Fish Biologist

This position is a Fish Biologist, GS- 0482-7/9 working in Marquette, Michigan, for the R3-Marquette Biological Station.
This position is also open to current Department of Interior employees serving under a Career or Career-Conditional appointment, DOI Land Management eligibles, and CTAP, under announcement R******** RR-MP. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.The incumbent serves as a staff fishery biologist in the Sea Lamprey Control Program (Program) and conducts sea lamprey control and assessment operations in the United States waters of the Great Lakes at either the Ludington or Marquette Biological Station. The primary focus of the position is in one or more of the following areas: to control sea lamprey populations through the application of lampricides or barrier operation and construction, to implement experimental biological control, to assess non-target effects of control, to assess abundance of adult sea lampreys to measure Program success, or to assess abundance of larval sea lampreys to guide control efforts. The incumbent is part of a team that consists of a team leader and may consist of other full-time career fishery biologist, full-time career biological or physical science technicians, full-time career-seasonal biological science technicians, full-time temporary biological technicians or aids, student trainees and volunteers.
As a Fish Biologist your duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:
* Annually drafts plans that describes the field work required, tools needed, and sampling or control locations. Upon supervisory review, this document serves as the annual field guide to scheduled work and includes task description, field operations, and field schedules. Determines the streams where protocols will be applied and recommends to team leader proposed staff time, procedures, and equipment needed.
* Draw conclusions from complex data to recommend control actions. Performs statistical analysis on data to support conclusions and recommendations. Presents results of highly technical content at workshops, professional meetings and symposia.
* Writes or contributes to administrative and technical reports and scientific papers for publication in peer-reviewed fishery journals. Uses appropriate software tools to draft reports and illustrative materials.
* Collaborates with partners, investigates new approaches, and assists in development of protocols that standardized techniques as a member of an international subgroup formed by task forces or working groups consisting of U.S. and Canadian federal, provincial, state, tribal, and university representatives. Reviews workplans to ensure techniques are scientifically sound and comprehensive. Cooperates with co-workers in the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, other U.S. and Canadian agencies, tribes, and contractors to discuss objectives, share information and evaluate the status and progress of Program objectives and tasks. Plans, coordinates, and schedules specific tasks of Program activities throughout the Great Lakes based upon workload and priorities as outlined by team leader. Leads members of team to complete work plan objectives and tasks and other field activities, and ensure that members of teams are following appropriate protocols.
* Ensures inventory and procurement of equipment, materials, and supplies to meet operational needs. Responsible for the proper use, care, maintenance, and safekeeping of equipment used in field operations. Adheres to procurement, contracting, and liability policies in conducting sea lamprey control activities. Ensure appropriate application and operation of highly specialized fishery equipment (e.g. lamprey sterilization equipment and robotics, electrofishing gear, electrical/mechanical weirs, lampricide application equipment, nets, traps, water sampling devices, fish holding and hauling facilities, and water filtration apparatus).
Promotion Potential: This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed represent the full performance level of GS-11. At lower grade levels, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. The selectee may be promoted without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.Only experience and education obtained by 06/03/2024 will be considered.
In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification.
Basic Requirement:
* Have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited college or university in biological science that included at least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects such as limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, or related courses in the field of fishery biology; and at least 12 semester hours in the animal sciences in such subjects as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields. Note: If courses in aquatic and the animal sciences are not clearly identified on transcript and knowledge of such subjects was obtained in other coursework, you must include a description of such courses, to include syllabus as provided in official college catalog. OR
* Have a combination of education from an accredited college or university and experience--courses equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), of which a minimum of 6 semester hours were in aquatic subjects and 12 semester hours were in the animal sciences, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Note: If courses in aquatic and the animal sciences are not clearly identified on transcript and knowledge of such subjects was obtained in other coursework, you must include a description of such courses, to include syllabus as provided in official college catalog.
Minimum Qualification [GS-7]
* Have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience for this position is described as: assisting with biological initiatives related to the management of fish and aquatic resources; collecting data and biological information concerning fish populations or fish culture techniques; and assisting with the preparation and presentation of data relative to fishery resources. OR
* Have one year (18 semester hours) of graduate education in a closely related field which provided me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully complete the work of the position. OR
* Have a bachelor's degree in a closely related field which provided me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully complete the work of the position AND meet one of the Superior Academic Achievement Provisions. 1. Maintained a grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 3.0 or higher) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. - OR - 2. Maintained a grade-point average "B+" (a GPA of 3.5 or higher) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. -OR- 3. Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision. -OR- 4. Am a member of a national honor (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. Please submit a college transcript(s) showing your grade point average for all four years of undergraduate study, including all transferred courses. NOTE: GPA's are rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9. If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail or similar basis, your claim must be based on class standing or membership in an honor society.
* Have a combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement
Minimum Qualification [GS-9]
* Have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience for this position is described as: developing workplans and biological initiatives related to the management of fish and aquatic resources; leading collection of data and biological information concerning fish populations or fish culture techniques; and preparation and presentation of data relative to fishery resources. OR
* Have two years (36 semester hours) of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree closely related field which provided me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully complete the work of the position. OR
* Have a combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement.
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.