VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
OPEN DATE: December 17, 2018
CLOSING DATE: December 24, 2018
POSITION TITLE: Biological Science Technician (Wildlife)
NUMBER OF VACANCIES: 1
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: Full Time
ANNOUNCEMENT #: IL-WS 12-2018-1
SERIES/GRADE: GS-0404-5/6
FULL PERFORMANCE
LEVEL: GS-0404-6
LOCATION: IL WS State Office, Springfield, IL (Relocation expenses will not be paid)
SALARY: $33,394 - $48,385 per year
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:
- Resume
- Transcripts (if qualifying on education)
- DD-214 (Member 4 copy) and/or VA letter required for applicable Veteran preference.
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.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Wildlife Services
3430 Constitution Dr.
Suite 121
Springfield
IL, 62711
Voice 217.241.6700
Fax 217.241.6702
An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
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, and veteran documentation (if applicable) to:
Travis Guerrant, Assistant State Director
3430 Constitution Dr., Suite 121
Springfield, IL 62711
Travis.Guerrant@aphis.usda.gov (preferred method)
217-241-5731 (office)
DUTIES:
- Incumbent is responsible for assisting the Supervisor/State Director in organizing, planning, conducting, and implementing direct control operations with a large geographical area. Incumbent manages damage caused by avian and mammalian wild animals which cause damage to livestock, poultry, crops, property, natural resources, human health, and/or human safety.
- Incumbent must be highly skilled in the use of various available control devices (including firearms, pesticides, and binary explosives) according to laws, policies, regulations, and written/verbal instructions. Incumbent may be required to pass examinations to become certified to apply pesticides within six months of appointment to the position.
- Incumbent will conduct wildlife damage management activities where there is a demonstrated need consistent with the planned use of any given area and to the extent necessary to prevent or reduce economic loss to property, agriculture, or to protect human health and safety.
- Incumbent will collect biological specimens for wildlife disease surveillance and management purposes.
- Incumbent will work in close cooperation with Federal, State and other government< agencies and organizations and assures to the extent possible that control methods are efficient, selective, and based on sound biological and ecological principles.
- Incumbent will instruct employees and private individuals with the most current animal depredation management techniques.
- Incumbent will assist in the negotiation of cooperative service agreements with landowners, lessees or administrators to accomplish the goals outlined for the WS Program.
- Incumbent will prepare and submit routine and special reports regarding daily, weekly or monthly activities, observations, events and other relevant data collected.
- Incumbent must demonstrate a respect for the need for safety in all operations including the operation of boats, motor vehicles, firearms, control devices, pesticides and equipment.
MINIMUM ELIGIBLITY REQUIREMENTS:
To qualify, applicants MUST meet all minimum qualification requirements, except Medical
Requirements, by the closing date of the announcement.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
GS-404-05 LEVEL - SPECIALIZED 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
Education Substitution at the GS-5 Level:
GS-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.
OR
Combination of Education & Experience at the GS-05 Grade 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.
GS-404-06 LEVEL – ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE GS 0404-05 LEVEL AND
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE IN:
- Dealing with human-wildlife conflicts and principles of wildlife damage management
- The requirements of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), Endangered Species Act,
National Environmental Policy Act, and Federal Air Regulations
- Conducting wildlife counts and abundance surveys
- The use of firearms, traps, snares, pesticides, immobilizing drugs, pyrotechnics,
electronic harassment devices, and other non-lethal control tools
Education Substitution at the GS-6 Level:
Graduate education that included at least 18 semester hours with an emphasis in Wildlife.
Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.
OR
Combination of Education & Experience at the GS-6 Grade Level:
Equivalent combinations of successful completed education and experience may be used to meet the total qualification requirements. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED
Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications may be referred to the hiring manager for selection. Qualified candidates eligible for veterans’ preference will receive referral and selection priority over non-veterans.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: (if applicable to your position)
- Must obtain or have a valid Illinois driver’s license. Operation of Government-owned or leased vehicles is required. (if this applies)
- As a condition of employment, appropriate security clearance is required for this position.
- Position is subject to random and applicant drug testing.
- 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.
See this link: https://www.usajobs.gov//Help/working-in-government/fair-andtransparent/
signature-false-statements/
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.
An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
