year-round basis. As such, selectee will be in a non-pay/non-duty status for at least 2 weeks to 6 months per year based on project requirements or weather conditions. Selectee is guaranteed to work at least 6 months per year but not more than 50 weeks per year, with the work schedule to be determined upon appointment. The typical non-pay status is November to March,OR the beginning to mid-December but can be variable during these months due to project requirements or weather conditions.

Requirements

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/21/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of qualifying experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. Basic Requirement: Possess a degree in biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences. Minimum Qualifications: SELECTIVE FACTOR: This position performs duties which require ability to visit site locations which require the existence of this position (MVO) requires a driver's license at the time of appointment, must be able to maintain during employment. Candidates who do not meet this requirement by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position. - AND - To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE GS-07: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: collecting ecological field data using standard operating procedures and protocols, processing biological samples in the lab, conducting data entry of ecological data in computer databases, and performing basic data analysis following standard operating procedures. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 1 year of graduate-level education or superior academic achievement. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first determine the applicant's total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then determine the applicant's experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; finally, add the two percentages. 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. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE GS-09: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 in ecological research or monitoring. Specialized experience includes: leading ecological field data collection using standard operating procedures or protocols, assisting with planning, organizing or implementing ecological monitoring or research, performing higher-level data analysis to answer ecological management or research questions, interpretation of data analysis, writing portions of reports, publications, or plans, conducting quality assurance of data during data collection and data entry. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 2 years of progressively higher graduate-level education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first determine the applicant's total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then determine the applicant's experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; finally, add the two percentages. 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. Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): Successfully completed a bachelor's degree in a directly related field AND meet one of the following: (1) Class Standing: rank in the upper 3rd of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, based on the completed courses; OR (2) Grad-Point Average (GPA): earn a GPA of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on 4 years of education, or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum -or- (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field, or the required courses completed during the final two years. Note: GPA will be rounded to the one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society. CTAP/ICTAP: CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible. For information on CTAP and ICTAP visit: USAJOBS Help Center | Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) 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 Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network 3424 West Farm Road 182 Republic, MO 65804 US
• Name: MWR HR Central Team
• Phone: 402-661-1986
• Email: [email protected]