Biological Science Technician (Plants)

Summary This position is with the Invasive Plant Management Teams located in the Resource Stewardship Directorate, Interior Region 1 North Atlantic Appalachian Regional Office. This is a TEMPORARY seasonal appointment not to exceed 1039 hours work in a service year. Open to the first 75 applicants or until 12/13/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration. Learn more about this agency 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 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 wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period. You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 15 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority. State pesticide application certification/license is required. License may be acquired while on the job. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid except for travel performed while on duty. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-12/13/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. In order to qualify for this position, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 level (obtained in either the public or private sectors) examples of specialized experience includes: botanical, coastal, marine or fish ecology research activity; vegetation and vertebrate inventory or monitoring; field research involving vegetation plot or transect sampling; field research involving fish sampling and identification; identification of native plants; maintaining field and database records of ecological monitoring or research data; dichotomous plant and animal identification keys. OR Possess a Bachelor's degree or 4 years of successfully completed education above high school with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical 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 Botany/Plants. OR Possess a combination of education and experience. PLEASE NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts, or a complete list of college courses taken that identifies each course, college or university, semester or quarter hour earned, grade received, and date completed. If you fail to submit, your application will not be considered, and you will be rated ineligible. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST: 1. Clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, title of position, starting and ending dates of employment (month and year). 2. Must reflect work schedule as full-time and/or part-time and the total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time or part-time). 3. If part-time, (the number of hours worked must be indicated) and will be pro-rated to determine the amount of qualified specialized experience. You will not receive credit for experience that does not indicate the exact hours worked per week or is listed as "varies". Please ensure your resume/employment history includes all the information listed above. Failure to adequately provide the information stated above will result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. 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 possess a Bachelor's degree or 4 years of successfully completed education above high school with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical 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 Botany/Plants. 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. Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS). If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility. The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM. Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations. Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required. Heavy items (e.g., packs and equipment up to 50 pounds) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis. Working Conditions: The work is performed in an office, laboratory, and in the field. Field work includes exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, pesticides, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals. Laboratory work may involve exposure to hazardous chemicals. Read more 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. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits. Review our 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.