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Fish and Wildlife Biologist
- Interior, US Fish and Wildlife Service (Galloway, NJ)
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Summary This position is a Fish and Wildlife Biologist, GS- 0401-7/9 working in Galloway, NJ for the R5-New Jersey Ecological Services Field Office. This position is also open to the public under announcement R5-24-12416901-AW-DE. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods. Responsibilities As a Fish and Wildlife Biologist your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Clean Water Act State-assumed wetland permit reviews. Endangered species consultations. Consultation for beach nourishment under Programmatic Biological Opinions with New York and Philadelphia Districts, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Review federal projects to ensure compliance with NEPA and the FWCA. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Only experience and education obtained by 05/30/2024 will be considered. In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification. Basic Requirement: Possess a bachelors degree or higher in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. I will submit my transcripts with my application that verifies this. OR Possess a combination of education and experience that included coursework equivalent to a major (i.e. 24 semester/36 quarter hours or school equivalent) in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines as shown in A above, PLUS appropriate experience or additional education, and in combination equals 100% of the basic requirements. Minimum Qualification [GS-07] Possess one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-5 in the Federal service. Specialized experience may include: (1) assisting in reviewing biological portions of environmental assessment/impact statements or comprehensive resource planning reports to evaluate environmental consequences of proposed actions; (2) researching potential impacts of proposed programs or actions to determine the effects of those programs or actions on threatened and endangered species; (3) assisting with preparing portions of draft biological opinions/assessments as required under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for the supervisor's review and/or discussion; (4) maintaining and updating files on permits issued for activities associated with endangered, threatened, proposed, and candidate species and their habitats; (5) gathering, organizing, and interpreting biological, ecological, pathological, public use, or other pertinent information to ensure management plans are current; and/or (6) implementing federal environmental laws (i.e., Endangered Species Act, specifically Sections 7 and 10; Clean Water Act; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act; National Environmental Policy Act), regulations, and policies involving natural resource issues. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified. OR Possess at least 1 full year of graduate education from an accredited college or university in wildlife biology, ecology, or a directly related field appropriate to this position. OR Possess Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.). S.A.A. is based on (1) Class Standing, (2) Grade-Point Average, or (3) Honor Society Membership. (1) Class Standing: Upper one-third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision based on completed courses. (2) Grade-Point Average: A grade point average of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (B or better) as recorded on the official transcript or as computed based on four years of education, or computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum; -or- (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible4.0 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 two years of the curriculum. (3) Election to Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society: Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies. Freshman scholastic honor societies cannot be used to meet the requirements of 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-09] Possess one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-7 in the Federal service. Specialized experience may include: (1) conducting biological or ecological investigations to determine the impact of various land and water development projects upon the fish and/or wildlife resources of an area; (2) reviewing permit applications; (3) assisting in developing comprehensive fish and/or wildlife management plans; (4) preparing portions of draft biological opinions/assessments as required under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA); (5) reviewing biological portions of environment assessment/impact statements or resource planning reports; implementing biological work and/or habitat preservation and development work for endangered, threatened, proposed, and candidate species and their habitats; (6) and/or implementing federal environmental laws (i.e., Endangered Species Act, specifically Sections 7 and 10; Clean Water Act; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act; National Environmental Policy Act), regulations, and policies involving natural resource issues. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified. OR Possess two years of progressively higher-level graduate education at an accredited college or university leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in wildlife biology, ecology, or a directly related field appropriate to this position. OR Possess a combination of education and experience which together equals 100% of the requirements. 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 The Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA),P.L. 114-47, allows certain individuals who currently or formerly were under time-limited competitive appointments at certain land management agencies to compete under merit promotion procedures. For Eligibility Information click here: USAJOBS Help Center | Land Management Public Land Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority: Served as a qualified youth on an appropriate conservation project completing a minimum of 640 hours of satisfactory service that included at least 120 hours through the PLC and received a certificate of non-competitive eligibility. Completed most recent Corps service, for which a certificate of non-competitive eligibility was issued, within the last 2 years. Appointment must be effected within the 2 year period. 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. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov) Additional Information PCS INFORMATION: No PCS entitlements authorized Telework: This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval. Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area. 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. 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. For information on CTAP and ICTAP click here Reasonable Accommodation: The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process. Notification to Applicants: 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 (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 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, based on your adjudication decision. 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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Fish and Wildlife Biologist
- Interior, US Fish and Wildlife Service (Galloway, NJ)