Student Trainee (Biological Sciences)

Interior, US Fish and Wildlife Service

1 vacancy in the following location:

Boynton Beach, FL

Work Schedule is Full Time - Internships NTE 12 weeks

Opened Monday 6/26/2017 (0 day(s) ago)

Closes Monday 7/10/2017 (14 day(s) away)

Salary Range
$31,160.00 to $40,503.00 / Per Year
Series & Grade
GS-0499-04/04
Promotion Potential
04
Supervisory Status
No

Who May Apply
US Citizens and Non Citizens
Control Number
472969400
Job Announcement Number
R4-17-1976950-NM-Path

Job Description

Job Summary

You too can make a difference in our world. The work of the US Fish and Wildlife Service is meaningful and varied. Want to know more about what it is like to work for us? Click here to watch short podcasts entitled Meet Your New Boss! and Diversity is our Strength.

No PCS/moving benefits are authorized.

This Student Trainee (Biological Sciences) position is located at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Boynton Beach, Florida.

These positions are being filled under the Pathway's Internship Program. Appointments may be extended based on continued need/funds and the student's continued eligibility in the Pathways Internship Program. This position may be converted non-competitively from the Pathways Program to a term or permanent position in the competitive service provided that all educational & program requirements for that position are met and there is an available position. Conversion is not mandatory or guaranteed. U.S. citizenship is required to be eligible for conversion.

All application materials and supporting documentation must be received by the closing date of this announcement (including Veterans Preference documentation).

You must submit a copy of your most recent transcripts AND proof of current enrollment in school in order to be considered for this position.

What are the Pathways eligibility requirements?

In order to be eligible for an appointment under the Pathways Internship Program:

You must be a student accepted for enrollment or enrolled in a degree or certificate program on a full- or half-time basis as defined by the institution (certificate program means post-secondary education, in a qualifying educational institution, equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study that is part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum); and Educational institutions must be accredited by organizations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. To verify accreditation, please visit: http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation/; and Students must be in good academic standing according to their institution; and
Individuals who are enrolled must be taking at least a half-time course load and be in good standing (2.0 GPA or above). "Half-time" is defined by the school in which the student is enrolled.

You must continue to meet these eligibility requirements throughout the duration of your appointment under the Pathways Internship Program.

Duties

Assist in conducting various population surveys by collecting and/or learning to identifying (via sight and/or sound) specimens of birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and plants foundlocally.

Take and record instrument readings, perform standard tests, collect data, take measurements and assemble information.

Assist visitor services program.

Conduct routine ground maintenance.

Travel Required

Not Required

Relocation Authorized

Job Requirements

Key Requirements

Background Investigation Required
Must meet Pathways eligibility requirements

Qualifications

By the closing date of this announcement, you must meet the minimum qualification requirements as outlined in this announcement below.

Minimum Qualification for the 499 Occupational Series at the GS-4 grade level:

At least six months of general experience and six months of specialized experience that is equivalent to the GS-3 in the federal service, which could have been obtained in the private or public sectors. GENERAL EXPERIENCE is experience that provided a familiarity with biological work. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE must have been related to the work of the position for which application is made. The specialized experience required for some positions in this series is normally work performed in a controlled environment. Examples of specialized experience include taking and recording scientific measurements; assisting with the conduct of biological surveys; keeping records on habitat conditions in order to report data and any other work that is performed in a controlled environment which includes research activity or control program work.

Successful completion of two years of study above high school 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. PLEASE NOTE: If you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts.

A combination of experience and education which total at least one year. For example, 6 months of experience (50% of the experience) and one year of study above high school (50% of the education), would qualify an applicant for this position.

Transcripts: You must submit a copy of your transcripts (official or unofficial photocopy) to document your educational accomplishments. Failure to submit this documentation by the closing date will result in disqualification from further consideration. Official transcripts will be required if you are selected to fill the position. College transcripts are still required if you currently occupy or previously occupied the series for which you are applying.

Foreign Education: Education completed outside the United States must have been evaluated by a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials, commonly called a credential evaluation service or education that is recognized by the Secretary of Education from an accredited body.

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click the following link: View Occupational Questionnaire

Pathways Program Agreement Required

The employee selected will be required to work a non-standard tour of duty that may include weekends, holidays, and night shifts.

The employee will be frequently required to travel from assigned duty station to various areas inside and outside jurisdictional boundaries of the Region.

Government housing is available.

The incumbent will be required to obtain and wear an official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform.

Incumbent must be able to operate a government-owned or leased motor vehicle. A valid state driver's license is required.

Must be able to frequently lift and carry parts and equipment weighing up to 30 pounds and occasionally over 50 pounds.

This positions sensitivity level has been designated as non-sensitive. Accordingly, the selectee must undergo a background investigation prior to appointment.

The ability to speakboth English and Spanish would be advantageous; however, it is not a requirement of the position.

No PCS/moving benefits are authorized.

Work schedule may be changed 90 days after hire at the request of management or the employee with management approval.

Security Clearance

Not Applicable

Additional Information

What To Expect Next

Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made you will be notified of the status of your application. If further evaluation or interviews are required you will be contacted.

View Occupational Questionnaire

BENEFITS

The Federal Government offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits

Other Information

1. If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans’ preference see

http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx

2. If you have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) you may apply for special selection over other candidates for this position. To be well-qualified for the position and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 90 or above on the rating criteria for this position.

Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible. For more information on CTAP/ICTAP see

http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ctap

3. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see www.sss.gov ).

4. An agency may convert an Intern non-competitively from the Pathways Program to a term or permanent position in the competitive service provided that all educational requirements for that position are met and there is an available position. However, conversion is not mandatory or guaranteed. U.S. citizenship is required to be eligible for conversion.

5. Additional vacancies may be filled using this announcement.

This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/472969400. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the Assessment Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

Your complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time) on Monday, July 10, 2017

You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

Apply online:

To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the Assessment Questionnaire.

Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.

It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Apply via fax:

If you cannot complete the Application Package online, you may fax all of your materials. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Monday, July 10, 2017 to receive consideration. Keep a copy of your fax confirmation in the event verification is needed.

To complete the Assessment Questionnaire and submit via fax:

1. Click the following link to view and print the Assessment Questionnaire View Occupational Questionnaire

2. Print the 1203FX form, follow the instructions and provide your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire http://www.opm.govforms/pdfimage/opm1203fx.pdf.

3. Fax your completed 1203FX form along with any supporting documents to 1-478-757-3144.

If you do not submit all the required materials, we will not be able to fully process your application, and you may lose consideration for this position. No additional information will be solicited or accepted after the closing date.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Once you complete and submit your application package, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the minimum qualification & Pathways eligibility requirements for the job. Qualified students will be referred to the selecting official in unranked order by veteran preference status: (1) Preference eligibles having a compensable, service-connected disability of 10 percent or more; (2) all other candidates eligible for 10-point veteran preference; (3) candidates eligible for 5-point veteran preference; and (4) candidates not eligible for veteran preference.

Referral is based on your responses to the occupational questions, the information you provide in your Resume, and supplemental materials. Please follow all instructions carefully. The occupational questions are based on the following knowledge, skills and abilities.

Knowledge of wildlife biology sufficient to assist in collecting biological data.

Knowledge of biological work and procedures to perform a variety of tasks.

Ability to collect, store, and manage data using computers and software

Ability to follow assigned protocols and maintain detailed records accurately.

Knowledge of biological work and procedures to perform a variety of tasks.

Oral communication skills in order to respond clearly and tactfully to questions, to refer questions and visitors to other staff, and to guide volunteers who participate in visitor center duties.

NOTE: You should be aware that your application package is subject to evaluation and verification. Do not overstate or understate your level of experience and capability.

Required Documents

1. Resume (Writing Your Federal Resume - video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YX7o1PBoFk)

2. Completed Assessment Questionnaire

3. Most Recent Transcripts

4. Verification of Current Enrollment

At a minimum, the experience listed in your resume must contain the job title (include job series and grade if Federal), detailed duties, starting and ending date (month and year), hours per week worked and salary. If you do not provide the minimum information requested, it may prevent you from qualifying for this position.

Faxing Supporting Documents:

NOTE: If you applied online and your application is complete, do not fax the paper application (1203FX) as this will overwrite your prior online responses and may result in you being found ineligible.

If you completed the Assessment Questionnaire online and are unable to upload supporting document(s):

1. Fax your documents using this required cover page (https://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf) and provide the required information. The vacancy ID is 1976950. Fax your documents to 1-478-757-3144.

Faxed documents submitted with missing information will not be processed.

The following will prevent your documents from being processed:

· Not using the special cover page mentioned above.

· Missing, incomplete, or invalid Vacancy Identification Number

· Missing or incomplete Social Security Number or name

If you have any problems submitting your application, contact the online help at ApplicationManagerHelpDesk@opm.gov.

DO NOT SEND any application material(s) by U.S. mail or electronic mail. If you are unable to apply using one of the described methods, contact the HR Office Representative listed on this announcement at least one-full workday prior to the closing date for further assistance.