Seasonal Ecologist

Summary This position is located in Yukon-Charley Rivers and Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, in the Natural Resources Management Division. The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Yukon-Charley Rivers and Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is May to October, but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: May 2026 Duties Conducts vegetation sampling (vascular plants, lichens, and mosses) in remote wilderness areas Manages and analyses data using spreadsheet, database, statistical, and GIS software Identifies vascular plants, lichens, and mosses using technical keys and laboratory tests Writes reports suitable for peer-reviewed technical publications 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 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 may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work. This position has a mixed work schedule based on the varying workload, and your work schedule is subject to change from part-time to full-time to on-call as workload dictates. You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 10 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. Applicants must be at least 18 years old due to hazardous duties (ie. driving a motor vehicle) Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-03/24/2026-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. BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: To qualify for this position at the GS-9 grade level, you must meet the basic education requirements as listed below by the close of this announcement: You must have a bachelor's degree or higher-level degree in biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences. (You must include a copy of your transcripts.) - AND - To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: 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: 1) Preparing scientific reports outlining the results of protection, restoration, inventory, and management efforts related to the flora, fauna, and physical environments surrounding the park/land; 2) Assisting supervisor with applying the results found in scientific data to test the efficiency of such inventory and monitoring programs, helping provide recommendations for further improvements as needed; 3) Researching and interpreting all applicable laws, regulations, and policies regarding the management and monitoring of ecosystems and natural resources, including those concerning endangered and exotic species; 4) Utilizing scientific information acquisition and analysis standards, methods, and recording techniques to effectively manage the collection and summation of data to produce a final analysis that effectively meets scientifically acceptable standards; 5) Adhering to scientific monitoring protocols in performing and/or assisting in monitoring of ecosystem and natural resource components, to ensure that program goals and objectives meet legal requirements and reflect national priorities and policies. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least two full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education, a master's degree, or equivalent graduate degree, directly related to the occupation. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent) earned towards a graduate degree, in excess of 18 semester hours, and divide by 18 semester hours (or equivalent). Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. 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. Effective 1/20/26: In support of Executive Order (EO) 14189 "Celebrating America's 250th Birthday" and EO 14314 "Making America Beautiful Again by Improving our National Parks" the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has identified this position as eligible for an exception to the 1039 hour time limitation for this position. This approval extends the time limitation to 1560 hours for this temporary seasonal appointment. 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 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. Must possess the ability to lift 50 lbs. 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. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. 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 windowLearn 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.