Biologist

Summary This position is a Biologist, GS- 0401-11 working in Prairie City, Iowa for the R3-Iowa State Private Lands Office. The primary purpose of this position is to provide biological support and coordination of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program at the Iowa Private Lands Office. Learn more about this agency Requirements Conditions of Employment Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation. Driver’s License: This position requires the incumbent to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of their official duties. Selectee must hold and maintain a valid state driver’s license throughout their employment in this position. Uniform: Official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform is required. Probationary Period: Selectees may be required to successfully complete a probationary period. Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for the Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov. Qualifications Only experience and education obtained by 12/27/2024 will be considered. In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification. Basic Requirement: 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 Possess a combination of education and experience which includes courses equivalent to a major in the biological sciences (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, or natural resources management or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Minimum Qualification [GS-11] One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-09 in the Federal service. To meet this requirement, you must have experience performing ALL of the following duties: 1) developing and maintaining effective working relationships and liaison with private landowners, tribes, other federal, state, and local agencies, and the public regarding habitat restoration; AND 2) developing or evaluating habitat protection or enhancement planning documents and biological reports; AND 3) coordinating efforts of multiple personnel involved in habitat or conservation and recovery for a wide variety of ecosystems; AND 4) formulating recommendations to avoid or minimize adverse effects on listed species; AND 5) preparing briefing statements, reports, correspondence, presentations, etc. OR Three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree at an accredited college or university with a major area of study in wildlife biology, ecology, natural resource management, or a closely related field which provided me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position. NOTE: To qualify under this option you must submit transcripts (official or unofficial) to verify your education. OR A combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement. 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 PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts. PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional information PCS Information: Yes, entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable. In addition, relocation discretionary entitlements May be authorized for this position excluding contractor-provided home sale. -Discretionary entitlements are not authorized for this position Telework: This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval. This position is suitable for telework only in an emergency or natural disaster. Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position with a score of 85 or above on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. Reasonable Accommodation: The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process. Read more Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.