Biologist

Clarification from the agency

This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority and is open to U.S. citizens and nationals who meet all eligibility requirements, including permanent and exclusive residency within the defined vicinity of the field unit (60-mile radius from Sharpsburg, Maryland) as described in this announcement. Under this authority, veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking procedures do not apply.

Duties are developmental in nature and are performed with increased supervision at the GS-7 level.

At the full performance level, the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

• Follows established procedures and conducts scientifically credible protection, mitigation, and restoration projects to prevent resource damage, to restore/maintain the integrity of critical habitats and native plant and animal communities and minimize human activities that impact resources.
• Utilize appropriate GIS and GPS technology for project management and data analysis.
• Tests and implements scientific monitoring protocols to identify, evaluate, and monitor natural resources. Works with supervisor to write monitoring documents that define techniques and develop methods for future protocol refinement.
• Prepares management and scientific reports regarding the results of protection, mitigation, restoration, inventory, monitoring, and research activities.
• Assist with the integrated pest management program by maintaining a Maryland pesticide applicator certification or permit and developing strategic plans for prioritizing, detecting, mapping, controlling, and monitoring invasive species.

Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion such as long periods of standing; walking over rough, uneven or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching or similar activities; and recurring lifting of moderately heavy items.

Working Conditions: Work is performed both indoors and occasionally outdoors with moderate risks.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• 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 complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
• You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You will be required to be able to lift 30 pounds.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home.
• 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.
  
  
  *Additional Requirements located under qualifications*

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-07/14/2026-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 qualified specialized experience.

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: This position has basic requirements required by the Office of Personnel Management. Candidates who do not meet this requirement by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position. It is recommended to upload any and all transcripts you have to justify this requirement (under grad, grad, etc). Applicants must meet one of the following before the close of the announcement:

EDUCATION: Successfully completed a bachelor's or higher in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
COMBINATION: A combination of education and experience in courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. You must include hours per week worked. You must include transcripts.

AND

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level, or higher, in the Federal service. Specialized experience demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to successfully perform the duties of a Biologist. Examples of specialized experience include: working with threatened and endangered plant species of the eastern United States and implementing actions to conserve their habitat; planning and managing biological science technicians, interns, and cooperators in invasive plant removal, ecological restoration as well as planning and implementing vegetation monitoring protocols; collecting field data or natural resources inventory of a park or monitoring program; disseminating information about natural resources to park staff, visitors, and the scientific community; or assisting with developing, testing and implementing scientific monitoring protocols to identify and evaluate long-term monitoring of natural resources. Experience equivalent to the GS-05 may be professional work at the developmental or trainee level. Lower graded technician/assistant work alone at the GS-05 grade level is not qualifying for this series. You must include hours per week worked and GS level for federal positions.

-OR-
EDUCATION: Successfully completed one year of progressively higher-level graduate education from an accredited educational institution concentrated in a field that is directly related to the work of the position to be filled, such as in ecology, biology, botany, natural resource management; or other directly related subject matter. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester (27 quarter) hours should be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. You must provide transcripts that demonstrate graduate level coursework. You must include transcripts.

-OR-
S.A.A.: Requirements for Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.). I have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and meet the requirements for S.A.A. based on (1) I am in the upper third of my graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision based on completed courses; OR (2) I have a GPA 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum, or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (B+ or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in my major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR (3) I am a member in one of the national scholastic honor societies. Degree must be in a field that is directly related to the work of this position, such as in ecology, biology, botany, natural resource management, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. You must provide transcripts.

-OR-
COMBINATION: Equivalent combination of direct related graduate level education and specialized experience. Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience. For example, I have six months of the specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and 9 semester hours or 14 quarter hours of appropriate directly related graduate education (50 percent of the education requirement). The total percentage must equal at least 100%.

Time in Grade: Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service); with few exceptions as outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b).

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.

Requirements Continued...

Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

How you will be evaluated

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

Applicants will be evaluated based on how well they meet the qualification requirements for the position.

Upon receipt of a completed application package, the Servicing Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be reviewed. Applicants may submit only one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine qualifications and eligibility. If more than one resume is submitted, only the most recent submission will be reviewed.

This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking, and veterans' preference procedures do not apply. The Servicing Human Resources Office will determine whether applicants meet the qualification and eligibility requirements described in this announcement. Applicants who meet these requirements may be referred to the selecting official on a certificate of eligibles for consideration.

You must certify that you will maintain a permanent and exclusive residence within the defined vicinity of the field unit(s) listed in this announcement.

If your resume is incomplete or does not demonstrate that you meet the qualification requirements or specialized experience described in this announcement, you may be determined ineligible or not qualified for further consideration.

Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations.

Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 07/14/2026:

1. Two Page 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). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. Note: Current and former Federal employees should include pay plan, series, and grade level for relevant federal experience. If experience is for a career ladder position, please ensure to clearly distinguish the job duties for each grade level and how long you were working in each grade level. Resume Builder: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include
2. Proof of residence (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy). SF-50 cannot be accepted as proof of residence.
3. All college transcript(s), if qualifying based on education. Please submit both undergraduate and graduate level transcripts, as applicable.
4. Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP/CTAP) 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 well qualified. ICTAP/CTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they exceed minimal qualifications for this position (i.e. Resume supports substantial possession of stated competencies) for the position.
5. Veteran Documentation, if applicable, such as: DD-214, SF15, letter from Veteran Affairs, etc.

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.

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