VACANCY NO: SRFS-13-006
POSITION: Biological Science Technician (Botany), GG-404-5
DATE OPENED: 01/03/13
DATE CLOSED: 01/18/13
TYPE OF APPOINTMENT: Temporary 180 day appointment
SALARY: $15.00 per hour
STARTING DATE: 05/13/13
NUMBER OF POSITIONS: 1-2
LENGTH OF POSITION: 2-3 months, contingent on budget
TOUR OF DUTY: Full Time, with possible periods of part-time and  intermittent work.
AREA OF CONSIDERATION: All U.S. citizens
LOCATION: Moses Lake, WA

THESE ARE TEMPORARILY EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITIONS for which all qualified  applicants, with or without Federal status may apply and be considered.
Appointment to these positions, however, will not convey permanent status in the Federal service. Appointment will only be for the duration of the position, normally 3-6 months. The Social Security Retirement System covers temporary employees and annual and sick leave will be accrued except in intermittent status. Employees are ineligible for health and life insurance coverage.

DUTIES (specific): The work is part of a USGS project that seeks to characterize post-fire recovery and successional trends in sagebrush steppe ecosystems. The biological science technician will collect data across sagebrush communities that have previously burned and unburned companion sites. Field work will take place across the Northern Columbia Basin (NCB) in central and eastern Washington.

Major Duties Include:
• Identifying sagebrush community plants to species
• Measuring plant characteristics (sagebrush canopy cover and height)
• Collecting sagebrush plants for dendrochronological analysis following
field season
• Collection of GPS points
• Driving on poor and sometime muddy roads
• Accurately recording ecological data
• Data entry
• Calibration and maintenance of technical field equipment
• Assisting with site selection protocols to identify suitable sites and  plot locations
Field trips will often require extensive driving. Good organizational skills, proficiency with technical equipment (including GPS, personal computer, and digital camera), map reading, and field collection protocols are required. Incumbent should have had or be willing to take First Aid and CPR prior to employment. Field work will involve exposure to extreme temperature and weather conditions. The crew will work independently with extensive stays (up to 10 days) in remote locations. Field trips will  include extended periods of backcountry camping. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in identifying sagebrush community grasses, forbs, and shrubs to the species level. Travel expenses will be paid by the project at either standard federal per diem or a camp rate per diem.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The work involves long hours spent standing, bending, walking, and a great amount of physical exertion. Sagebrush plant collection will involve the use of a saw. The incumbent may be required to lift containers weighing up to 35 pounds in the performance of  the assignment. Work could possibly be done in 10 -12 hours per day; hours can include all times of day and night, and will vary during the employment term with weather and field conditions. Core hours will typically be 7:00 am – 5:30 pm.

QUALIFICATIONS: To qualify for a GG-5 you need 9 months of field experience OR 3 years of sub-professional work experience OR 3 years of college with courses related to the work of the position to be filled (equivalent to 90 semester/135 quarter hrs) plus 3 months of lab or field work experience. Sub-professional experience consists of working as a technician or aid in the field or in a laboratory or similar environment.
Equivalent combinations of successfully completed education and experience are qualifying. In addition, incumbents must have at least 1 month  experience in sampling plant communities, and ideal candidate will be familiar with plant species in sagebrush ecosystems. Candidates without 1 months experience sampling and identifying plant species will not be considered.
BASIS OF EVALUATION: All applicants will be evaluated on the basis of education and experience (including unpaid or volunteer experience).  Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

First preference in referral will be given to eligible applicants entitled to 10 point veterans preference who have a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more. All other qualified applicants entitled to veterans preference will be given preference over qualified applicants not entitled to veterans preference.

ALL APPLICANTS MUST BE UNITED STATES CITIZENS: Under regulations contained in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, employment in this  position is limited to those persons who are authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of appointment. As a condition of appointment, all new employees  reporting for duty with the Department of the Interior will be paid through direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.

Applicants selected for Federal employment will be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine their suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failure to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on the application may be grounds for not hiring the applicant, or for firing the applicant after he/she begins work. Also he/she may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S.
Code, Title 18, section 1001).
Prior to or at the time of appointment, male applicants born after  December 31, 1959, will have to certify that they have registered with the Selective Service System in order to be appointed to a position with the United States Geological Survey, unless legally qualified for an exception.

Employees of the U.S. Geological Survey are subject to the provisions of Title 43, U.S. Code, Section 31 (a) and may not according to this
legislation and related regulation: (a) have any personal or private
interest, direct or indirect, in lands or mineral wealth of such lands or a region under survey and whose title is in the U.S.; (b) execute surveys or examination for private parties or corporations; or (c)have personal or private interest, direct or indirect, in any private mining or mineral enterprise doing business in the U.S. except where specifically authorized  by the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey.

HOW TO APPLY: Carefully read all information and instructions. It is the responsibility of the applicant to insure the application is complete. The personnel office will not be responsible for soliciting additional  information from applicants or from official personnel records, but will consider individuals based on their applications as submitted.  Applications must be received in the FRESC, Corvallis Research Group Office by the closing date on the announcement in order to be considered.
To obtain an OF 612, contact the U.S. Geological Survey, Biological
Resources Discipline, Corvallis Research Group (541) 758-8781, or any Federal Personnel Office.

Submit one of the following forms of application: (a) résumé OR (b) OF- 612, Optional Application for Federal Employment, OR (c) other written  format. Electronic submissions are acceptable. You must include beginning and ending dates and hours worked per week for each position listed on your resume. You must also submit a copy of you college transcripts (unofficial acceptable) to document all education used for position qualification. A cover letter is optional, but recommended. To claim 5  point Veterans Preference, a DD-214 showing character of discharge is required. If claiming 10 point Veterans Preference, a SF-15 with proof of claim is required.

SUBMIT APPLICATIONS TO:
Michelle L. Schatz, Management Analyst
USGS – Forest & Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
777 NW 9th Street, Suite 400
Corvallis, Oregon 97330-6169
Phone: (541) 750-1040 Fax: (541) 750-1066
Email: michelle_schatz@usgs.gov

FOR INQUIRIES about the position, contact:
Dr. Douglas Shinneman, Research Fire Ecologist
USGS, Snake River Field Station, 970 Lusk St.
Boise, ID 83706
Phone: 208-426-5206
Email: dshinneman@usgs.gov

It is against the law to submit applications for employment using government franked envelopes or mail services (18 U.S.C. 1719). All such  applications will not be considered.
APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO BE CONSIDERED INCOMPLETE APPLICATION FORMS MAY RESULT IN YOUR MISSING CONSIDERATION FOR THIS VACANCY

The U.S. Geological Survey is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The U.S. Geological Survey is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Selection for this position will be based solely on merit, fitness, and qualifications without regard to race, sex, color, religion, age, marital status, national origin, non-disqualifying handicap conditions, sexual orientation, or any other non-merit factors.