Seasonal Biological Science Technician

Full Job Description

The purpose of the position is to perform biological science tasks common to natural resource management.

Technician work is typically associated with and supportive of a professional field; work may involve substantial elements of the work of the professional field but requires less than full knowledge of the field involved.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/26/2026-unless otherwise stated in this announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience.

To receive credit for experience, your 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.

GS-04: To qualify, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications: EXPERIENCE: At least 6 months general experience AND 6 months of specialized experience for a total of 1 year of experience.

General Experience is any type of work that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of the position, or experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter; Specialized Experience demonstrates that you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties.

Examples of qualifying specialized experience include assisting in conducting biological field studies and surveys and assembling the information.

Follow standardized procedures to collect data on condition of resources. Use statistical methods and procedures to perform routine testing of field data collected.

Assist in vegetation and soils mapping. Develop improved methods of controlling weeds and/or plant/wildlife/aquatic diseases or other related work etc.

Excess specialized experience can be substitute for general experience.

You must include hours per week worked.-OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 2 years of education above high school (60 semester hours) which included at least 12 semester hours of scientific or technical courses, such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture or mathematics.

At least 6 semester hours are directly related to the position. You must include transcripts.-OR- COMBINATION of education and experience as described above which total 100 percent.

For example, 6 months of specialized experience (50% of the experience) combined with 1 year of education as outlined above (50% of the education), which included at least 6 semester hours of scientific or technical courses and at least 3 semester hours of directly related course.

You must include hours per week worked and include transcripts.

GS-05: To qualify, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

This experience includes activities such as conducting biological field studies and surveys and assembling the information.

Follow standardized procedures to collect data on Wildlife, Fisheries, or plants. Use statistical methods and procedures to perform testing of field data collected.

Installs, operates, and maintains resource management equipment (tools, sampling and monitoring, photographic, and laboratory equipment) prepares graphs, charts, and illustrations for reports and technical publications relating to biological management activities.

You must include hours per week worked.

-OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of scientific or technical courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture or mathematics.

At least 6 directly related semester hours are to the position.

You must include transcripts.-OR- Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above which total 100 percent.

Only education beyond the 60 semester hours is considered qualifying when combined with specialized experience.

For example, 6 months of specialized experience (50% of the experience) and 90 semester hours with at least 12 semester hours related to the position and 3 hours directly related to the position (50 % of the education) is qualifying.

You must include hours per week worked and include transcripts.

GS-06: To qualify, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

This experience includes activities such as collecting, analyzing and processing samples, performing laboratory work, assisting in the management of field projects, collecting, processing and managing field data, and performing habitat restoration through management of exotics and/or native planting.

Use statistical methods and procedures to perform testing of field data collected.

Installs, operates, and maintains resource management equipment (tools, sampling and monitoring, photographic, and laboratory equipment) prepares graphs, charts, and illustrations for reports and technical publications relating to plant management activities.

Assist in the development of improved methods of controlling weeds and plant diseases or other related work etc. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 1 year of graduate education that is directly related to the work of the position. You must include transcripts.

-OR- Successful completion of a COMBINATION of graduate education and experience as described above which total 100 percent.

For example, 6 months of specialized experience (50% of the experience) and 9 semester hours directly related to the position (50% of the education) is qualifying.

You must include hours per week worked and include transcripts.

GS-07: To qualify, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

This experience includes activities such as assist in planning and implementation of resource management plant, wildlife, and fisheries censuses and surveys.

Use statistical methods and procedures to perform testing of field data collected.

Install, operate, and maintain resource management equipment, prepare graphs, charts, and illustrations for reports and technical publications relating to plant management activities.

Organize, schedule, and execute a wide variety of established natural resource management projects. Plan field projects, choose possible courses of action at different stages of each project.

You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 1 year of graduate education that is directly related to the work of the position.

You must include transcripts. -OR- Successful completion of a COMBINATION of graduate education and experience as described above which total 100 percent.

For example, 6 months of specialized experience (50% of the experience) and 9 semester hours directly related to the position (50% of the education) is qualifying.

You must include hours per week worked and 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. Major Duties:

Some of the duties you will perform include: Complete a variety of natural resource projects including vegetation, habitat and wildlife monitoring.

Utilize a variety of computer programs to compile, store, retrieve, analyze and report data including Geographic Information System.

Work with higher graded staff to develop preliminary results and draft annual reports for field work. Work both independently and as a member of a team/field crew.

Assist with a variety of natural resource tasks, both in the field and in the office. Duties will increase in complexity at the higher grade levels.

At the GS-06 and 07 level, you will be expected to work both independently and as a lead for a two-to-three-person field crew.

You will serve as a Motorboat Operator, transporting park staff, volunteers, researchers and cooperators.

The islands are reached by boat, and you should be able to get on and off boats readily, hike long distances, and carry 50 pounds. Additional Park Information: Isle Royale National Park.

Government Housing IS available. Isle Royale National Park is a water-based park and travel by motorboat is required to conduct fieldwork. Federal motorboat operation training is provided and required.

With numerous lakes and native wildlife such as moose and wolves, the park offers a superb setting for recreational opportunities.

Isle Royale is located approximately 70 miles north of the park's administrative headquarters in Houghton, MI.

The incumbent will be duty stationed on the island and is required to occupy government quarters. Rent will be paid by the incumbent based on OMB Circular 45 guidelines.

Isle Royale is 99% federally-designated Wilderness with no roads, few telephones, no cellular coverage, limited amenities and limited opportunity to travel to the mainland.

Internet access for personal business on government computers is permitted during non-business hours.

Groceries and other supplies are delivered weekly or bi-weekly depending on incumbent's specific duty station on the island.

To protect Isle Royale's fauna from disease and other maladies, pets are prohibited. Recruiting at all grade levels. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (U.S. National Park Service).

Government Housing MAY be available. Apostle Islands (APIS) National Lakeshore is located at the northern tip of the Bayfield Peninsula of Wisconsin 75 miles east of Duluth, Minnesota.

APIS is a unit of the National Park system and contains 21 islands are spread over a portion of Lake Superior that is nearly 290,000 acres in size - an area larger than Rocky Mountain National Park - that is only accessible by boat.

Eighty percent of the park is with the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness Area. The Lakeshore headquarters and duty station is located in Bayfield, Wisconsin, a small lakefront community.

The communities of Washburn and Ashland are 12 and 23 miles respectively to the south.

Bayfield County has thousands of acres of public lands including national forest, national lakeshore, county forest, and public/private conservancy areas.

There is a rich culture and arts community, including live music "under the tent" at Big Top Chautauqua.

Schools (K-12) and health clinics are available near all three communities, with a hospital and specialty care available in Ashland. Recruiting at the GS-05/06/07 grade levels.

GS-06/07: Federal motorboat operation training is provided and required at these grade levels.

GS-07 level: You must also be able to hold a Non-LE firearms certification to serve as a member of the Bear Incident response team.