Duties
These are temporary appointments intended for seasonal work that is less than 6 months or 1040 hours from the date of appointment/service year. It is expected this position will be terminated upon completion of the seasons work. The agency may non-competitively rehire an eligible temporary seasonal worker in subsequent years who works less than 6 months or 1040 hours in their service year. At management's discretion, this appointment may be extended up to one-year with the possibility of extending an additional one-year.
The Alaska Region Fisheries Branch of the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service will be hiring numerous temporary/seasonal Biological Science Technicians for the 2024 field season to work on a variety of fisheries-related studies. Duty stations are located in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Soldotna.
Projects involve monitoring salmon runs using fish weirs, digital video equipment, and sonar, conducting abundance estimates of resident fish species, documenting fish movement using radio telemetry, sampling water quality, and performing fish habitat inventories. Technicians will perform fieldwork at various locations throughout the state, including remote areas in the Alaskan bush. Travel to field camps is primarily by small aircraft or boat. Please note that these positions are for the adventurous as harsh weather, an abundance of biting insects, and remote living conditions can be challenging. However, this rare opportunity to work with intact assemblages of native fish species, while surrounded by abundant wildlife and pristine wilderness, will more than compensate the tolerant individual.
- Assembles basic information on fish populations such as habitat use, sex, and age structure, seasonal movement, and harvest characteristics.
- Collects anatomical materials and makes preliminary assessment of such things as habitat preference and populations dynamics.
- Collects data on condition of fish habitat.
- Makes preliminary determinations of the cause of problems noted, i.e., drought, overpopulations, or toxins.
- Researches and extracts data from publications and manuscripts.
- Leads small group of technicians in gathering field data.
- Captures fish using nets and electro-fishing for study and measurement.
- Anesthetizes and attaches conventional tags or assists in attaching radio tags.
- Operates and assist in setting up and dismantling fish weirs and sonar equipment.
- Count and identifies fish through direct observation remote video monitoring, or sonar data files.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- Resume (See "Required Documents"). Failure to provide ALL required information on your resume will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is provided on resume.
- Eligibility and Supporting documents - You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to AND submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section.
- Suitability for employment, as determined by background investigation
- Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. To verify registration visit SSS.gov.
- Driver's License: Selectees will be required to possess and maintain a valid State driver's license at all times during their tenure.
- Firearm: Selectees will be required to carry a firearm in the performance of their duties.
- Drug Testing Position: Selectees tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
Qualifications
Only experience and education obtained by 11/06/2023 will be considered.
In order to qualify for this position you must possess the Minimum Qualification.
Minimum Qualification [GS-0404-05]:
- One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 grade level or higher in the Federal service, or equivalent non-Federal experience. Specialized experience includes: fish surveys and studies; recording information in legible form; accomplishing field assessments; assisting with collection, population determination, migration studies and species identification; participating in fishery management surveys; assisting with preparing plans and presentations. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified. -OR-
- A 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university that included at least 6-semester hours of coursework directly related to the position being filled, such as fishery biology, ichthyology, limnology, aquaculture, etc. -OR-
- A combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement; including at least 6-semester hours of coursework directly related to the position being filled, such as fishery biology, ichthyology, limnology, aquaculture, etc. (Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours may be used in this calculation).
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
PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts.
PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.
GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education. For further information, visit:
Additional information
PCS Information: No PCS entitlements authorized.
Telework: This position is suitable for telework only in an emergency or natural disaster.
Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area.
Temporary Benefits: Most Federal employees earn both annual and sick leave. For additional information, visit Leave Administration. Effective January 2015, employees on temporary appointments may be eligible for health benefits through the Federal Employees Health Benefits program and, if eligible, will receive the same government contribution as full-time permanent employees. To be eligible for consideration, temporary employees working full-time or part-time must be on appointments expected to last at least 90 days, or be on an intermittent work schedule and expected to work 130 hours per month for at least 90 days. Employees electing to participate in the FEHB will be responsible for the employee share of the premium while on the official agency roles, which is deducted from bi-weekly earnings. After separating from federal employment, employees will be offered to continue participation in FEHB under the Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) option. Employees electing to continue coverage under the TCC provision will be responsible for the full premium amount plus a 2% administration fee.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): CTAP/ICTAP provides placement assistance to permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, applicants must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), score at least 85 on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.
For Information On CTAP And ICTAP Visit
- 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.
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.