Assistant Unit Leader

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Key Requirements:

1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
2. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
3. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
4. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
5. Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.

Are There Any Special Requirements for This Position?

• If selected you may be asked to provide information regarding your COVID-19 vaccination status for the purposes of implementing workplace safety protocols, such as those related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.
• You will be required to operate a government-owned or -leased vehicle in the performance of your official duties. Applicants for this position must meet the following requirements: (1) possess a valid State license, and (2) possess a safe driving record. If selected, you will be required to provide proof of a valid State license & a copy of your driving record.
• Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
• The applicant will be required to maintain a graduate faculty appointment at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia, and participate on university and graduate committees, graduate advising, and other tasks that are shared by departmental faculty as appropriate.
• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

Qualifications

This position is interdisciplinary and may be filled in one of the occupational job series listed. You must meet the educational requirements of at least one of these occupational series, in addition to the PhD Requirement listed below, in order to be found qualified and referred for consideration.



BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT:



Basic Education for Ecologist, GS-0408: Applicants must meet the following to satisfy the basic education requirement for Ecologist, all grade levels. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in biology or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours or the equivalent in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours or the equivalent in ecology, and 12 semester hours or the equivalent in physical and mathematical sciences.



*OR*



Basic Education for Research Wildlife Biologist, GS-0486: Applicants must meet the following to satisfy the basic education requirement for Research Wildlife Biologist, all grade levels. Research positions: Degree with major in wildlife biology, zoology, or botany that included at least 30 semester hours of course work in biological science and 15 semester hours in the physical, mathematical, and earth sciences. This course work must have included:

• At least 9 semester hours of training applicable to wildlife biology in such subjects as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, wildlife management, principles of population dynamics, or related course work in the field of wildlife biology; and
• At least 12 semester hours in zoological subjects such as invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy of the vertebrates, embryology, animal physiology, entomology, herpetology, parasitology, and genetics; and
• At least 9 semester hours in the field of botany and related plant science; and
• At least 15 semester hours of training in any combination of two or more of the following: chemistry, physics, mathematics, statistics, soils, and/or geology.

Ph.D. Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic education requirements described above, in order to receive consideration for this position, you must also possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in wildlife science or a closely related field of study appropriate for this position.



To verify the Ph.D. requirement, transcripts or verification from the university registrar must be submitted that clearly state: Ph.D. awarded, major, and date of conferral. Failure to provide this information will result in your application receiving no further consideration.



Preferred candidates will have experience conducting applied research pertaining to species of greatest conservation need, including non-game terrestrial wildlife, to support Species Status Assessments and active conservation particularly in systems of Georgia and the southeastern U.S. Through application materials that include a cover letter summarizing the candidate's research direction and interest, teaching philosophy, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, desirable candidates will demonstrate the following:

1. Ability to develop and fund an applied research program focused on terrestrial species of greatest conservation need (including plants, invertebrates, and/or vertebrates) that may include studies of wildlife disease, eDNA, habitat restoration, or landscape ecology.
2. Expertise in quantitative methods such as population modeling that supports adaptive management, which may also include Bayesian approaches, integrated population models, remote sensing, or machine learning applications.
3. Experience in design, execution, and interpretation of field and experimental-based research and an ability to teach a graduate course on related quantitative topics.
4. Ability to work with land managers, decision makers, and stakeholders to develop and apply research in relevant decision contexts.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.