Full Time during Summer
Major Duties
As a Biological Science Technician -Field Assistant with the U.S. Geological Survey, some of your specific duties will include:
•Assist research scientists in using acoustic telemetry to track fine scale movements of Invasive Carp
•Participate in fish surgeries, collect longitudinal data, andassist researchers in developing artificial intelligence models aimed at improving abundance modeling
•Operate a large range of field gear including electrofishing boats, backpack shockers, seines, mini fyke nets, hoop nets, trammel nets, and many other common and not so common gears for capturing fish
Physical Demands: Work is physically demanding and includes walking, bending, climbing, and lifting of equipment up to 100 pounds when in the field, sometimes during adverse conditions.
Work Environment: The work is performed in a laboratory or field environment. Field work involves moderate or sometimes extreme exposure to the discomforts of rain, cold/hot weather, and rapidly running or icy streams and rivers. Special safety precautions are required in many cases,andtheemployeemaytypicallywearlifejackets,specialsafetyboots,waders,andspecial handlinggear.Ifselected,youwillberequiredtocompleteapre-employmentphysical.
Education
If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) or list of course work, which includes semesterhours earned and grade received, by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. This proof may be faxed or emailed to the point of contact listed in this bulletin. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.
Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.usgs.gov/ohr/oars/quals/foreign.html.
Qualifications:
Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-5 level:One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 level in the Federal service that is in or related to the duties of this position. Specialized experience may include work as a technician or aid in a research activity or control program work, nursery work that required the growing and maintenance of plants in a controlled environment, or 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 if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. 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.
Examples of GS-4 level work assignments include: 1) recording instrument readings; 2) collecting a specified amount, quantity, and type of samples; 3) taking measurements; 4) operating basic equipment when performing standardized tests; 5) assisting higher level technicians with the operation of sophisticated equipment; 6) assisting higher level technicians in capturing, tagging, collaring and banding animals or fish. For examples 1-6, a designated authority made continuing assignments by initially indicating such criteria as the amount of work expected, a general explanation of what is to be done, advice on the location of reference material or samples, and the nature of the limits applicable to the assignments. Recurring assignments were carried out independently, within established procedures and with minimal instruction. New, difficult or unusual work assignments were given with specific instructions.
**OR applicants may substitute successful completion of a full four year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (a) with major study in an appropriate field of science (i.e., biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics) or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours, or the equivalent, in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours, or the equivalent, 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.
**OR a combination of successfully completed post-high school education and specialized experience may be used to meet the qualification requirements for GS-5. Only progressive education in excess of the first 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours (i.e., beyond the first two years) of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement, assuming the education includes the appropriate number of directly related semester hours, or the equivalent, in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics.