Biological Science Technician

Duties The major duties for the GS-05 Biological Science Technician at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore include implementation of established natural resource monitoring protocols, deploying, maintaining, and retrieving monitoring equipment, and assisting in data analysis and the preparation of reports.
Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required.
Heavy items (e.
g.
packs and equipment) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis.
Working Conditions: The work is performed in an office, laboratory, and in the field.
Field work includes exposure to extreme weather and terrain conditions, pesticides, poisonous plants, biting insects, snakes, and wild animals.
Laboratory work involves exposure to hazardous chemicals.
Area Information: Government Housing may be available.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula on the south shore of Lake Superior between the communities of Munising (population 1800) and Grand Marais.
The park encompasses 42 miles of Lake Superior shoreline and is renowned for its colorful sandstone cliffs, miles of beaches, waterfalls and streams, inland lakes, 100 miles of trails and the 1874 Au Sable Light Station.
Summers are generally warm and pleasant.
The area is rich in public lands and outdoor opportunities.
The duty stations for these positions are in Munising and Grand Marais.
Government housing may be available for rent in Grand Marais.
Amenities in Munising include grocery and convenience stores, medical clinic, and K-12 schools.
Complete shopping and a regional medical center are in Marquette, Michigan, 43 miles west of Munising.
Grand Marais has a population of less than 250 people and shopping is limited.
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.
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to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle.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 evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
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.
Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/07/2023-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
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.
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: identifying and monitoring plant and/or animal species; following established monitoring protocols; and assisting in deploying and maintaining specialized scientific monitoring equipment.
You must include hours per week worked on your resume.
-OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least a full four (4) year course of study (120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least twenty-four (24) semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, mathematics, etc.
At least six (6) semester hours were directly related to this position (i.
e.
, plant taxonomy, botany, forestry, plant ecology, wildlife conservation, ornithology, zoology, entomology, wildlife management, mammalogy, fishery).
You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts indicating degree earned and credit hours in order to qualify based on education.
A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected.
-OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above.
The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.
NOTE: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements.
Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience.
For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience described in1A above (50% of the experience requirement), and 3 years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education) which included at least 12 semester hours of related coursework as specified in 1B above of which at least 3 semester hours was in plant taxonomy, botany, forestry, plant ecology, wildlife conservation, ornithology, zoology, entomology, wildlife management, mammalogy, fishery (50% of the related coursework required).
You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts indicating degree earned and credit hours in order to qualify based on education.
A copy of your official transcripts will be required before entrance on duty, if selected.
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.
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 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.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) OR Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP):CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated.
Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF50 noting position, grade level, duty location with their application.
To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be qualified (i.
e.
, meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.
For Information on CTAP and ICTAP visit: Career Transition (opm.
gov) 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 windowLearn 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.
How You Will Be Evaluated You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement.
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.
g.
, resume, supporting documents), and the responses you provide on the application questionnaire.
A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job.
If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly.
If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position.
Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.
Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures.
These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category.
Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher.
Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories: Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies: Botany Fishery Biology Physical Strength and Agility Research Technical Competence Wildlife Biology In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.
The assessment measures the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.
You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.
You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
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 windowLearn 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.
Required Documents As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits.
Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee.
You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/07/2023: Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, 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.
If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
Complete All Required Assessments.
Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as: Veterans Preference Documentation: If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15.
If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15.
You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.
ebenefits.
va.
gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area.
You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.
g.
, RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal.
To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position.
Do not submit photographs with your application package.
Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.
Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.
Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply To apply for this position: You must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/07/2023.
WE DO NOT ACCEPT HARD-COPY OR E-MAIL APPLICATION PACKAGES.
Select Apply.
If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application.
" Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application" To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.
usastaffing.
gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12175851 Select or add the resume you want to use for this application.
Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
Select documents you want included in this application.
Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
Select if you want to include your demographic information.
After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site.
" Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
Review and Submit Application.
While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position.
Select "Update Application" for this job.
Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS.
Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record.
So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.
Agency contact information Michele Hofer Email michele_hofer@nps.
gov Address Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore N8391 Sand Point Road Munising, MI 49862 US Next steps Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful.
If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview.
You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.
To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.
Fair and Transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent.
Please read the following guidance.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Reasonable accommodation policy Financial suitability Selective Service New employee probationary period Signature and false statements Privacy Act Social security number request Required Documents The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/07/2023: Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, 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.
If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade.
Complete All Required Assessments.
Other Supporting Documents, if applicable, such as: Veterans Preference Documentation: If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15.
If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15.
You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.
ebenefits.
va.
gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
College transcripts, if qualifying based on education.
Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area.
You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.
g.
, RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal.
To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position.
Do not submit photographs with your application package.
Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.
Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.
Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Help This job is open to Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
The public U.
S.
Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.
S.
Clarification from the agency Open to all U.
S.
Citizens