This position is a Fish and Wildlife Biologist, GS- 0401-7/9/11 working in Roswell, New Mexico for the R2-New Mexico Ecological Services Field Office. The position supports implementation of the Endangered Species Act through consultation with the Bureau of Land Management and collaboration with Federal, State, and non-governmental partners.

Duties

As a Fish and Wildlife Biologist your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Working with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to implement the Endangered Species Act. Providing appropriate regulatory, scientific, and species conservation recommendations to Federal, state, and non-governmental partners. Reviewing regulatory documents, management plans, biological assessments, and other documents to ensure scientific accuracy and compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policy. Supporting collaborative conservation goals through building and maintaining partnerships.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Merit promotion applicants must meet time-in-grade requirement as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
• Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation.
• Driver’s License: This position requires the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver’s license throughout their employment in this position.
• Probationary Period: Selectees may be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
• Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 12/26/2024 will be considered. In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification. Basic Requirement: Possess a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited college or university in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Possess a combination of education and experience which includes courses equivalent to a major in the biological sciences (at least 24 semester hours) as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in the biological sciences, agriculture, or natural resources management or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Minimum Qualification [GS-7]: One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-5 in the Federal service. Experience may include: 1) Research impacts of proposed actions on threatened and endangered species; 2) Assist in reviewing biological implications of environmental assessment/impact statements; 3) Assist in biological work and/or habitat preservation studies; 4) Review research/recovery permits and other recovery/ESA-related documents; 5) Assist with the development and presentation of information. OR Successfully completed 1 (one) full year (18 semester hours) of graduate education in biological sciences, wildlife biology, ecology, or a directly related field appropriate to this position. OR Superior Academic Achievement: Successfully completed a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in wildlife biology, ecology, or a closely-related field which provided me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position with either (1) a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 based on a 4.0 scale; (2) a 3.5 GPA based on a 4.0 scale for all required courses completed in a qualifying major field of study at either the time of application or during the last two years of your undergraduate curriculum; (3) class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or a major subdivision of the college; or, (4) membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies. OR A combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement. Minimum Qualification [GS-9]: One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-7 in the Federal service. Experience may include: 1) Research impacts of proposed actions on threatened and endangered species; 2) Assist in reviewing biological implications of environmental assessment/impact statements; 3) Review standard, routine research/recovery permits and other recovery/ESA related documents; 4) Conduct biological work and/or habitat preservation studies. 5) Maintain and update files on permits issued for activities associated with endangered, threatened, proposed, and candidate species and their habitats; 5) Prepare correspondence pertaining to technical aspects of assigned work. OR Possess 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in biological sciences, wildlife biology, ecology, or a directly related field appropriate to this position. OR A combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement. Minimum Qualification [GS-11]: One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-9 in the Federal service. Experience may include: 1) Assess impacts of proposed actions on threatened and endangered species; 2) Develop draft biological opinions required under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA); 3) Conduct environmental impact assessments in private lands; 4) Assist in preparing and reviewing biological implications of environmental assessment/impact statements; 5) Review and process standard, routine research/recovery permits and other recovery/ESA related documents; 6) Plan, organize, and conduct biological work and/or habitat preservation studies. OR Possess 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree at an accredited college or university in biological sciences, wildlife biology, ecology, or a directly related field appropriate to this position. OR A combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement. 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. Time In Grade Requirement: Applicants must meet both eligibility and qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the JOA. Specifically, i. Area of Consideration. ii. Time-in-grade (TIG) requirements as specified in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. iii. Time after competitive appointment as specified in 5 CFR 330.502. iv. Qualification requirements outlined in OPM's Qualifications Standards for General Schedule Positions or for Federal Wage System (FWS), wage grade positions, applicants are evaluated using the OPM Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations and the job element examining method Your SF-50 will be used to confirm you meet all requirements Performance rating of record review: All applicants must provide a copy of their current performance rating dated within the past 18 months verifying their performance is at a fully successful level or higher. Applicants who do not have a current rating of record available must provide a reason and certify that their performance is acceptable, and they have not been advised that their performance is currently at an unacceptable level. Applicants who have an unsuccessful performance rating, or who have certified that their performance is not at an acceptable level will not be eligible for hiring consideration. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration.

Education

PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Contacts

• Address
• Name: Human Resources Staffing Division
• Email: [email protected]