Wildlife Biologist

Clarification from the agency

This position is being filled using the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) local hiring authority (16 USC 3198). Any U.S. Citizen who has acquired special knowledge or expertise regarding the natural or cultural resources of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, by reason of having either lived or worked in or near the unit may apply. See Qualifications section for eligibility requirements.

This position is located within the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Alaska Region, Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve, Copper Center, Alaska.

At the full performance level (GS-12) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

• Lead and develop a terrestrial wildlife management program including large mammals and birds in northern ecosystems in Alaska.
• Independently execute and lead complex field biology and ecology studies and protocols in remote Alaska ecosystems.
• Produce written peer-reviewed monitoring protocols and journal publications.
• Deliver oral presentations for scientific audiences and the public.
• Conduct data analyses and synthesis of ecological data using contemporary methods and modelling approaches.
• Oversee junior staff conducting technical field studies and data analyses.

Please visit find a park for additional park information.

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 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.

• This position is subject to drug testing based on the collateral duty requiring firearms in the back-country or other locations for non-law enforcement reasons such as protection from animals.

• 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 may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.

• You may be required to travel overnight away from home a total of three to four weeks per year. Travel will be for meetings and fieldwork.

• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.

• Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

• Eligible for conversion to competitive service after two years and upon meeting all requirements.

*Additional Requirements located under qualifications*

Qualifications

Requirements Continued...

• Prior to conversion to competitive service, incumbent must meet the following education requirements:
  • Education: Degree: biological science that included: At least 9 semester hours in such wildlife subjects as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, wildlife management, or research courses in the field of wildlife biology; and at least 12 semester hours in zoology in such subjects as general zoology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, ecology, cellular biology, parasitology, entomology, or research courses in such subjects (Excess courses in wildlife biology may be used to meet the zoology requirements where appropriate) and at least 9 semester hours in botany or the related plant sciences. -OR-
• • Combination of education and experience equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), with at least 9 semester hours in wildlife subjects, 12 semester hours in zoology, and 9 semester hours in botany or related plant science, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

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

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement 08/13/2026 unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Special knowledge or expertise concerning the park's or preserve's natural and/or cultural resources and the management thereof is required. Local knowledge of the resources and the typical conditions that affect the work to be accomplished will be applied in the performance of duties.

-AND-

To be eligible your application package must clearly show periods of time having lived or worked in or near the area of consideration. The area of consideration can be found in the below paragraph:

Areas considered "near" Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve are Chisana, Chistochina, Chitina, Copper Center, Dot Lake, Gakona, Gakona Junction, Glennallen, Gulkana, Healy Lake, Kenny Lake, Long Lake, Lower & Upper Tonsina, McCarthy, Mendeltna, Mentasta Lake, Nabesna, Nelchina, Northway/Northway Village, Northway Junction, Slana, Tanacross, Tazlina, Tetlin, Tok, Tonsina and Yakutat.

-ALSO-

The following are the competencies identified for this position. Applicants are not required to address these competencies in a separate document but are encouraged to include in their resumes experience related to these competencies:

1. Planning and Evaluating - Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.
2. Wildlife Biology - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of wildlife, including classification, taxonomy, population dynamics, distribution, habitat requirements, life histories, reproduction, behaviors, conservation, and care of wildlife.
3. Ecology - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of the interrelationships among organisms and their environment, including competition and predation, evolution and natural selection, population dynamics, and the impact of natural phenomena or human actions on natural systems, processes, and biota.
4. Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
5. Research - Knowledge of the scientific principles, methods, and processes used to conduct a systematic and objective inquiry; including study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; and the reporting of results.

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, responses to the questions in the assessment). If your application package does not clearly reflect having lived / worked within the area of consideration, does not clearly reflect special knowledge of the natural and/or cultural resources of the park or preserve, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible' or 'not qualified'.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. 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.

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/13/2026:

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. 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.
2. Complete All Required Assessments.
3. To be eligible, your application package must clearly show periods of time having lived or worked in or near the areas of consideration as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement.
4. 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.

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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