Job opening: Biological Science Technician
Salary: $19 - 21 per hour
Published at: Jan 06 2025
Employment Type: Full-time
This position is located in a National Park Service organization. The purpose of the position is to perform routine and uncomplicated biological science tasks common to natural resource management. Technician work is typically associated with and supportive of a professional field; work may involve substantial elements of the work of the professional field, but requires less than full knowledge of the field involved.
Duties
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Hiring Official: Chris Davis email:
[email protected] phone: 440-429-6392
The selected biological technicians will perform some or all of the following duties under the supervision of the park's Plant Ecologist and/or Restoration Team Leader: (1) manage non-native plants cooperatively with staff and volunteers using manual, mechanical and chemical methods; (2) maintain and care for tools, equipment and supplies; (3) keep records of herbicide use and field work; (4) inventory and map the distribution and abundance of native and non-native plants using Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment; (5) use Geographic Information System (GIS) software to prepare maps and locate sites; (6) propagate native plants at the park's native plant nursery; (7) prepare sites and revegetate disturbed areas using native plant materials; (8) collect native seeds and cuttings; and (9) use computer software to compile data, analyze data and prepare reports. The selected applicants also may assist on other park projects, such as reintroducing freshwater mussels to the Cuyahoga River; conducting electro-fishing surveys in park waters; monitoring vegetation, wetlands, and birds; and surveying populations of deer, butterflies, and other wildlife.
The period of work generally will begin in late May and extend through late November. Employees in seasonal and temporary appointments with the National Park Service, including this appointment, cannot receive non-competitive promotions.
Effigy Mounds National Monument
Hiring Official: Jeremy Parker email:
[email protected] phone: 563-873-3491 ext. 131
Implements established natural resource management projects. Following instructions and standardized procedures, collects and organizes field data. Ensures adequate quality control of data collected. Performs routine and recurring testing of collected samples. Records all data collected and provides preliminary assessment and classification of the information. Seeks assistance for situations not covered by instructions or guidelines. Makes field observations of natural resource conditions. Evaluates observed conditions and problems, and makes preliminary determinations on the cause of problems noted. Provides results to higher-level specialists for analysis. Assists in the preparation of reports, plans, and guidelines. Draft project reports may include literature research, descriptions of methods, preparation of maps, graphs, or charts, and summary of findings. Provides logistical support and area orientation for contract or cooperating scientists; provides technical information, ensures quality control, and solves logistical or operational problems within the scope of the incumbent's knowledge and authority.
Primary Duties of the GS-404-05 Biological Science Technician: Locate, treat and monitor exotic plant infestations. Utilize GPS to map plant species of conservation concern and create field maps from collected data and existing layers. Monitor listed and sensitive plant species. Assist with other monitoring programs, such as fire effects, breeding bird, or aquatic surveys, as needed. Ability to acquire Iowa State Pesticide Applicators Certification. Enter field data into databases and develop completion reports. Operate computers, GPS units, UTV's, hand tools, power tools and 4x4 vehicles to support assigned duties.
Indiana Dunes National Park
Hiring Official: Charles Morris email:
[email protected] phone: 219-871-9559
Work as part of a field crew to conduct natural resource management fieldwork. Field work will consist of Physical, chemical and biological assessment of aquatic resources with a focus on managing woody debris in the river to maintain recreational paddling passage. Incumbent will use tools and operate equipment such as electrofishing systems, water quality instruments, chainsaws, and generators. Incumbent will be required to work in a river environment via wading or boating and use an ATV of UTV. Work will be adaptive with other tasks assigned as necessary to achieve work goals.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
A majority of the duties will be conducted outdoors in weather ranging from humid and hot to cold and snowy. The incumbent will be exposed to poisonous plants including the very poisonous wetland shrub Rhus vernix (poison sumac) and Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy), biting and stinging insects including ticks which may harbor Lyme disease, mosquitoes which may harbor West Nile Virus, tripping hazards. Aquatic work may require full emersion and direct bodily contact with water and muck may be unavoidable.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/10/2025-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 or all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: Have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level in the federal service. Specialized experience for Biological Technician GS-05 is that experience which demonstrates that you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position Examples of qualifying specialized experience include conducting biological field studies and surveys and assembling the information. Follow standardized procedures to collect data on Wildlife, Fisheries, or plants. Use statistical methods and procedures to perform testing of field data collected. Installs, operates, and maintains resource management equipment (tools, sampling and monitoring, photographic, and laboratory equipment) prepares graphs, charts, and illustrations for reports and technical publications relating to biological management activities. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: have successfully completed a full four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 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, as wildlife biology, zoology, ornithology 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. (A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected). You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Have a combination of specialized experience as described above and education as described above which total 100 percent. Only education beyond the 60 semester hours above high school is considered qualifying when combined with specialized experience. Thirty semester hours beyond the first 60 is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. For example, 6 month of specialized experience (50% of the specialized experience requirement) and 90 semester hours with at least 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. You must include hours per week worked.
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 Interior Region 3, 4 and 5
601 Riverfront Drive
Omaha, NE 68102
US
- Name: MWR HR Central Team
- Phone: 000-000-0000
- Email: [email protected]