Biological Science Technician (Plants) Job

Vacancy No. IM-1540-IMNR-25-12577835-DE Department National Park Service
Salary $21.14 to $23.49 Grade 6 to 7
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/6/2024 Close Date 12/3/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Page, AZPetrified Forest National Park, AZTucson, AZDinosaur, CO


Summary

These positions may be filled for a six month seasonal period, but can vary due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: March-July 2025.

Depending on location, government housing may be available. For more park(s) information, select "Learn more about this agency" below:

Duties

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  • Performs technician work that is supportive of professionals in resource management (i.e. Ecologists, Botanist etc.). These positions are primarily concerned with carrying out field studies on plants and plant ecology, inventorying, monitoring, and mapping plant populations; leading field crews in exotic plant eradication or revegetation work; conducting grazing and monitoring studies; developing improved methods of controlling weed and plant diseases; performing nursery work, seed collection, and similar work usually concerned with higher plant life. May also perform some forestry work concerned with monitoring, rehabilitation, reforestation, propagation, and/or thinning; monitoring hazard tree and disease programs; and monitoring and/or controlling disease and insect infestations. Specific duties will vary by park location.
  • Implements natural resource management projects following established procedures. Collects and organizes field data, ensuring quality control of data or collected samples. Provides assessment and classification of data.
  • Assists in the preparation of reports, plans, and guidelines related to resource management projects.
  • Provides logistical support for resource management projects as well as advice, assistance, and training to students, volunteers or lower graded technicians.
  • Uses a variety of computer programs to compile, reduce, store, retrieve, analyze, and report data and other resource management information. Uses a wide variety of specialized equipment to carry out resource management projects.
  • GS-7 position is distinguished from GS-6 in the following ways: assignments require that the incumbent have greater knowledge, experience, and judgment in order to complete a variety of conventional projects of relatively limited scope; independently resolve problems for which precedents exist; select, from several alternatives, the most appropriate course of action for planning and executing work; and apply a wide range of conventional methods and solutions to new situations. As a result, the position has a broader scope and effect; unlike lower-graded positions, this position directly affects the design, operation, and adequacy of natural resource activities.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requires regular physical exertion such as walking or climbing over wet, rough, uneven and/or rocky surfaces; bending, crouching, stooping, or reaching to observe, collect and/or record field data; or in some situations the work may require physical exertion to handle wild animals, prepare soil for planting, camp overnight in backcountry locations, to scuba dive or operate a boat (varies by location). Heavy items, such as equipment packs weighing up to 50 pounds, must be lifted and carried on a regular basis. May be required to hike several miles in a day.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work is performed in an office, laboratory, and in a field environment. The work performed in the field involves regular and recurring exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, poisonous plants, biting insects and wild animals. Some positions require the use of chemicals (for example, pesticides/herbicides to control invasive plants or chemical treatments for invasive aquatic species). The employee is required to follow all safety procedures based on the task being carried out which may require use protective clothing/gear such as gowns, coats, boots, goggles, gloves, etc.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • Depending on location, occupancy of government quarters may be required.
  • Depending on location, government housing may be available.
  • You may be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
  • If selected for a position/location that requires search and rescue, emergency response, use of firearms, or watercraft operation, you will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
  • Some positions/locations may require additional training, licenses, and or certifications (State Pesticide/Herbicide Applicator, Motorboat Operator Training Course (MOCC), State Aquatic Nuisance certification, etc.).
  • If selected for a position/location required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You may also be required to submit, at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
  • Some position/locations may have part-time work schedule working between 16-32 hours per week.
  • Some position/locations may have a mixed work schedule based on the varying workload, and your work schedule is subject to change from part-time to full-time to on-call as workload dictates.
  • Some positions/locations require frequent backcountry travel requiring off-line map reading and navigation skill due to limited or unavailable internet in certain rural or remote areas.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/03/2024-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-6 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
  • SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: implementing established natural resource management projects; following instructions and standardized procedures; collecting and organizing field data; ensuring quality control of data collected; performing routine and recurring testing of collected samples; recording data collected and providing preliminary assessment and classification of the information; assisting in the preparation of resource management reports, plans, and guidelines. Duties are supportive of professional specialists in resource management; relevant to research, conservation and management of natural resources such as but not limited to wildlife (land or aquatic) monitoring or control; field studies on plant or forest ecology, inventorying, monitoring, and/or control of invasive plants, or making other field observations on the state of natural resource conditions. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
  • EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full year of graduate education in an accredited educational institution (18 semester hour or 27 quarter hours) directly related to this position. Examples of directly related education are biology, botany, range science, forestry, ecology, environmental science, zoology, fisheries, animal husbandry, natural resource management or other directly related fields. You must include transcripts.
To qualify for this position at the GS-7 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
  • SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-6 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: following instructions and standardized procedures; collecting and organizing field data; ensuring quality control of data collected; performing routine and recurring testing of collected samples; recording data collected and providing preliminary assessment and classification of the information; assisting in the preparation of resource management reports, plans, and guidelines. Additionally, experience must demonstrate ability to execute established natural resource management projects by independently planning and carrying out steps using established techniques to resolve problems. For example, planning field projects, independently choosing from among several possible courses of action at different stages of the project (e.g., selects site locations, sampling techniques, appropriate equipment, logistics, etc.). Duties are supportive of professional specialists in resource management; relevant to research, conservation and management of natural resources such as but not limited to wildlife (land or aquatic) monitoring or control; field studies on plant or forest ecology, inventorying, monitoring, and/or control of invasive plants, or making other field observations on the state of natural resource conditions. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
  • EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one full year of graduate education in an accredited educational institution (18 semester hour or 27 quarter hours) directly related to this position. Examples of directly related education are biology, botany, range science, forestry, ecology, environmental science, zoology, fisheries, animal husbandry, natural resource management or other directly related fields. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
  • Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, 6 months of specialized experience and half a year of directly related graduate level education.
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.

ICTAP/CTAP Statement: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special prior­ity selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies.

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.

Additional information

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wages to calculate locality pay. Rest of US locality area GS-6 pays $21.14 per hour, GS-7 pays $23.49 per hour.

This job opportunity announcement will be used to fill one or more additional selections at any time without notification.

Not all locations listed will be filling positions. Eligibility and qualifications will be verified if there is a vacancy for the location and grade for which you applied.

Positions will be filled at one grade level and have no promotion potential.

Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).
If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.

The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.
Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

The National Park Service has determined that most temporary positions are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster. However, some positions may be able to telework based on the nature of the work.

Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

Benefits

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.

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of two categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position.
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • Botany
  • Leadership
  • Research
  • Technology Application


In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/03/2024:

  1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, 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. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
  2. Complete All Required Assessments.
  3. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as:
    • Veterans Preference Documentation:
      • If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
      • If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
      • If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
  4. College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
  5. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above on the rating criteria for this position.
Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/03/2024. WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.

  1. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
  2. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
  3. Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
  4. Select documents you want included in this application.
  5. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
  6. Select if you want to include your demographic information.
  7. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
  8. Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
  9. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
    • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
  10. Review and Submit Application.
  11. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
  12. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
    • To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
    • Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

Agency contact information

Emily Selleck
Address
Intermountain-Northern Rockies Regional Human Resources Office
Do not Send Mail
Northern Rockies SHRO, WY 82190
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.

Applicants will get an initial response regarding qualifications determinations and referral status by approximately mid-January.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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