Biologist (2 - positions)

Overview

  • Open & closing dates

     09/22/2017 to 10/03/2017

  • Salary

    $40,684 to $52,893 per year

  • Pay scale & grade

    GS 7

  • Work schedule

    Full-Time

  • Appointment type

    Permanent

Locations

2 vacancies in the following locations:

  • Clewiston, FL1 vacancy

  • Jacksonville, FL1 vacancy

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

This job is open to

Announcement number

SCGV172401218795D

Control number

480173600

  • Duties

    Summary

    Looking for a great place to work? The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is one of the best! In 2016, USACE ranked number two of government large-agency subcomponents! As rated by their employees, USACE supervisors strongly support employee development and opportunities to demonstrate leadership skills, while also maintaining an optimal work/life balance. The Corps offers a team-inspiring and collaborative work environment; providing challenging and rewarding careers across a variety of disciplines.

    Civilian employees serve a vital role in supporting the Army mission. They provide the skills that are not readily available in the military, but crucial to support military operations. The Army integrates the talents and skills of its military and civilian members to form a Total Army.

    About the Position:
    This position works for the US Army, Corps of Engineers with a duty station in Jacksonville, Florida and a duty station in Clewiston, Florida. This position will be filled at the GS-07 grade level only with this announcement however, it is a developmental position with growth to the GS-09 and then to the GS-11 grade level. The full performance level of this position is GS-11.

    Who May Apply: US Citizens

    Responsibilities

     

    • Conduct field surveys of invasive plants.
    • Participate in the management of invasive species projects.
    • Operate airboats and motorboats.
    • Utilize Geographic Information System (GPS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) to monitor and track invasive species.
    • Participate in the planning, construction or implementation of ecosystem restoration projects.
    • Knowledge of invasive species management methods, (i.e., Biocontrol, Mechanical, Chemical)
    • Coordinate and plan with other agencies (Invasive Species Management and Ecosystem Restoration projects).
    • Analyze data using spreadsheets, databases and/or GIS
    • Participate in outreach activities associate with invasive species management and ecosystem restoration.
    • Input data using spreadsheets and/or databases.
    • Prepare reports and correspondence on technical issues and policy matters.
    • Participate in public presentations to professional societies, civic and educational groups related to invasive species management and/or ecosystem restoration.

     

    Travel Required

    Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

    Supervisory status

    No

    Promotion Potential

    11

    Who May Apply

    This job is open to…

    US Citizens

    Questions? This job is open to 1 group.

  • Job family (Series)

    0401 General Natural Resources Management And Biological Sciences

  • Requirements

    Conditions Of Employment

    Other Requirements: Click herefor expanded definitions.

    • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
    • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
    • Two year trial/probationary period may be required.
    • Appointment is subject to the completion of a favorable suitability or fitness determination.
    • Direct Deposit of Pay is Required.
    • This is a Career Program (CP) 18 position.
    • Incumbent will be on travel 20% of the time.
    • Incumbent must obtain State of Florida aquatic Category Pesticide License and also USACE Airboat Operator certification with 6 months of reporting to duty.

     

    Qualifications

    In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or specialized experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

    Basic Requirement for Biologist

    A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

    OR

    B. Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

    In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:
    Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes the ability to conduct invasive species and vegetation surveys using Geographic Information System/Global Positioning Systems (GIS/GPS) as well as entering and analyzing environmental data in various databases. Ability to perform aquatic surveys on large rivers and lakes in a boat or airboat.This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05).

    OR

    Education: One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: [insert applicable field(s) of study].

    OR

    Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above. Superior Academic Achievement is based on:
    (1) Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR
    (2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.; OR
    (3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org/).

    OR

    Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages.
     
    • Biological Field Investigation
    • Botany
    • Conflict Management
    • Data Entry and Analysis
    • Natural Resource Management
    • Oral Communication

    Education

    Only degrees from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education are acceptable to meet positive education requirements or to substitute education for experience. For additional information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and U.S. Department of Education websites at - http://www.opm.gov/qualificationsand http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

    Foreign education must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency in order to be considered for this position. Please submit your foreign education evaluation with your application.

    Additional information

     

    • If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
    • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
    • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitantinformation sheet.
    • You may claim military spouse preference, see the information in the Military Spouse Preference Under Delegated Examining Proceduresinformation sheet.
    • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

     

    How You Will Be Evaluated

    Your application package(resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

    Basis for Rating: Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of three quality categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified and Qualified. Veteran preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category.

    • Best Qualified. Candidates in this category possess exceptional skills and experience to exceed well above the minimum requirements for the announced position.
    • Highly Qualified. Candidates in this category possess good skills and experience above the minimum requirements for the announced position.
    • Qualified. Candidates in this category meet the minimum experience requirements for the announced position.

    Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority. See Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)for more information. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

     

     

    Background checks and security clearance

    Security clearance

    Other

  • Required Documents

    The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist (External).

    As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

    Your resume:

    • Your resume may be submitted in any format.
    • If you submit more than one copy of your resume, only the most recent version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent." It is your responsibility to check the status and timestamp of all documents you submit as part of your application.
    • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
    • For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application will be marked as incomplete and you will not receive consideration for this position.

    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: You MUST submit a copy of your transcript if you want to substitute your education for experience. If you claim qualifications based on education, and do not submit a transcript, your education will not be used in making a qualification determination and you may be found "not qualified." See: Transcripts and Licenses

    NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

     

    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    You MUST submit a copy of your transcript if you want to substitute your education for experience. If you claim qualifications based on education, and do not submit a transcript, your education will not be used in making a qualification determination and you may be found "not qualified".

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

  • Benefits

    A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

     

    https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits

    Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

  • How to Apply

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

    The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/03/2017 to receive consideration

    • 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 occupational questionnaire (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10038795).
    • 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, 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 accountand 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.
    • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.

    The Department of Army provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the servicing civilian personnel unit. Your requests for reasonable accommodation will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

     

    Agency contact information

     Army Applicant Help Desk

    Phone

    (000)000-0000

    Email

    USARMY.APG.CHRA-NE.MBX.APPLICANTHELP@MAIL.MIL

    Address

     

    GV-APF-W2SR02 US ARMY ENGINEER DIST, JACKSONVILLE
    DO NOT MAIL
    Jacksonville, FL
    US

    Learn more about this agency

     

    Next steps

    If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

    The documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "incomplete application" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy And gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a Case-by-Case basis.

A reasonable accommodation is any change in the workplace or the way things are customarily done that provides an equal employment opportunity to an individual with a disability. Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) must provide reasonable accommodations:

  • An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.
  • An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.
  • An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events.