VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
OPEN DATE: September 29, 2023
CLOSING DATE: October 6, 2023
United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Wildlife Services
An Equal Opportunity Employer
POSITION TITLE: Wildlife Biologist (Airport)– 1 Position
TYPE OF POSITION: Term Appointment with possibility for Benefits, Excepted Service. Not to Exceed 13 months (may be extended up to 4 years)
WORK SCHEDULE: Fulltime – 40 hours per week
ANNOUNCEMENT #: WSER-05-2023-FL
SERIES/GRADE: GS-0486-7/9
FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL: GS-0486-09
NUMBER OF POSITIONS: 1
LOCATIONS: Melbourne, Florida (Patrick Space Force Base)
SALARY: $47,016 to $74,760 per year (depending on GS level qualified for and relocation costs will not be paid for this position)
WHO MAY APPLY:
Must be a U.S. Citizen
Must be 18 years old
If you are a male born after December 31, 1959 and are at least 18 years of age, civil service employment law (5 U.S.C. 3328) requires that you must be registered with the Selective Service System, unless you meet certain exemptions (proof of registration and/or exemption required). Website: http://www.sss.gov.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
1) Personal information such as name, address, contact information
2) Education
3) Detailed work experience related to this position as described in the announcement including
§ Work schedule,
§ Hours worked per week,
§ Dates of employment;
§ Title, series, grade (if applicable)
4) All supervisors' phone numbers and if they may be contacted
5) Other qualifications, such as transcripts (if qualifying on education)
Transcripts (if qualifying on education)
DD-214 (Member 4 copy), if applicable for Veteran’s Preference
· VA letter required if claiming disabled Veteran’s Preference
HOW TO APPLY: Additional materials not listed above (i.e. position descriptions, training certificates, etc.) may not be considered. Applicants who do not submit the required items listed above may not be considered. Applications with all supporting documents must be submitted to the contact office and must be RECEIVED by the CLOSING DATE of this announcement.
Interested individuals should send a resume, transcripts, veteran documentation (if applicable) to the contact office in each state where the position is located:
CONTACT OFFICE FOR FLORIDA:
Cailey Thomas
Central District Supervisor
2820 E University Ave
Gainesville, Florida
(352) 231-6063
Cailey.d.thomas@usda.gov (preferred)
SUMMARY:
The incumbent acts as an Airport Wildlife Biologist within the FL WS program. Work involves assisting the airport in reducing wildlife hazards to aircraft. The Wildlife Biologist monitors wildlife behavior and abundance and evaluates hazards posed by various species of wildlife on airports and surrounding properties.
DUTIES:
The incumbent conducts integrated wildlife damage management activities where there is a demonstrated need, consistent with the planned use of any given area to prevent or reduce losses to property, agriculture, and natural resources, or to protect human health and safety.
Management techniques and/or methods include the recommendation or use of controlled substances, pyrotechnics, firearms, binary explosives, aversive agents, auditory devices, exclusion, habitat modification, trapping, and other mechanical or environmental controls.
May perform a variety of technical procedures including capture, restraint, chemical immobilization, marking, transport, euthanasia, and/or necropsy of wildlife; collection, storage, and safe transport of biological data and samples; telemetry; GIS; GPS; population census and survey; and surveillance and monitoring; gathering, compiling, and analyzing data to facilitate statistical analyses.
May be required to take extensive training and recurrent training on wildlife damage or disease recognition, control methods, and techniques; monitoring and surveillance procedures; emergency response; coalition building; risk communications; and other training related to technical or administrative aspects of the job.
Modifies or adapts established damage or disease control techniques as necessary to meet local conditions and address specific environmental, economic, or political considerations.
Monitors and ensures compliance with program directives, and local, State, and Federal laws and regulations in wildlife damage management activities. Assists cooperators in understanding of and compliance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), Endangered Species Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and other wildlife-related laws.
Through supervisor and with assistance from the WS National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) staff, develops and maintains categorical exclusions, environmental assessments, monitoring reports, and other documents required by NEPA. Prepares required scientific and administrative program reports. Assists cooperators and the public with obtaining migratory bird depredation permits and compliance with Depredation Orders.
Gathers, compiles, evaluates, and presents data on damage or hazards caused by various wildlife species to cooperators, stakeholders, and colleagues through project or program reports and presentations at cooperator, stakeholder, and public meetings and professional conferences.
Establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with other Federal, State, county and city government agencies, Tribes, corporations, educational or research institutions, and individuals in meeting program needs and goals. May represent the WS program on committees and task forces, and at meetings, conferences, and workshops with these groups.
May negotiate or participate in the negotiation, development, and monitoring of agreements, such as cooperative service agreements with work/financial plans, to initiate or maintain cooperative wildlife damage management projects.
Provides technical assistance to a variety of cooperators, along with conducting site visits or assessments to identify wildlife damage issues or threats. May develop and deliver training for cooperators, stakeholders, partner agencies and organizations, or other entities.
Communicates safe and effective damage management techniques through outreach and other channels to the general public. Information may be disseminated by radio and television news releases, interviews, bulletins, presentations, workshops, outreach events, and other methods.
Recommends, to supervisor, areas for potential research or developmental study. May assist with research projects to increase knowledge of wildlife ecology and to develop or improve methods to reduce the risks of damage to resources or disease transmission to domestic animals and humans.
Supports WS’ safety program and procedures through participation in meetings, inspections, safety-related training, and implementation of safety requirements and protocols. Identifies safety-related opportunities and challenges to the supervisor.
May be required to obtain and maintain licenses, permits, or other authorizations, and may be required or other use/certification training in cooperation with State agencies and land grant universities.
Assists other WS employees as requested and may assist in training new WS personnel. May be asked to provide technical direction and/or guidance to lower graded employees.
May be responsible for procuring equipment and supplies necessary to conduct field activities and may be asked to complete other duties as assigned.
The incumbent may be required to conduct other duties as assigned.
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