About the Position: You will function as a Biologist or Physical Scientist for the Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District, Construction Division, located in Nashville, TN.

Duties

Develop and analyze chemical portions of reports, and furnishes technical advice pertaining to specific water quality problems. Define objectives and goals, and development of sampling programs to best accomplish year-to-year budget variations. Execute field surveys including navigating and operating a boat and sampling and profiling equipment, laboratory interface, database management, data review and evaluation, contract administration, and report preparation. Analyze data using appropriate statistical techniques leading to determinations regarding the effects of biological productivity, pollution and other water quality factors on lakes and streams in the District. Prepare correspondence in response to issues raised by others regarding these activities.

Requirements

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• Must obtain and maintain a valid State motor vehicle operator’s license and a boater’s license.
• Ability to lift 40 plus pounds is a requirement.
• This position may require Temporary Duty Travel (TDY) over 25% of the duty time.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities. Current Civilian Employees of the OrganizationCurrent Department of Army Civilian EmployeesCurrent Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Employee (non-Army)Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel WorkforceInteragency Career Transition Assistance PlanLand Management Workforce Flexibility ActMilitary Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473Non-Department of Defense (DoD) TransferOffice of Personnel Management (OPM) Interchange Agreement EligiblePriority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician EligiblePriority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) EligiblePriority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability RetirementPriority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference EligibleReinstatementVeterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998 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. This position has a positive education requirement. To view the educational requirements, go to the links listed below for each series you are interested in applying for on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website: Biologist - 0401 - General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Series 0401 (opm.gov) Physical Scientist - 1301 - General Physical Science Series, 1301 (opm.gov) For the GS-07 grade level: A. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes using biological practices, principles and techniques sufficient to assist in the recommendations of planning and implementing environmental, recreational and natural resource management activities at a water resources project. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05); OR B. Education: One full year of graduate level education 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, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR C. Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above. Superior Academic Achievement is based on:(1) Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR (2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed 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 in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.; OR(3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org/); OR D. 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) by 18. Add the two percentages. Qualifications Continued in Education

Education

Qualifications Continued:

To qualify at the GS-09 grade level:
A. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes using biological practices, principles and techniques sufficient to assist in the recommendations of planning and implementing environmental, recreational and natural resource management activities at a water resources project; experience in natural resource management and related laws, policies and regulations as it pertains to biodiversity, threatened and endangered species, wetland protection, cultural resources and agricultural lease program. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07);
OR
B. 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, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position;
OR
C. 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.


To qualify at the GS-11 grade level:
A. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes implementing the water quality program of physical, chemical, and biological data; providing technical advice on matters related to water quality; prepare water quality reports; review and evaluate design documents and plans in regard to water quality impacts; coordinate with other water resources agencies in implementing the water quality program. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09)
OR
B. 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 perform the work of the position, such as biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)
OR
C. Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience described in A, but less than one year; and have at least two years of graduate education as described in B, but less than the required three years. To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then, divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.). (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)


You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:

• Environmental Law and Regulatory Compliance
• Reading Comprehension
• Technical Competence

Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent:

GS-07: 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-05);

GS-09: 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-07);

GS-11: 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-09);

To be referred, applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade and specialized experience requirements within 30 calendar days after the closing date of the announcement.

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 RE-W2SM03 US ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT-NASHVILLE DO NOT MAIL Nashville, TN 37203 US
• Name: Army Applicant Help Desk