Website link here: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/552051500

Open & closing dates

 12/04/2019 to 12/10/2019

This job will close when we have received 175 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary

$15.84 to $19.76 per hour

Summary

The Pacific West Region is recruiting for summer seasonal Biological Science Technician (Plants), GS-0404-4/5/6 positions intended to assist permanent staff with biological field work.

Open to the first 175 applicants. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 EST on the applicant cut-off date (which may be sooner than 12/10/2019) to be considered.

Anticipated length of season: May through October

Responsibilities

Employees in the Mount Rainier NP vegetation restoration crew perform integral conservation and management work: planting and restoring areas of subalpine meadows and forests damaged by human activity and managing noxious weed species. This is primarily a field job, with approximately 80% being strenuous outdoor activity and 20% sedentary office work. Field work may occur in forest or subalpine habitat at elevations ranging from 1700′ to 6800′ in elevation. All work is performed with a team and employees are expected to be respectful of one another and create an inclusive and welcoming working environment. Crew members will perform the following activities:

  1. Implement the park’s program to control introduced, noxious weeds by using chemical and manual treatment methods, following established protocols and priorities. Most noxious weed control work occurs in the park’s developed areas and roadsides. Less prevalent populations along trails and in backcountry areas are also treated..
  2. Implement the park’s program to restore native plant communities where recreation- or construction-related activities have damaged vegetation, using established protocols for plant handling, transport, installation, and watering. Most revegetation work occurs in subalpine habitat accessed by trail.
  3. Gather, collate, and enter data into a computer using relational databases, including geodatabases, and assist in analyzing, mapping, and preparing written progress reports.
  4. Assist in qualitative or quantitative monitoring of revegetation or noxious weed treatment locations or plots.
SELECTIVE FACTOR: To successfully accomplish noxious weed management work, you will be required to mix, load, and apply herbicides for the purpose of vegetation control. If you are unwilling to handle herbicides, you cannot successfully complete the work of these positions.

– AND –

To qualify at the GS-04 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications:
EXPERIENCE: At least 6 months of general experience AND 6 months of specialized experience related to the work of this position. Specialized experience equips one with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the GS-04 and included things such as implementation of vegetation management and monitoring or ecological restoration, noxious weed survey, mapping and control, erosion control, hydrologic restoration, re-vegetation, the collection of plant data or plant materials for re-vegetation projects using routine sampling techniques and procedures, and inputting/retrieving data using computers and GPS units. You must include hours worked per week in your resume.
-OR-
EDUCATION:
 Successful completion of at least 2 years of progressively higher level undergraduate education that included 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. IMPORTANT – PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify, 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 number of semester hours (or equivalent) of education above high school 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 hours per week worked and transcripts.

To qualify at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications:
EXPERIENCE: At least one 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: 1) performing basic vegetation inventories, studies, and surveys; 2) assisting in routine and recurring resource monitoring programs for plant species and vegetation communities; 3) assisting in controlling introduced and noxious plant species and enhancement of native plant communities; 4) participating in revegetation activities (e.g., site preparation, transplanting, seeding, and applying mulch or erosion mats); and 5) inputting/retrieving vegetation data using computers and global positioning systems (GPS). You must include hours worked per week in your resume.
-OR-
EDUCATION:
 Successful completion of at least 4 years of progressively higher level undergraduate coursework leading to a bachelor’s degree or equivalent undergraduate degree with major study or at least 24 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 have been directly related to the position to be filled. IMPORTANT – PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify, 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 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 hours per week worked and transcripts.

To qualify at the GS-06 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications:
EXPERIENCE: At least one 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: 1) executing field studies on plants and plant ecology; 2) working with field crews in non-native plant eradication; 3) implementing vegetation management and monitoring or ecological restoration; 4) reporting data and other resource management information (e.g., natural science research or long-term monitoring projects); and 5) using standard statistical methods in the preparation of draft reports. You must include hours worked per week in your resume.
-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 related field such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours in any of these courses must be directly related to the position to be filled. IMPORTANT – PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify, 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 number of semester hours (or equivalent) earned towards a 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 hours per week worked and transcripts.

You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as “varies”. No additional credit is given for overtime. In describing the nature of your duties (your experience), please be clear and concise. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience. The Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards are available for review at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

ICTAP/CTAP Statement: Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special prior­ity selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies.

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.

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.