Biologist

Summary

These positions are located in Dry Tortugas National Park.

• 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.
  
  
  

Open to the first 100 applicants or until 10/30/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration. Learn more about this agency

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Duties

• Assists with natural resource monitoring efforts of threatened and endangered (T&E) species at Dry Tortugas National Park.
• Collect morphologic data on nesting sea turtles, migratory birds, Nassau groupers, queen conch, and other T&E species providing resource status information to park managers, regional staff, and the public.
• Coordinates logistics and supports working relationships with scientists from academic institutions, territorial and federal agencies and others performing resource efforts in the parks to improve management at DRTO.
• Maintains vessels and vehicles, SCUBA equipment, sea turtle program equipment, and other scientific supplies used for wildlife monitoring work.
• Data entry, research, and report writing in office setting.
  
  
  

Park Description/Area Information:

This position is stationed at Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO) which is located 70 miles west of Key West, Florida in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. The park is 101 square miles of mostly ocean with a sub-tropical coral reef system. There are currently 7 small keys that make up less than 0.2% of the park area. These keys are home to a variety of nesting seabirds including: sooty terns, brown noddys, magnificent frigatebirds, and masked boobies. They keys are also hosts for several hundred loggerhead and green sea turtle nests each year.

Work will be a mixture of terrestrial and marine focused duties. These will include helping determine direction for monitoring studies for seabirds and sea turtles, invasives species management, marine surveys, and restoration projects. Work priorities can shift rapidly due to remote nature of the park, weather patterns, and logistical difficulties, so being flexible is vital to these positions. While duties will be shared the park is looking for three biologists; one who will focus predominantly on terrestrial areas, one with a focus on marine areas, and one with a focus on equipment and instrumentation including dive equipment and boats.

While at the park employees typically stay at Garden Key is a remote 16acreisland with few services. The island does have employee housing, a small recreation room, and limited Starlink internet. There are no groceries stores, banks etc. available on island. Employees must travel to Key West to access most services. For information about this National Park park/unit, please visit www.nps.gov/drto. Information about the City of Key West can be found at www.keywestcity.com.

Employee housing at Garden Key is in small or shared apartments with other employees. Housing units have running water, air-conditioning, and small kitchens. It is important to note that it is a small island with limited to no services. The island does have Starlink internet. It can be difficult to create a work life balance when you live at a worksite with limited to no services. Past employees who thrive in these conditions enjoy snorkeling, diving, paddleboarding, fishing, sailing, birding etc. Additionally, it's imperative to understand the challenges associated with living and working with 10-12 colleagues on a remote island. Natural Resources staff currently have a tour of duty of nine 8-9 hour days, with 5 days off. Most people spend their days off in Key West. The park pays for travel to and from Key West via the Seaplane or the Ferry.

Further questions can be directed to: Andrew Morin, Natural Resources Program Manager, [email protected]

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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 submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.
• You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
• You will be required to submit to a pre-employment physical prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to periodic physical examinations.
• You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
• Government housing may be available and can be discussed upon selection.
• You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, overtime and holidays.
• If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
• You will be required to complete a one-year trial period.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 18 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• Must have the ability to safely lift up to 50 pounds.
• You will be required to complete and pass the Motorboat Operator Certification Course.
• You will be required to maintain SCUBA certifications and proficiency.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
  
  
  

Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS CONTINUED:

• Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
  
  
  

QUALIFICATIONS:

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/30/2024-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 - Boat Operation Certification.

This position requires demonstrated training and experience operating and crewing small vessels (up to 28' in length) with twin outboard engines in open ocean conditions. You must submit documentation of how you meet this requirement. Documentation may include but is not limited to: Motorboat Operation Certificate Course (MOCC) certificate or equivalent, such as a State or US Coast Guard issued boating certification.

• AND- Quality Ranking Factor - SCUBA Certification. This position requires that you possess an American Association of Underwater Scientists (AAUS) SCUBA diving certification or equivalent (Advanced Open Water certification or higher) from an accredited national institution and have at least 50 scientific dives. You must submit documentation of how you meet this requirement. -AND-
  
  
  

To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following basic requirements and at least one of the minimum qualifications by close of the announcement.

Basic Requirement

A degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. You must provide transcripts.

-OR-

A combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major as above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. You must provide transcripts.

• AND-
  
  
  

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: conducting biological/ecological/fishery/wildlife inventory and monitoring activities for a variety of biological/ecological/fishery/wildlife species is critical. Research activity or control program work; nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment; work comparable to that with a large dairy farm where production records, animal environment, and sanitary conditions were kept in accordance with modern dairy practice. NOTE: Farming experience that was not performed in a controlled environment, or experience as a laborer who was not responsible for planning and scheduling his/her own work, but only performed assigned tasks, would not qualify as specialized experience.

-OR-

EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. You must include transcripts.

-OR-

A COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION. Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first determine the percentage of experience held by dividing the number of months of qualifying full-time experience possessed by 12 and then multiplying by 100. Then determine the percentage of qualifying graduate level education completed by dividing the number of credits completed by 36, then multiply by 100. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. 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.

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.

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 position may require strenuous physical activity including periods of standing, walking, climbing, and lifting and carrying of heavy objects. Some activities will occur in physically dangerous areas or settings. Documentary research and report writing work is sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and write for long periods of time.

Working Conditions: Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. Assignments may be performed in potentially hazardous areas including steep rocky terrain, arctic environments, and forests. Flying in fixed and rotary wing aircraft is possible.

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.

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 on all competencies. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) 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/ICTAP eligible. If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001).

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Dry Tortugas National Park

33 East Quay Rd

Key West, FL 33041

US