Wildlife Biologist

United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services 3419-A Ardem Way Sacramento, CA 95825 916-979-2675 An Equal Opportunity Employer OPEN DATE: August 13, 2024 CLOSING DATE: August 19, 2024 POSITION TITLE: Wildlife Biologist TYPE OF POSITION: 13 Month Term Appointment with possibility for Benefits, Excepted Service (may be extended up to 4 years) WORK SCHEDULE: Full-time, Maxi-Flex. Monday – Friday with Occasional weekends, early mornings, and Evenings with occasional night work ANNOUNCEMENT #: CA-2024-HP01 SERIES/GRADE: GS-0486 - 9 FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL: GS-0486 - 9 LOCATION: Multiple Counties: (Sacramento, Stanislaus, Merced, Fresno), California (Relocation expenses will not be paid) SALARY: $59,966.00 - $97,034.00 per year. WHO MAY APPLY: Must be a U.S. Citizen Must be 18 years old If you are a male born after December 31, 1959 and are at least 18 years of age, civil service employment law (5 U.S.C. 3328) requires that you must be registered with the Selective Service System, unless you meet certain exemptions (proof of registration and/or exemption required). Website: http://www.sss.gov. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Resume (include days/months/years worked, work schedule, and grade level if federal) 1) Personal information such as name, address, contact information 2) Education 3) Detailed work experience related to this position as described in the announcement including  Work schedule,  Hours worked per week,  Dates of employment;  Title, series, grade (if applicable) 4) All supervisors' phone numbers and if they may be contacted 5) Other qualifications, such as transcripts (if qualifying on education) Transcripts (if qualifying on education) DD-214 (Member 4 copy), if applicable for Veteran’s Preference VA letter required if claiming disabled Veteran’s Preference Current active-duty members must submit a certification that they are expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. HOW TO APPLY: Additional materials not listed above (i.e., position descriptions, training certificates, etc.) may not be considered. Applicants who do not submit the required items listed above may not be considered. Applications with all supporting documents must be submitted to the contact office and must be RECEIVED by the CLOSING DATE of this announcement. Interested individuals should send a resume, transcripts, veteran documentation (if applicable) to the address listed here: CONTACT OFFICE: USDA APHIS Wildlife Services Attn: Jeffrey Flores 3419-A Arden Way Sacramento, CA 95825 916-979-2675 Jeffrey.b.flores@usda.gov IMPORTANT NOTE: If you should need the forms identified in above paragraph, feel free to contact (916) 979-2675 for a copy. DUTIES: Use of pesticides, firearms, explosives, repellents, auditory devices, traps, and other mechanical devices, and their appropriate application to develop and deliver safe and effective damage management strategies Coordinate multiple projects and to prioritize work to complete multiple tasks of varying complexities and durations. Responsible for capture, restraint, chemical immobilization, marking, transport, euthanasia, and/or necropsy of wildlife. Collection, storage, and safe transport of biological data and samples; telemetry; GIS; GPS; population census and survey; and surveillance and monitoring; gathering, compiling, and analyzing data to facilitate statistical analyses. Required to take extensive training and recurrent training on wildlife damage or disease recognition, control methods, and techniques; monitoring and surveillance procedures; emergency response; coalition building; risk communications; and other training related to technical or administrative aspects of the job. Modifies or adapts established damage or disease control techniques as necessary to meet local conditions and address specific environmental, economic, or political considerations. Monitors and ensures compliance with program directives, and local, State, and Federal laws and regulations in wildlife damage management activities. Assists cooperators in understanding of and compliance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), Endangered Species Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and other wildlife-related laws. • Gathers, compiles, evaluates, and presents data on damage or hazards caused by various wildlife species to cooperators, stakeholders, and colleagues through project or program reports and presentations at cooperator, stakeholder, and public meetings and professional conferences. TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: Occasional Travel may be expected. FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Knowledge of and understanding in federal, state, and local laws and regulations as it pertains to wildlife damage management. Use of wildlife damage management techniques including firearms, traps (leg-hold, Swedish goshawk, bal-chatri, pole, etc.), snares, pesticides, immobilizing drugs, pyrotechnics, various harassment devices, and other non-lethal tools. Knowledge of the requirements of federal, state, and local regulations affecting wildlife management at airports, especially the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Federal Air Regulations, and state permit requirements. Ability to coordinate multiple projects and numerous facets of large projects, and to prioritize work for themselves and co-workers to complete multiple tasks of varying complexities and durations. OR: COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-09 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. OR 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master’s degree in wildlife biology, wildlife management, wildlife ecology or masters or equivalent graduate degree in one of the above mentioned fields. TRANSCRIPTS are required if: You are qualifying for the position based on education. You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university. COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-09 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. To learn more about combining education and experience for this series, click the following: Combining Education and Experience for Wildlife Biologist Positions. 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications may be referred to the hiring manager for selection. Qualified candidates eligible for veterans’ preference will receive referral and selection priority over non-veterans. OTHER REQUIREMENTS: (if applicable to your position) Must obtain or have a valid state driver’s license. Operation of Government-owned or leased vehicles is required. (if this applies) Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E- Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. Emergency Response – APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. It is difficult to predict the frequency with which such emergency situations may occur – and could range from several emergencies in a year to none over the course of many years. In the event that you are called upon to support an emergency program, this may require irregular working hours, including overtime, and may include duties other than those specified in your official position description. While some emergency program support assignments may be able to be performed at the employee’s current duty station, in other cases employees may be asked to go on-site to a temporary duty state location. In addition, it may be necessary for employees to participate in multiple rotations to an emergency program assignment. Attempts will be made to keep disruption to the employee to a minimum. See this link: https://www.usajobs.gov//Help/working-in-government/fair-and-transparent/signature-false-statements/ The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. Reasonable Accommodation Policy- Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a Case-by-Case basis. A reasonable accommodation is any change in the workplace or the way things are customarily done that provides an equal employment opportunity to an individual with a disability. Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) must provide reasonable accommodations: An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job. An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace. An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events. More than one position may be selected from this announcement. Relocation costs will not be paid for this position. Job Type: Full-time Pay: $59,966.00 - $97,034.00 per year Benefits: 401(k) Dental insurance Employee assistance program Flexible schedule Flexible spending account Health insurance Health savings account Life insurance Paid time off Retirement plan Vision insurance Schedule: 8 hour shift Day shift Evening shift Monday to Friday Morning shift Night shift Overnight shift Weekends as needed License/Certification: Driver's License (Required) Shift availability: Day Shift (Preferred) Night Shift (Preferred) Overnight Shift (Preferred) Work Location: In person