Biological Science Technician

Hiring Organization: USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station (NRS)
Employment type: Seasonal
Job Location: Kane, Pennsylvania
Application Due Date: December 6, 2024

Sets up laboratory equipment for making a variety of scientific measurements and observations of sample materials gathered from experimental field plots.
Performs technical assignments involving techniques and practices used in the operation and maintenance of controlled environment greenhouses and growth chambers for seedling production.
Tasks would include growing tree seedlings and other plants in containers in greenhouses and outdoors, preparation of seed, and media, planting seed, fertilizing, irrigating, controlling insects and diseases.
Tasks would include maintaining proper environmental conditions in the greenhouse and maintaining accurate records for chemical applications, cultural treatments and seedling inventories.
Locates study areas and study plots by driving on unimproved roads, interpreting maps and aerial photos, determining scale of aerial photos, running compass lines.
Locates study areas and study plots by using laser hypsometers in accordance to the requirements of a study plan or instructions of supervisor.
Assists in setting up equipment for performing field tests and studies (e.g., phenological assessments, vegetation surveys, effects of climate change and silvicultural treatments etc.).
Observes, measures, and records a variety of scientific phenomena that affect forest, range, or watershed conditions.
Gathers data on such things as phenology, temperature, humidity, soil characteristics, precipitation, growth and mortality, cover types, species identification, diameters, height and age of trees.
Gathers data on such things as shrub and ground cover vegetation characteristics, and amount and type of recreational use.
Programs, downloads and maintains scientific or precision instruments, environmental monitoring sensors, germinators, growth chambers, weather stations , and other apparatus as required.
Collects biological and vegetation specimens and samples and prepares them for analysis.
Is responsible for the accumulation, coding, transcription and processing of information; edits and corrects records; and provides quality control of automatic data processing entries.
Summarizes results and prepares graphs and charts using standard statistical methods according to instructions.
Oversees one or two employees in performing one or more of these duties.

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Conditions of Employment

You must be a US Citizen or US National.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
Direct Deposit Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing.
Must be 18 years of age.
Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-Verify.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

GS-05: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-4 grade level; OR a bachelor's degree or 4 years of successfully completed education above high school (120 semester/180 quarter hours) 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 and at least 6 semester hours of courses must be directly related to the position to be filled.; OR combinations of successfully completed post-high school education (in excess of the first 60 semester/90 quarter hours) and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university.

Examples of specialized experience include: Participating in biological / natural resource projects by assisting with measurements, recording observations, and assisting with the collection of biological & vegetation specimens.

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.

To receive consideration for this position, you must provide updated required documents and meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Additional information

PLEASE NOTE: This vacancy is being used to fill positions for FY2025 Temporary Employment Hiring season. The expected start date for this position will be between April 20, 2025 to June 15, 2025.

By selecting the "Location Negotiable" option during the application process, implies your willingness to be considered for any official duty location listed on this announcement and/or those duty locations not listed for this Regional announcement. Pay rates vary depending on location. The salary shown is for the Rest of the U.S. See OPM.gov for additional information on pay rates.

This position is temporary, has a Not-to-Exceed date and will be filled for up to 6 months or as a not to exceed (NTE) 1 year, however an extension of the appointment may be possible without further competition. The appointment may also end early due to lack of work or lack of funds.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other groups within the Region who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in any of the geographic location(s) listed on the announcement. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.

The duty station for this position will be at one of the duty locations listed in this announcement. Salary range as shown is the locality pay Rest of U.S. (RUS). Pay rates vary by location. Please visit the Office of Personnel Management's website for additional information on pay rates.

The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP eligible must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered.

If you are retired from the Federal Government and are selected for this vacancy, your retirement annuity may be offset from your pay.

This position is not eligible for telework.

Availability of government housing and federal day care facilities will vary by location.

Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.

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