Biological Science Technician (Plants) Job

Vacancy No. MW-1544-SLBE-25-12597486-DE Department National Park Service
Salary $17.34 to $18.96 Grade 4 to 5
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/6/2025 Close Date 1/13/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Empire, MIInterior, SD


Summary

The purpose of the position is to perform routine biological science tasks. The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period is April to November but can be variable due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding.

Open to the first 180 applicants or until 01/13/2025 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This job is open to United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) and those eligible under ICTAP/CTAP.

Duties

Duties:
GS-04 Major Duties: you will assist in implementing established natural resource management projects including the following: monitoring and controlling exotic plants; conducting natural resource monitoring programs for rare plants; conducting extensive beach and dune surveys for plant species in deep, moving sand.

GS-5 Major Duties: you will participate and may lead a small field crew to implement established natural resource management projects including the following: monitoring and controlling exotic plants; conducting natural resource monitoring programs for rare plants; conducting extensive beach and dune fieldwork in deep, moving sand; working at restoration sites and collecting native plants seeds; and assessing forest health and treating for forest pests. May occasionally lead larger groups of volunteers in projects.

Duties of both grades may include identifying plants; surveying for target invasive plants; collecting data and recording the data into established or new databases; GPS and GIS data on infestation locations and status; and controlling invasive plants using hand-pulling, hand tools, power tools, and chemical herbicides. Teams may include interns, volunteers and other agency staff. Herbicide use and some overnight backcountry camping can be expected. Weekend work is possible. Global positioning systems, aerial photographs, topographic maps, and compass may be used in navigation. A portion of time may be dedicated to data entry and other duties in a laboratory/office setting.

Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required. Heavy items (e.g., equipment and packs up to 50 pounds) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis. Hiking 8 miles daily. Maintaining license and applying herbicide and pesticide.

Working Conditions: The work is performed in an office, laboratory, and in the field. Field work includes exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, pesticides, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals. Laboratory work may involve exposure to hazardous chemicals. Some work will be conducted in the backcountry with camping and travel via boat ferry up to 8 nights per month.

Government Housing may be available.


Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is within the scenic resort area on the northeastern shores of Lake Michigan. Housing, medical facilities, shopping, churches, banks, day care, recreational activities, schools, and colleges are readily available within a 30 mile radius from park headquarters in Empire. High temperatures average between 70-80 degrees in the summer and low temperatures average between 10-20 degrees in winter. Shared government housing may be available for rent. For additional information, please view: www.nps.gov/slbe

Badlands National Park: Badlands National Park is located in southwestern South Dakota 75 miles east of Rapid City (population 75,000), and 30 miles from Wall, Kadoka, and Philip. A service station, several churches, and a K-8 school are located in the friendly town of Interior (population 65), 2 miles from park headquarters. Grocery shopping, medical and dental facilities, a post office, and schools K-12 are available in Wall, Kadoka, Philip, and Rapid City.
There is plenty of hiking, biking and wildlife viewing available right on our doorstep. The night skies in Badlands National Park are famous and folks travel for long distances to view them. The area surrounding us presents lots of seasonal activities such as winter skiing and summer camping for a few.
We are surrounded by other National Parks and State Parks as well. Mount Rushmore National Monument, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, Jewel Cave National Monument, Wind Cave National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, Black Hills National Forest and Custer State Park, the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation as well the infamous Wall Drug are within hours of Badlands National Park.

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.
  • You will be 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 must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and 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.
  • 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 travel overnight away from home up to 8 nights per month for Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore and 14 nights per month for Badlands National Park. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  • 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.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/13/2025-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-04 grade level, you must possess one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: At least six months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-03 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). General experience is work that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of the position or experience that familiarizes you with the subject matter or processes of the biological or natural sciences. Specialized experience is that experience which demonstrates that you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include research or controlled program work; or nursery/greenhouse work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least two (2) full years of college level study that includes at least 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, mathematics, etc. At least six (6) semester hours were directly related to this position (i.e. plant taxonomy, botany, forestry, plant ecology, etc.) You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts indicating credit hours in order to qualify based on education). A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected.

-OR-

Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts indicating credit hours in order to qualify based on education). A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected.

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: applying/performing a variety of manual, mechanical chemical and/or bio-control methods to manage exotic (non-native) species; performing basic vegetation inventories, studies and surveys; participating in site rehabilitation through soil preparation, planting, propagating, and weeding. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of a full four (4) year course of study (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least twenty-four (24) semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, mathematics, etc. At least six (6) semester hours were directly related to this position (i.e., plant taxonomy, botany, forestry, plant ecology, etc.). You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts indicating credit hours in order to qualify based on education). A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected.

-OR-

Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. Determine the total qualifying experience as a percentage of the year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level. Then determine education as a percentage of the education that meets the requirements for GS-5. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS-5. For example, 6 month of specialized experience (50% of the specialized experience requirement) and 3 years of education above high school with at least 12 semester hours related to the position and 3 hours directly related to the position (50 percent of the education requirement) would be considered qualifying. If you are qualifying based in part, upon education, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts. A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected.

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.

I/CTAP: 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. If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible. For information on CTAP and ICTAP visit: USAJOBS Help Center | Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

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.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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.

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.

Review our benefits

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), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. 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 three 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
  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • 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
  • Physical Strength and Agility
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Competence
  • Technical Documentation


In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. Assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/13/2025:

  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 85 on the rating criteria for this position.
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 01/13/2025. You must provide documentation to support your claim for each eligibility selected. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibilities language to ensure you submit the appropriate information. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation.

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

MWR HR Central Team
Address
Midwest-West Regional Human Resources Office
246 S Chicago Street
Hot Springs, SD 57747
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.


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


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