Seasonal Ecologist

Full Job Description

The incumbent serves as a technical advisor in ecology for one or more parks to apply a systems approach to the study and analysis of organisms and ecological relationships.

The ecologist is responsible for program development and implementation.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-03/16/2026-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.

Basic Education Requirement: Possess 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.

-AND- To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

This experience includes activities such as: conducting ecological or vegetation monitoring studies; managing and entering ecological data into database systems; assisting in analyzing ecological data and preparing reports for management.

You must include hours per week worked.

-AND EDUCATION: Possess at least 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. You must include transcripts.

-OR- COMBINATION: Have an equivalent combination of such education and experience.

For example, I have six months of specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours of directly related graduate level education in an accredited educational institution (50% of the qualifying education).

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. Major Duties:

Major Duties: Following established procedures and within a defined scope, the incumbent conducts scientifically credible protection, mitigation, and restoration projects to prevent resource damage, to restore and/or maintain the integrity of critical habitats, native plant and animal communities, managed landscapes, and physical resources, and to minimize human activities that impact resources.

Makes field resource observations. Evaluates conditions and problems and recommends management actions based on existing guidelines and plans.

Leads field crews of seasonal staff, interns, youth crews, and volunteers in resources management and landscape projects; Provides advice, assistance and training/orientation on park resources as well as resource management activities and procedures.

Prepares management and scientific reports regarding the results of protection, mitigation, restoration, reintroduction, inventory, monitoring, and research activities; Prepares management plans and SOPs to ensure resource management quality and consistency.

Incorporates appropriate GIS technology into job to provide comprehensive and scientifically accurate assessment and tracking of natural resources and projects.

Uses automated methods of data collection, analysis or illustration. Inputs data into digital form and uses computer applications for data analysis, manipulation, and presentation.