Job Information
National Park Service Biological Science Technician (Wildlife) (Owls and Bats) in El Portal, California
Summary These positions are located in Yosemite National Park, in the Division of Resources Management & Science. This is a term position (more than 1 year) with an initial appointment to last at least 13 months but may be extended up to a total of 10-years. Term positions do not convey permanent status in the Federal service. Responsibilities Lead field surveys for California spotted owls and great gray owls, including nocturnal broadcast/vocalization surveys, breeding determination surveys, and nest searching and/or lead field surveys for Sierra Nevada bats involving vertical climbing to access roosts. Coordinate the management of administrative tasks and field activities involving training field personnel, communicating effectively with coworkers, colleagues, and collaborators, maintaining vehicles, gear, and inventory. Use databases to enter and manage field data, perform data summaries, and assist with preparation of reports; use computer software programs to summarize data and produce graphs, charts, and illustrations for reports and presentations. Evaluate field activity procedures, schedules, and techniques; recommend modifications as necessary to accomplish project objectives; assist in the preliminary analysis of field data and prepare reports and correspondences relating to field activities and results. Provide technical information and data summaries that help build relationships with partners and collaborators for the purposes of informing park management activities. 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 will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. You will be required to complete a one-year trial period. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/27/2024-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. Quality Ranking Factor: Proficiency working with California spotted owls and endangered great gray owls and/or Sierra Nevada bats: This quality ranking factor will be used to determine ability (attained through prior experience) that could be expected to significantly enhance your performance in the position of Biological Science Technician. This experience involves targeted research on California spotted owls and endangered great gray owls that includes expertise in mimicking spotted owl vocalizations, performing the mousing protocol for determining spotted owl breeding status, and identifying nesting stages of great gray owls ascertained by their breeding behaviors; and/or targeted research on Sierra Nevada bats, including technical climbing skills needed for accessing bat roosts, manual identification of bat spectrograms, and use of bat ARUs and relevant management of bat vocalization wav files. Applicants must document this type of experience in your resume/application. EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-6 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: 1) research, management, and conservation of owls and/or bats;2) leading crews on wildlife surveys that follow standardized protocol,3) conducting mark and capture population surveys; and 4) organizing and preparing wildlife survey equipment. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 1 year of graduate level education directly related to the position such as biology, ecology, ornithology, mammalogy, wildlife management or other fields directly related to the position. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above. 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. 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. If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. For information on CTAP and ICTAP visit: USAJOBS Help Center | Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) 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. A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR 575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive. A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required. 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, laboratory, and in the field. Field work includes exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, pesticides, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals. Laboratory work may involve exposure to hazardous chemicals. 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.