Biological Science Technician (Wildlife) - Bears

Summary These positions are located in Yosemite National Park, in the Resource Management and Science Division. The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Yosemite National Park is April but can be variable due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: Mid-April 2025. Open to the first 250 applicants or until 12/09/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration. Learn more about this agency Requirements 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. GS-05/06 Only- 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 may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to 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 discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license. You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. 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 up to 5 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. Travel, transportation & relocation expenses will not be paid. Relocation expenses will be the employee's responsibility. Government housing is available. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by 11:59 EST when the applicant cut-off is reached (which may be sooner than 12/09/2024). Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), 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 to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. SELECTIVE FACTORS: This position performs strenuous work with large carnivores, primarily bears, and therefore the following experience is required: Specialized Experience with Large Carnivores (GS-05/06 Grade Levels) - tracking. trapping, tagging and collaring large carnivores with radio telemetry, qualifying species are coyotes, mountain lions, wolves and bears. Specialized Experience with Anesthesia and Preparing Pharmaceutical Mixtures (GS-06 Only) - experience with preparing the specified mixtures for wildlife, qualifying species are bears, mountain lions, wolves and coyotes. Specialized Experience with Shotgun Hazing (GS-06 Only) - experience using a shotgun with less than lethal rounds. Candidates who do not meet the requirements by close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position. You must indicate this type of experience within your resume. - AND- To qualify for this position at the GS-04 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least 6 months of general work experience AND 6 months of specialized work experience. Qualifying specialized experience includes: assisting wildlife biologists with wildlife management including bear and other large carnivore species; assisting with trapping, tagging, collaring, and tracking large carnivores with radio telemetry (Qualifying species: Cougars, Coyotes, Wolves, fox, fisher, wolverines and Bears); writing reports on data collected; assisting in wildlife capture and immobilization; and organizing and preparing wildlife capture equipment. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 2 years of study above high school that includes at least 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must be directly related to the position to be filled. You must submit a copy of your transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the amount of completed post high school education requirement and convert it to a percentage. Then take the number of months of full-time general experience and specialized experience and convert them into a percentage of each. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts. To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: assisting wildlife biologists with wildlife management including bear and other large carnivore species; trapping, tagging, collaring, and tracking large carnivores with radio telemetry (Qualifying species: Cougars, Coyotes, Wolves, fox, fisher, wolverine and Bears); writing reports on data collected; assisting in wildlife capture and immobilization; and organizing and preparing wildlife capture equipment. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 4 full years of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as wildlife management, biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. The coursework MUST include at least 6 semester hours in wildlife management courses. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent) earned towards a bachelor's degree, in excess of 60 semester hours, and divide by 60 semester hours (or equivalent). Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts. To qualify for this position at the GS-06 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: assisting wildlife biologists with wildlife management including bear and other large carnivore species; trapping, tagging, collaring, and tracking large carnivores with radio telemetry (Qualifying species: Cougars, Coyotes, Wolves, fox, fisher, wolverine and Bears); leading field crews: writing reports on data collected; assisting in wildlife capture and immobilization; and organizing and preparing wildlife capture equipment. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree with a major study in a directly related field such as wildlife management, biology, ornithology, zoology, or ecology. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent) earned towards a directly related graduate degree and divide by 18 semester hours (or equivalent). Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts. 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. Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program. Education To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your 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. Additional information For additional information about these positions, please contact: Katie Patrick, Wildlife Biologist, [email protected] Caitlin Lee-Roney, Supervisory Wildlife Biologist, [email protected] A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS). If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility. The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM. Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations. Physical Demands: The work requires physical exertion as a regular and recurring walking, hiking, or climbing over wet, rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces, bending, crouching, stooping, lifting or reaching to observe, collect, or record field data, or in some situations the work may require physical exertion to scuba dive or operate a boat. Heavy items (e.g., equipment and packs up to 50 pounds) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis. Working Conditions: The work is performed in an office or outdoors. The work performed involved regular and recurring exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, poisonous plants, biting insects and wild animals. Telework: The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval 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.