Fish and Wildlife Biologist

Clarification from the agency

This is a Merit Promotion announcement for career and career conditional Federal employees, Career Transition eligibles (CTAP & ICTAP) and those who are eligible under the hiring paths listed above. Refer to Required Documents section for more information.

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Plans and conducts status surveys for both listed and candidate species, in cooperation with other Federal and state agency personnel, private organization representatives, and contractors; negotiates agreements for status surveys with prospective contractors and personnel of cooperating agencies.
• Acts as technical advisor to other Field Office staff on the habitat needs of rare, candidate, proposed, and federally listed species for the purpose of Section 7 consultations with other Federal agencies and designated non-Federal representatives; also consults with staff in preparation of reasonable and prudent measures, reasonable and prudent alternatives, and conservation recommendations.
• Coordinates wide ranging initiatives involving other Federal and state agencies, organizations, and the public in fully implementing Endangered Species Act programs.
• Provides expertise, interpretation, coordination, and determination of compliance activities under Farm Bill programs. Coordinates with the Natural Resource Conservation Service on the Conservation Reserve Program, Wetland Reserve Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program and Environmental Quality Incentive Program, as well as the Swamp buster provisions of the Farm Bill and other habitat protection and restoration activities. Understands and engages with the Farm Bill State Technical Committee and WRP review team to ensure that the Service's objectives and policies are addressed.
• Monitors habitat improvement projects; determines necessary funding; purchases required supplies and services; insures completion of work within appropriate time and funding limits. Monitors projects in accomplishing habitat restoration and/or enhancement on private lands. The work includes data collection, site evaluation and design recommendations, landowner contacts, minor construction, interagency coordination with professional and senior level management officials, writing private lands agreements, track projects and funds, environmental compliance, and other tasks necessary to improve habitat and benefit our natural resources.
• Plans, investigates, conducts, and reviews on-site ecological investigations on a wide variety of the most complex and diverse Federal land and water resource development proposals to determine their effects on fish and wildlife resources, with special emphasis on rare, candidate, proposed, federally listed threatened and endangered species habitat, riparian habitat, wetland ecology and management, and other habitats of concern in the affected area.
• Conducts habitat restorations on private lands, including landowner contacts, mapping, surveying, staking, construction monitoring, seeding, and other related activities, and prepares management plans for restored areas. Responsible for review and development of conservation easements with multi-agency review teams for Farm Services Agency inventory and debt restructure properties. Develops cooperative agreements with Federal, tribal, state, local, and private individuals and organizations for large and complex wetland preservation, enhancement, and restoration projects on private, tribal, and public lands. Participates in review, evaluation, and development of plans for Wetland Reserve Program.
• Prepares objective and complete written reports and other documents and delivers oral presentations to Service, other agency and organization professional, and public groups based on investigations conducted, analyzing present and future impacts of various complex project alternatives on fish and wildlife resources and economic/recreational uses thereof.
• Participates in diverse, complex, and multi-disciplinary planning efforts with public and private groups and state, local, and Federal agencies to achieve Service policies, objectives, and goals.
• Negotiates mitigation of complex project impacts with project proponents and regulatory agencies and develops reasonable and prudent alternatives and conservation recommendations or measures.
• Inspects projects for compliance with policies, standards, guidelines, agreements, and plans; makes recommendations for action to assure compliance.
• Reviews existing, new, and proposed regulations, legislation, and statutes pertaining to fish and wildlife resources. Recommends appropriate procedures for implementing provisions of these mandates and establishes key contacts with other agencies, organizations, and individuals.
• Prepares responses to inquiries from Congressional staff, the public, and the news media, obtaining and providing requested information within established office guidelines, and in conformance with agency and departmental policy.
• Provides guidance to, and directs the work of, lower-graded biologists in matters pertinent to areas of special expertise.

Conditions of employment

• Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
• 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 https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probation period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.

This probation 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 probation period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 08/19/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT:

• A) Possess a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited college or university in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR
• B) Possess a combination of education and experience which includes courses equivalent to a major in the biological sciences (i.e., at least 24 semester hours) as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, GS-11: In addition to the basic education requirement above, you must possess the qualifications below in order to qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level.

• A) Possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as a GS-09 in Federal service performing the following duties:facilitating activities pursuant to sections of the Endangered Species Act; conducting status surveys for listed candidate species; preparing and implementing habitat restoration and enhancement projects; preparing draft budget initiatives; preparing written correspondence. OR
• B) Possess 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in the biological sciences, natural resource management, or a closely related field which provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position; OR
• C) Possess a combination of experience as described above and graduate education as described above which, when combined, is equivalent to 100% of the qualification requirement.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, GS-12: In addition to the basic education requirement above, you must possess the qualifications below in order to qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level.

• A) Possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as a GS-11 in Federal service performing the following duties: coordinating and facilitating activities pursuant to sections of the Endangered Species Act; planning and conducting status surveys for listed candidate species; coordinating wide ranging initiatives to fully implement ESA programs; independently designing and implementing habitat restoration and enhancement projects; preparing draft budget initiatives; reviewing rules, regulations and legislation pursuant to ESA; preparing written correspondence for publication.

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. Promotion Potential: This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The 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.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

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 assessment(s) required for this position. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of the USA Hire Assessment, if required.

All qualified non-competitive applicants and the best-qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

DUE WEIGHT: Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, you must submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration or your score may be lowered. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

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.

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) -08/19/2026-unless otherwise stated.

1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time). Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank. Resumes must not exceed 2 single-sided pages and resumes longer than 2 pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. 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. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. Resume Builder: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include
2. Complete All Required Assessments.
3. Performance Appraisals and Awards: All applicants must submit their most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and signed by a supervisor. If the performance appraisal is not dated within the last 18 months OR no performance appraisal is available, you must submit a statement as to why it is not available (including if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level).
4. All College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education.
5. Eligibility Documentation:
   • Current and former Federal employees must submit latest SF-50 (i.e. Promotion, Separation, Within Grade Increase (WGI)) showing tenure 1 or 2 in block 24, grade, and if applicable, an additional SF-50 showing the highest grade or promotion potential held. Time in grade will be determined by reviewing your resume and required SF-50s. If your SF-50 showing highest permanent grade held has an effective date within the past year, your resume must clearly show that you held that grade for one year. Do not submit award SF-50s.
   • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA): If you are applying under LMWFA, you must submit ALL Appointment AND Termination SF-50s for EACH appointment verifying the Position Occupied code 1-Competitive Service (block 34); AND Documentation of satisfactory performance for each period of temporary employment claimed, such as, performance evaluations, memorandum of record, whereas the supervisor(s) documented an acceptable performance level for a specified rating/employment period.
   • Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan (I/CTAP): If you are applying under I/CTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility including a copy of the agency notice, most recent performance rating, and most recent SF-50 showing your position, grade level, and duty location. For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).

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. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.

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