Biological Science Technician (USDA APHIS Wildlife Services)

OPEN DATE: March 9, 2021

CLOSING DATE: March 23, 2021

POSITION TITLE: Biological Science Technician

AGENCY: United States Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services

TYPE OF POSITION: Term Appointment with possibility for Benefits, Excepted Service. Not to Exceed 13 months (may be extended up to 4 years). 

WORK SCHEDULE: This is a full-time maxi-flex position, 80-hour pay period, occasional overtime. NTE 13 months with possibility of renewal at end of term. Person selected for this position will not begin until after May 9, 2021.

LOCATION: 1 position, Kapolei, Oahu HI.  Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty to this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

SALARY:

• AD-3 $13.87 - $18.03
• AD-4 $15.57 - $20.24
• AD-5 $17.42 - $22.65

In addition to salary, selectee will be eligible for Cost of Living Allowance based on location. Salary will be based on previous work/experience and education.

ANNOUNCEMENT #: WSWR-2021-HI42

SERIES/GRADE: AD-0404-3/4/5

FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL: AD-0404-5

WHO MAY APPLY:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be 18 years old
• If you are a male born after December 31, 1959 and are at least 18 years of age, civil service employment law (5 U.S.C. 3328) requires that you must be registered with the Selective Service System, unless you meet certain exemptions (proof of registration and/or exemption required). Website: http://www.sss.gov.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: 

1. Resume-that supports your specialized experience as required in the announcement, resume should be in (month/ year) format and include the number of hours worked per week and the pay grade or equivalent work level.
2. Transcripts (if qualifying on education)
3. DD-214 (Member 4 copy) and/or VA letter required for applicable Veteran preference.
4. Current active duty members must submit a certification that they are expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.

HOW TO APPLY: Additional materials not listed above (i.e. position descriptions, training certificates, etc.) may not be considered. Applicants who do not submit the required items listed above may not be considered. Applications with all supporting documents must be submitted to the contact office and must be RECEIVED by the CLOSING DATE of this announcement. Interested individuals should send a resume, transcripts, veteran documentation (if applicable) to the address listed here:

CONTACT OFFICE:
Gabrielle Mendoza, Administrative Support Assistant
USDA Wildlife Services
3375 Koapaka St Suite H-420
Honolulu, HI 96819
Gabrielle.n.mendoza@.usda.gov
808-838-2846

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you should need the forms identified in above paragraph, feel free to contact 808-838-2846 for a copy.

DUTIES:

The incumbent will provide technical assistance and conduct wildlife damage management activities in an integrated wildlife damage management (WDM) approach to prevent or reduce economic loss to property and agriculture or to protect human health and safety. 

Incumbent will be required to be familiar with and to use various devices, tools, firearms, toxicants, pyrotechnics and related equipment used in wildlife damage management.

Incumbent will be expected to be able to identify damage from wildlife species as it pertains to airports, and the incumbent will be expected to assist in the implementation of appropriate corrective action, if warranted.

The incumbent complies with federal, state, and local regulations and assists airports with compliance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), Endangered Species Act, Federal Air Regulations, NEPA, and Department of Defense Regulations.

Incumbent participates in required training sessions, on-the-job developmental activities and temporary details.

Incumbent presents program information and conducts training for various groups, including airport organizations, educational institutions, industry groups, and state extension programs.

Incumbent may be required to pass Certified Applicator examination, as required of persons who use restricted-use pesticides.

Incumbent must demonstrate a respect for safety in all operations, including the operation of motor vehicles, firearms, control devices, and equipment.

MINIMUM ELIGIBLITY REQUIREMENTS:

To qualify, applicants MUST meet all minimum qualification requirements, except Medical Requirements, by the closing date of the announcement.

Specialized Experience Requirements AD-0404-03/04/05 Biological Science Technician:
Applicants can qualify by meeting the experience or education requirements specified below:

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

General Experience at the AD-0404-3 Grade Level:
Applicant must have 6 months of work experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position or experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of occupation.

OR
Education Substitution at the GS-3 Level:

Successful completion of l year of study that included at least 6 semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics.

OR
Combination of Education and Experience at the GS-3 Level:

Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level.

Specialized experience at the AD-0404-4 Grade Level:

Applicant must have 6 months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience to perform the work of the position. This experience may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors. Must demonstrate experience in:

• Using wildlife damage control techniques (including, but not limited to) predator, rodent and bird control toxicants, techniques, traps, snares and formulating scents and baits;
• Prepare reports regarding activities, observations, events, and other relevant data collected;
• Inspect and survey areas with the ability to recognize various wildlife;
• Meeting and communicating with individuals or groups; and
• Recognize habits, characteristics, and habitats occupied by a variety of avian and mammalian wildlife species.

OR
Education at the AD-4
For AD-4: Successful completion of 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of 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 the position to be filled (Wildlife).

Specialized experience at the AD-0404-5 Grade Level:
Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the next lower level (AD-4) in the Federal service. This experience may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors. Must demonstrate experience in:

• Identifying North American wildlife species.
• The principles of wildlife ecology and management.
• Conducting basic computer operations for record keeping, data analysis, report writing and correspondence
• Selecting appropriate wildlife damage management strategies, techniques, and tools and apply them to specific situations

OR
Education substitution at the AD-5 Level:
For AD-5: A full four-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 biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been in wildlife related.

TRANSCRIPTS are required if:

You are qualifying for the position based on education.
You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.
This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Must obtain or have a valid U.S. driver’s license. Operation of Government-owned or leased vehicles is required.
• As a condition of employment, appropriate security clearance is required for this position.
• Position is subject to random and applicant drug testing.
• Must have a knowledge of and be capable of using:
  • Working with the public and other cooperating agencies
  • Communication skills
  • Electronic equipment (GPS, Trimble, computer)
• Must demonstrate a respect for safety in all operations, including the operation of motor vehicles, firearms, control devices, and equipment.
• In order to perform the essential duties of this position, you must have the legal and physical ability to possess and discharge firearms. You must be able to pass a government background check and meet any additional requirements to carry and use firearms. A background check will include answering questions about where you’ve lived, worked, went to school, and any military history or police records. Selection and retention in this position is contingent on a successfully adjudicated FBI National Criminal History Check (fingerprint check).

Emergency Response – APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. It is difficult to predict the frequency with which such emergency situations may occur – and could range from several emergencies in a year to none over the course of many years. In the event that you are called upon to support an emergency program, this may require irregular working hours, including overtime, and may include duties other than those specified in your official position description. While some emergency program support assignments may be able to be performed at the employee’s current duty station, in other cases employees may be asked to go on-site to a temporary duty state location. In addition, it may be necessary for employees to participate in multiple rotations to an emergency program assignment. Attempts will be made to keep disruption to the employee to a minimum.

Failure to follow application instructions regarding filing appropriate forms and answering questions may result in loss of employment considerations for this position. All applications must be signed, dated, and received by the closing date of this announcement.

NOTE: APPLICANTS FOR THIS POSITION WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT TO URINALYSIS TO SCREEN FOR ILLEGAL DRUG USE PRIOR TO APPOINTMENT. APPOINTMENT TO THE POSITION WILL BE CONTINGENT UPON A NEGATIVE DRUG TEST RESULT. INCUMBENTS OF THIS POSITION WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT TO URINALYSIS TO SCREEN FOR ILLEGAL DRUG USE ON AN ONGOING BASIS AFTER APPOINTMENT, AS DIRECTED.

Carrying a firearm is a condition of employment – In the passing of the Lautenberg Amendment, Congress passed legislation which prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. If selected you will be required to sign the form, “Inquiry for Positions Requiring Possession of Firearms,” certifying that you meet this criteria.

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Reasonable Accommodation Policy-

Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a Case-by-Case basis.

A reasonable accommodation is any change in the workplace or the way things are customarily done that provides an equal employment opportunity to an individual with a disability. Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) must provide reasonable accommodations:

• An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.
• An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.

An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events. 
Relocation costs will not be paid for this position.

**Drug testing and fingerprint cards have been suspended until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to continue employment, selectees will still be required to successfully pass drug tests and submit fingerprint cards once these items are reinstated.**