Biological Science Technician

Summary

This position is a Biological Science Technician, GS-0404-5/6, duty station in Sasabe, Arizona, for the R2-Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.

This position is also open to status candidates under announcement R2-25-12621391-ALM-MP. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

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Duties

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the GS-07 full performance level. As a Biological Science Technician your duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Independently planning and carrying out complex quail breeding facility studies, and data collection on masked bobwhite quail population health and propagation methods.
• Coordinating with higher-level biologist to resolve complex issues related to masked bobwhite quail propagation, or long-range projects that span over multiple spawning seasons.
• Working with quail breeding facility crew in providing daily care to masked bobwhite quail in an indoor facility and/or outdoor pens.
• Collecting biological samples ensuring correct documentation, reporting, storage, transport and delivery of samples taken and preparing recurring activity and progress reports.
• Planning multifaceted masked bobwhite quail breeding studies, determining research methods, establishing practical procedures for accomplishing and reporting the work, and determining other facility activities and needs.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
• Uniform: Official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform is required.
• 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 Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.

Qualifications

Only experience and education obtained by 12/10/2024 will be considered.

In order to qualify for this position, you must possess Minimum Qualifications.

Minimum Qualifications GS-05:

A. One (1) year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-04 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience may include: 1) Captive animal care and husbandry practices; 2) Assisting with the preparation, maintenance, and use of equipment; 3) Accomplishing field assessments, recording information in legible form; 4) Assisting with pairing specific animals for breeding, providing food and water to captive animals, observing captive animals for signs of illness or distress and reporting observations to supervisor, and participating in captive rearing activities; and 5) Assisting with preparing plans and presentations.

OR

B. Successfully completed a full four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree with a major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the work of the position, such as avian ecology, ornithology, wildlife management (birds).

OR

C. A combination of experience and education as described in A and B above which, when combined, is equivalent to 100% of the qualification requirement.

Minimum Qualifications GS-06:

A. One (1) year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-05 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience may include: 1) Caring and feeding through all life stages of captive birds; 2) Recording and monitoring captive bird health, maintain and update location of specific individuals in a captive setting, maintain and improve captive care infrastructure, equipment, and grounds; 3) Rearing, distribution, and maintenance of eggs, chicks, yearlings, and adults; 4) Collecting, processing, and inventorying eggs; and 5) Following established care procedures, assisting in performing routine health assessments including: providing medication as scheduled and directed by supervisor and/or veterinarian and collecting biological samples.

OR

B. Successfully completed one (1) year of progressively higher-level graduate education (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) in biological sciences, with course work directly related to the work of the position, such as avian ecology, ornithology, wildlife management (birds).

OR

C. A combination of experience and education as described in A and B above which, when combined, is equivalent to 100% of the qualification requirement.

The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful course work completion, as listed above, with a major in the appropriate field. NOTE: You must submit copies of all transcripts that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university and your resume must contain sufficient detail, (e.g., begin/end dates, hours worked per week, duties performed, etc.) for each timeframe for consideration.

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.

Additional Vacancies:One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.

Reasonable Accommodation: The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center jobs-near-me.org Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.

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 jobs-near-me.org International Affairs Office (ed.gov)

Additional information

PCS Information: No PCS entitlements authorized

Telework: This position is not suitable for telework.

Promotion Potential: Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and availability of funds. Selectee may be promoted without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position with a score of 85 or above on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. 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. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

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• Benefits
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• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Knowledge of the general principles of avian biology.
• Ability to communicate using various mediums in order to meet and exchange information with individuals encountered in the scope of regular duties.
• Knowledge of ecology specific to the designated survey areas sufficient to complete field investigations and gather required data within the time frame allotted.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

All qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. The category ratings for this position are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified

The Category Rating Process does not add veterans’ preference points or apply the “rule of three” but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans’ preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12621392

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How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

Review the appointment eligibility criteria in the application preview linked below. The eligibility section of the application allows you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select “yes” to and submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section or the application text. The application process is as follows:

1. Click the Apply Online button.

2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.

3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date.

4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click “Track this application” to return to your assessment completion notice.

5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.

6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.

7. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.

8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Applicant

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

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Agency contact information

Human Resources Staffing Division Human Resources Staffing Division

Email

[email protected]

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Next steps

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.

Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted by the hiring official.

You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account as we will not be responding to inquiries about the status of applications as long as the system has been updated.

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