Research Ecologist/Wildlife Biologist (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.
• If selected for this position, you may be required to file one or more financial statements upon reporting and annually, some of which may be subject to public disclosure.
• 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 either of the occupational job series listed. You must meet the educational requirements of at least one of these occupational series, in additional to the Minimum 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.



For GS-13: In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must have one year of appropriate professional experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience at the GS-12 level includes: build and manage an applied, field-based research program focused on wildlife and terrestrial habitats at local to landscape scales, and that is relevant to wildlife conservation agencies and stakeholders locally, nationally, and internationally; conduct research that provides a scientific basis for decisions on management and conservation of wildlife; serve as subject matter expert in wildlife ecology, providing leadership and guidance to agencies, organizations, and university representatives through participation in meetings, conferences, and work groups; teach and apply modern quantitative analyses and tools for spatial analysis, species interactions, population dynamics, or habitat dynamics; effectively communicate scientific information to a diverse audience of managers, policy makers, students, and the public through final reports, peer reviewed scientific journals, book chapters, presentations, and other outlets; serve as a graduate faculty member, contributing to the research, student advising (graduate and post-doctorate) and mentorship, and teaching mission of the university.



For GS-14:In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must have one year of appropriate professional experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience at the GS-13 level includes, in addition to those described above: build an applied, field-based research program focused on biological and/or ecological patterns and processes at local to landscape scales relevant to management, conservation, and restoration of Alaska wildlife populations and habitats. Specific expertise may include organismal biology, population ecology and demographics of wildlife species, terrestrial community ecology, and/or human dimensions of wildlife and an ability to develop innovative approaches to assess and address the vulnerability and resilience of Alaska habitats and species to stressors and inform decisions on conservation and management of wildlife, their habitats, and ecosystems. Experience must include strong quantitative skills to support spatial analysis, species interactions, or population, community, and habitat dynamics modeling and be proficient in designing and managing statistically valid survey designs for natural resources.



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

Education

• 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.
• Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-federal-jobs .