Ecologist

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-06/26/2024-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.

To qualify for this job series, you must possess the following basic education requirement by close of the announcement: Successfully completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher 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 transcripts.

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To qualify for this position at the GS-7 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

• SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: analyzing natural resource monitoring/data, developing or engaging rangeland, springs or riparian restoration planning, monitoring of water resources, conducting hydrologic investigations, preparing ecology portions of resources management plans for natural resources that requires the application of ecological principles; drafting natural resource specific action plans and strategies needed to successfully manage and protect natural ecosystems and environmental conditions; or prepare natural resource related portions of environmental assessments (EAs) for projects in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Experience equivalent to the GS-5 may be professional work at the developmental or trainee level. Generally technical work below the GS-7 level is not creditable. You must include hours per week worked.
• GRADUATE EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least one year (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) of progressively higher level graduate education from an accredited college or university in a field of study directly related to the position to be filled (ecology, biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research, fish and wildlife management, natural resource management, etc.) . You must include transcripts.
• Successful completion of a combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above. For example, I have 6 months of specialized experience as described above, and at least 9 semester hours (14 quarter hours) of graduate study as described above. You must include transcripts.
• Meet the criteria for Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) as evidenced by one of the three following methods: I am in the upper third of my graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR I have a GPA 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum, or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in my major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR I am a member in one of the national scholastic honor societies. Degree must be directly related to the position (ecology, biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research, fish and wildlife management, natural resource management, etc.)

To qualify for this position at the GS-9 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

• SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: analyzing natural resource monitoring/data, developing or engaging in rangeland, springs or riparian restoration planning, monitoring of water resources, conducting hydrologic investigations, preparing ecology portions of resources management plans for natural resources that requires the application of ecological principles; drafting natural resource specific action plans and strategies needed to successfully manage and protect natural ecosystems and environmental conditions; or prepare air and natural resource related portions of environmental assessments (EAs) for projects in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Generally technical work is not creditable. You must include hours per week worked.
• GRADUATE EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least two years (36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours) of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Master's degree or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college or university in a field of study directly related to the position to be filled (ecology, biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research, fish and wildlife management, natural resource management, etc.). You must include transcripts.
• Successful completion of a combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above.For example, I have 6 months of specialized experience as described above, and at least 27 semester hours (41 quarter hours) of graduate study as described above. Note: Only graduate education in excess of the first year may be used. 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.