Job Description

Summary

You will serve as a Biological Science Technician (Wildlife) at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport, MA, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. You will support a dynamic team conducting wildlife surveys, ecological studies, habitat restoration, data analysis, trail maintenance, heavy equipment operations, and more.

This vacancy is limited to 50 applications and may close early. If the application limit is reached the announcement will close at 11:59pm ET that day.

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Duties

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Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Assists in planning and conducting wildlife surveys, censuses, and biological studies to support wildlife management activities.
• Conducts wildlife capture, tagging, tracking, and collection of biological and spatial data.
• Monitors wildlife habitats, vegetation, environmental conditions, invasive plants, and disease outbreaks.
• Collects, maintains, and analyzes biological data using databases, GIS, and statistical software to prepare technical reports.
• Operates and maintains field equipment, vehicles, motorboat, agricultural tractor, GPS units, and other tools used in wildlife studies.
• Provides technical guidance and work direction to biological technicians, volunteers, and youth conservation personnel.
• Assists with habitat management activities, environmental education, and prescribed fire or wildland firefighting duties as assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit .
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within 50 miles of the duty location.You must provide proof of residency.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probation your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/09/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. All candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements.

To receive credit for experience, 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 at the GS-7 grade level you must meet one of the below requirements:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: conducting wildlife surveys and biological field studies; collecting, recording, and analyzing wildlife or habitat data; assisting with wildlife management or habitat restoration activities; operating heavy equipment, such as tractors or other motorized equipment, in support of habitat management, maintenance, or related field operations; utilizing field equipment, GPS, GIS, or other data management systems to support biological studies. -OR-
• Education: Successful completion of one full year of graduate-level education directly related to the work of the position, such as wildlife biology, ecology, natural resource management, or a closely related field. Graduate education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position. You must include transcripts. -OR-
• Combination of education and experience: You may qualify through a combination of directly related graduate-level education and specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level. To determine if you qualify, divide the number of graduate semester hours completed by 18 (one full academic year), then divide the number of months of qualifying specialized experience by 12. Add the two percentages together. The total must equal at least 100% to qualify. You must include transcripts. Example: 9 graduate semester hours (50%) combined with 6 months of qualifying specialized experience (50%) equals 100% and meets the qualification requirement.

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

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education.

Additional information

This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within the defined local commuting area at the time of application. For this announcement, the local commuting area is the area from which individuals can reasonably commute to the duty station under normal conditions. The defined vicinity for this position is: 50 miles within the duty location. You must provide proof of residency within the defined vicinity (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy, etc.). See the Required Documents section for information on how to verify current residence.

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

Physical Demands/ Working Conditions: The position involves a combination of office and outdoor fieldwork, requiring prolonged walking over rough or uneven terrain, bending, crouching, climbing, and lifting or carrying equipment weighing up to 35 pounds. Fieldwork may occur in remote locations under adverse weather conditions, with exposure to temperature extremes, insects, vegetation, dust, and noise. Travel may involve small boats, canoes, or aircraft. Office duties require extended periods of computer use for data processing and analysis.

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, .

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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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