Biological Science Technician (Plants)

Summary Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource. This position is located in Marina or Santa Cruz, CA, and Bishop, CA. Visit Marina, CA , Santa Cruz, CA and Bishop, CA for information about the surrounding area. We expect to fill 3 vacancies, more vacancies may be filled if they become available. This is a temporary appointment. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status and will be for a period not-to-exceed 1039 hours in a service year. Learn more about this agency Duties Make observations and record data relating to plant studies; document occurrence and distribution of identified species; complete inventories for specific species in potential habitat areas, document locations using maps and GIS/GPS technology. Conducts botany inventories and studies which are similar to previous such efforts; analyze inventory or study data, and prepares data so as to be suitable for inclusion in plans or study. Researches and catalogues and identifies status of various species through current literature or other sources. Photograph, collect and mount plant specimens encountered at different stages of development; collect ecological site information for population distribution, condition, trend, associated species, geology and soil type. Collects ecological site information for sensitive, threatened, or endangered plants as well as conditions, trends, geology, and soil type to determine factors limiting distribution and potential for enhancement through management measures. Duties may include preparing reports and summarizing findings. Requirements Conditions of employment U.S. Citizenship is required. Be sure to read the 'How to Apply' and 'Required Documents' Sections. You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands. Direct Deposit Required. Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination. Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume. You must be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position. Must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position. The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), Local 2152, is the exclusive representative of all employees in this bargaining unit. Qualifications In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. Individual Occupational Requirements Experience may include: 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. (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 For GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as those shown above for GS-3. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position to be filled. The successful completion of a full course of study of at least 12 months in a school for clinical laboratory technicians may be substituted for the 1 year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level for positions involving microbiology and biochemistry technician work. Specialized Experience: For GS-5: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-4 level. Examples of specialized experience may include experience related to plant studies such as inventorying rare and endangered plants and species habitat based on guidelines; taking soil samples by layer; and taking root samples. -OR- Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree 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 have been directly related to the position to be filled. -OR- A combination of experience and education to meet total experience. For GS-06: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5 level. Examples of specialized experience may include experience related to plant studies such as surveying, mapping and documenting a variety of plant species and habitat conditions; compiling occurrence and distribution data, cover maps, and herbarium study mounts; assisting in performing habitat studies and in constructing habitat improvement structures; and compiling data obtained through soil inventory and assembling data into a logical sequence for review. -OR- Successful completion of 6 months of graduate study directly related to the work of the position. -OR- A combination of experience and education to meet total experience. For GS-07: One (1) year of specialized work experience equivalent to GS-6 level. Examples of specialized experience may include experience related to plant studies such as surveying, mapping and documenting a variety of plant species and habitat conditions; compiling occurrence and distribution data, cover maps, and herbarium study mounts; assisting in performing botanical studies and in constructing habitat improvement structures; compiling data obtained through soil inventory; and assembling data into a logical sequence for review. -OR- Successful completion of one full year of graduate education directly related to the work of the position. -OR- A combination of experience and education to meet total experience. Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. 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. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Physical Demands: Requires some physical exertion such as bending and walking in terrain that is rough, rocky mountainous and densely vegetated. required to lift and carry equipment necessary to efficiently perform the work of the position, and to provide for personal comfort and safety. This can include tools, personal protective equipment, food and water for extended periods of work away from vehicles. Work Environment: Work is performed in a setting that is adequately lighted, ventilated, cooled and heated. Fieldwork is subject to cuts and bruises, extreme, adverse weather conditions, and injuries and discomforts from pests or animals. Education Applicants may qualify for these positions based on experience, education, or an equivalent combination as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement. If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. See Required Documents section for more information. Additional information DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee. This position is not eligible for Telework. These positions are temporary and are expected to last for up to 6 months. These positions have no promotion potential, if you want to be considered for a higher grade you must apply for the higher grade. If selected from this announcement you may be rehired for identical positions without further competition based on work needs, funding, or any other condition of employment. If selected from this or a similar competitive, seasonal announcement, your appointment may be creditable for consideration under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA)?. The Act allows certain individuals, who have or had time-limited appointments at land management agencies, to compete for any permanent position in the competitive service under "internal" merit promotion procedures. For more information, see the section under Eligibility, which starts with Question #15 (Q15. Who is eligible for appointment under these provisions?). Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire Expand Hide  additional information 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.