Job Description

Summary

Biological Science Technicians perform field and technical work to monitor, manage, and protect natural resources, including plants, wildlife, avian resources, and their habitats.

The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge is April - October, but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding.

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Duties

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As a Biological Science Technician (Avian) your duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Collect detailed data on avian populations without direct daily supervision. Data are collected on abundance, behavior, habitat, sex and age structure, and seasonal movements.
• Work in remote field camps and operate and maintain equipment including, but not limited to: temporary structures, solar powered systems, bear protection tools, fuel-powered systems (e.g. gas generators, kerosene heaters) radios and satellite phones.
• Collect avian morphometric data, mark/recapture data and biological samples by capturing, measuring, and/or marking birds.
• Use field equipment including cameras, GPS equipment, binoculars, rangefinders and computers to tabulate, manage and analyze basic data on avian populations without direct daily supervision.
• Work in an office setting and enter biological and project data into databases and assist in drafting technical reports.

Additional duties for GS-05: You may implement established seabird monitoring and management projects; collect, organize, and summarize field data; and assist in the preparation of reports and project documentation.

Additional duties for GS-06: You may independently conduct seabird and habitat monitoring and management activities using established methods; operate and maintain specialized field equipment; organize and evaluate project data; and assist with project implementation, data analysis, and preparation of reports and plans.

Additional duties for GS-07: As a Crew leader you may be in a remote seabird monitoring site responsible for planning logistics, developing work plans/schedules, providing instruction, and working with others. You may organize, schedule, and execute established seabird monitoring and management projects; train personnel in seabird identification, survey and monitoring methods, data and sample collection, habitat assessment, mapping, and equipment use; ensure quality control of field data; evaluate and summarize project results; and prepare draft project reports and recommendations.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males must meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Occupancy of government quarters may be required.
• Government housing may be available but is not guaranteed.
• You may 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 on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and/or shift work.
• You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
• You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license will be required in such cases.
  • You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles.
• You may be required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
• You must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/19/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your 2 page resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess one of the following:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 level in the federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience may include:

1. conducting surveys of avian species or wildlife; recording scientific data and preparing reports;
2. assisting in collecting and recording information on avian species;
3. assisting in banding of avian species;
4. collecting, identifying, marking, sexing, weighing and measuring avian species; and
5. any other work that is performed in a controlled environment which includes research activity or control program work.

-OR-

B. Successfully completed a full 4-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 directly related to this occupation such as avian ecology, ornithology, wildlife biology, animal biology, field zoology, etc.(You must include a copy of your transcripts).

-OR-

C. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined. For example, six (6) months of specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement) combined with one year of education as outlined above (50% of the education above), along with 50% of the course-specific education stated above.

To qualify for this position at the GS-06 grade level, you must possess one of the following:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector). Specialized experience is experience that equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include:

1. Performing biological studies for determining the manner and extent to which avian populations are affected by management activities;
2. conducting avian surveys;
3. responsibility for field camp logistics;
4. participating in the development of work plans and schedules;
5. leading small groups of technicians and providing the necessary training in techniques and procedures; and
6. any other work that is performed in a controlled environment which includes research activity or control program work.

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess one of the following:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-06 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector). Specialized experience is experience that equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include:

1. Providing technical support to professional biologists in completing all phases of a biological study or project including: project planning, logistical arrangements, field work, correlation and analysis of data, and completion of reports or other documents related to the project;
2. leading a group of lower graded technicians in gathering field data;
3. work must be comprised of duties related to avian biology with responsibility for independently preparing final drafts of reports or sections of reports and applying a wide range of conventional, established approaches, methods, techniques and solutions to new situations.

-OR-

B. Successfully completed one full year (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) of graduate level course work, from an accredited college or university, leading to a Master's degree with a major study directly related to the position such as avian ecology, ornithology, wildlife management (birds), etc.

-OR-

C. Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined. For example, six (6) months of specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement) combined with one year of education as outlined above (50% of the education above), along with 50% of the course-specific education stated above.

NOTE: If you are qualifying based in part on education, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts.

Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sectors. The OPM Qualification Standards Handbook is available for review at: OPM Qualification Standards.

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 the interpretation of foreign education programs and that (1) deemed your education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program, or (2) given full credit for courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

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 salary range on this vacancy does not grant an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wages to calculate locality pay.

Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE 1039 hours anywhere in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (USFWS).

If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment combined total of 1039 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1039 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.

The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1039 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1039 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.

*This position may be filled under a temporary seasonal appointment not-to-exceed 1560 hours rather than 1039 hours depending on the refuge and program*

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work is may be sedentary it may also include prolonged standing, walking, and bending. Heavy items (e.g., packs and equipment up to 50 pounds) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The incumbent may spend 1-4 months at a remote site with 1-2 other people or the incumbent may spend 1-4 months in an office setting.

All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, .

Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) Statement :

The salary annotated on this announcement includes the locality, but does not include the additional cost-of-living allowance. The following areas on this announcement have additional cost of living (COLA) pay:

• Alaska

Please visit OPM's Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowances site to review COLA pay for the areas listed on this announcement.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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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.

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