Biological Science Technician (Plants) (Temporary)

About the role

You will serve as a Biological Science Technician (Plants) (Temporary) performing field and technical work to monitor, manage, and protect natural resources, including plants, wildlife, aquatic resources, and their habitats. Likely Entry on Duty: February to March 2027. Open to the first 100 applicants or until 11/16/2026 whichever comes first.

All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

What you will do

• Manages invasive plant populations and restores disturbed sites using best available methods in accordance with established policy and standards, applying experimental methods when needed.
• Collects, cleans, and stores native plant materials for subsequent propagation, seeding, and transplanting; manages and inventories materials and plants in a nursery; outplants and provides post-planting care.
• Produces containerized plants from seed collections and cuttings; maintains these and other plant materials received from government cooperators and private growers in good condition.
• Develops annual nursery and plant propagation work plans based on restoration priorities, species lists, and quantities established by supervisor.
• Manage and analyze data using spreadsheet, database, statistical, and GIS software.
• Develops seasonal and weekly work plans for vegetation staff and partners in coordination with supervisor; independently sets daily schedules and trains staff in work protocols.
• Collects field data to monitor all vegetation management actions; updates and improves protocols as needed; completes required reporting for all vegetation management actions.
• Conduct vegetation sampling in remote wilderness settings.
• Additional duties for GS9: Executes complex invasive plant management operations, providing technical leadership in the identification, monitoring, mapping, and implementation of treatments for invasive species; ensures adherence to established protocols and safety standards and evaluates treatment effectiveness to inform adaptive management strategies.
• Develops successful field and greenhouse propagation techniques for native species through review of scientific literature, discussions with subject matter experts in plants and restoration ecology, and experimentation for a limited number of species as needed.
• Develops outyear work plans and completes analytical reporting on vegetation management tasks; develops novel protocols for vegetation management; coordinates with partners to develop and improve resource management strategies.
• Following established procedures and within a defined scope, conduct scientifically credible forest plot data collection.
• Plans and executes multi-day backcountry field data collection trips into the backcountry.
• Leads field crews on backcountry field data collection trips, prioritizing safety and scientific validity of data collection efforts; making independent decisions in the field that align with safety and project goals.

Requirements

• 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.
• Use find a park to contact specific parks for more information on government housing.
• You may be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards.
• A uniform allowance will be provided.
• Pre-employment and random drug testing may be required.
• You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
• 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 possess a Class A or B Commercial Driver's License.
• You may be required to handle/apply pesticide and/or herbicide.
• 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.

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. ***

How you will be evaluated

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be lowered and/or adjusted accordingly.

If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. 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. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category.

Veterans with a service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher.

Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into the following categories: Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position.

Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job.

Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Botany Horticulture Leadership Technical Competence Technology Application If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, the agency will expand the group of candidates in accordance with the pre-announced supplement strategy and 5 CFR 332.402(f).

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Documents you must provide

• Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time).
• Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank.
• Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted.
• The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text.
• All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression.
• Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
• Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements.
• If you have federal experience, you should include series, and grade for each position held, and if experience is part of a career ladder position, you must clearly distinguish the job duties and length of time working for each grade level.
• More information on how to write a Federal Resume: *** Complete All Required Assessment.
• All college transcript(s), if qualifying based on education.
• Please submit both undergraduate and graduate level transcripts, as applicable.
• Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable.
• Veterans must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (member 4 copy) or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15.
• If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15.
• You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from *** or call ***.
• If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active-duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
• Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): You MUST submit proof of eligibility including 1) copy of the agency notice, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc.; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal.
• To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be well qualified.
• For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).
• Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
• It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
• Do not submit photographs with your application package.
• Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from all documents.
• Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.
• Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

What to expect next

Please refer to your USAJOBS account for application status; the Human Resources Office cannot respond to individual status inquiries. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position.

After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application. You can find your path with the Department of Interior at *** Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration.

We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement. Applicants will get a response from this announcement by approximately December to January.

Additional information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. This is a temporary position expected to last 1 Year but may be extended up to a maximum of two years based on agency needs and potential funding. 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. Some positions filled may be covered by a collective bargaining agreement Click here for the OPM Salaries and Wages to calculate locality pay. 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 partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required. Heavy items (e.g., packs and equipment up to 50 pounds) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis. WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work is performed in an office, laboratory, and in the field.

Field work includes exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, pesticides, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals. Laboratory work may involve exposure to hazardous chemicals. Backcountry travel will include approximately 10-21 days per month.

Work will include multi day backcountry travel, mountainous terrain, and stream crossing. 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, *** Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP).

To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.