Job Information
National Park Service Ecologist in Yosemite National Park, California
Summary This position is located in Yosemite National Park, in the Division of Resources Management and Science. This is a temporary promotion not to exceed 1 year, and can be extended up to 5 years. Open to the first 101 applicants or until 11/29/2024 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration. Responsibilities Serve as Ecologist under the direction of the Branch Chief of Aquatic Wildlife of the Resources Management and Science Division in Yosemite National Park. Develop and implement science-based ecological management mitigation strategies for aquatic wildlife. Use scientifically sound management and knowledge of aquatic ecology principles to mitigate or minimize proposed or planned project impacts to native aquatic species and habitat and to design and implement appropriate management actions to mitigate these threats and satisfy legal requirements. Lead or assist with minimal supervision in the planning, design, implementation, and resolution park compliance related document preparation pertaining to aquatic wildlife and associated habitats, including NEPA (e.g., Categorical Exclusions, Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact Statements), Biological Assessments for threatened and endangered species consultation (Section 7 Endangered Species Act, and Minimum Requirement Analyses for work in Wilderness settings. Implement effective ecologically-based aquatic wildlife management activities that include protection and restoration of threatened or endangered species (such as Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged frog, California Red-legged frog, Foothill Yellow-legged frog, Yosemite toad, and Western Pond turtle while controlling exotic animals such as American bullfrogs, crayfish and red-eared slider, through the development of management goals and objectives designed to achieve identified restoration goals, and implement effective monitoring strategies to ensure goals and objectives are met. Develop personal contacts with other ecologists, resource managers, and subject matter experts of other agencies to promote the core long-term mission of the agency in the preservation and effective management of natural resources. Perform long periods of indoor sedentary office work (document writing) as well as engage in strenuous work outdoors in physically dangerous areas (construction zones) or settings (helicopters) in all types of weather hiking long distances and carrying heavy objects. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship required. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program. Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service); with few exceptions as outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b). Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal civilian employees applying for reinstatement who have had a break in service of less than one year, as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointments. Time-in-grade does not apply to new excepted service appointments and must be met by the closing date of this announcement. You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. You may be required to work overtime. Government housing may be available. If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period. You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to two nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. May be made permanent without further competition. The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/29/2024-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 for each federal position listed as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of qualifying experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. To qualify for this position, you must meet BOTH the Basic Requirement and one of the Minimum Qualification Requirements as listed below. BASIC REQUIREMENT - You must meet the following basic requirement: EDUCATION: Successfully completed a 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. -AND- MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes the following activities: (1) conducting portions of studies or surveys to determine the health of or human impact on an ecological system; (2) entering data into established databases for statistical analysis; (3) maintaining sampling and other scientific equipment necessary for field studies; and (4) summarizing scientific data for inclusion in reports. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a field directly related to the work of the position, such as wildlife ecology, population ecology, landscape ecology, forest ecology, or ecology. You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the amount of completed qualifying doctoral level education and convert it to a percentage of the total educational requirement. NOTE: Only the graduate education in excess of 36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours or the equivalent may be creditable when combining. Then take the number of months of full time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. Then take the number of months of full time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. 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. Education To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. CTAP/ICTAP Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level on all competencies. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(2) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating, and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP/ICTAP eligible. If you are selected for Federal employment, you will be required to fill out a Declaration of Federal Employment, OF-306, prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. Failing to answer all questions truthfully and completely or providing false statements on your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for firing you after you begin work. Also, you may be punished by fine or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, section 1001). Additional Information A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. Physical Demands: The position may require strenuous physical activity including periods of standing, walking, climbing, and lifting and carrying heavy objects. Some activities will occur in physically dangerous areas or settings. Documentary research and report writing work is sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and write for long periods of time. Working Conditions: Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. Assignments may be performed in potentially hazardous areas including steep slopes, rocky terrain, volcanoes, caves, fire lines, arctic environments, swamps, deserts, and forests. Flying in fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters is possible. The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.