Biological Science Technician (Fish)

Summary

You will serve as a Biological Science Technician (Fish) with US Fish and Wildlife Service.

This position will support fish tagging, data collection, and data analysis efforts to measure the movement, growth, post-release survival, wild recruitment, and the general efficacy of salmon and trout stocking programs in the Great Lakes.

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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:

• Conduct fishery assessments in the Great Lakes. Interact with the public to collect and record biological, environmental, and spatial data, and collect biological specimens (e.g., scales, otoliths, tissue samples) from angler-caught fish at Great Lakes boat landings, streams, fish cleaning stations, weirs, fishing tournaments and other venues. Assist with the preparation and organization of all necessary equipment for data collection activities.
• Laboratory processing of biological specimens collected during fishery surveys, including but not limited to 1) dissection of fish snouts to recover coded-wire tags from tagged fish, 2) reading and recording coded-wire tag numbers under a scope, 3) pressing fish scales into acetate slides, and encasing, cutting, and polishing otoliths, to prepare for age estimation analysis, and 4) data entry and validation.
• Assist with coded-wire tagging operations in federal and state fish hatcheries. Duties when on such missions include clipping fins and tagging fingerling fish by hand, loading fish from hatchery raceways into the AutoFish tagging trailer, and assisting with other tasks.
• Estimate the age of untagged fish from calcified structures (e.g., scales, otoliths, dorsal spines, maxillae) collected during fishery surveys.
• Assist biologists with management, organization, and quality control of biological databases using geographic information systems and other software (e.g., Survey123, ArcGIS Pro, Microsoft Excel/Access). Assist with creating and managing data platforms in the ArcGIS suite (e.g., Dashboards, StoryMaps). Assists with biological data analysis and writing of reports, data summaries, outreach materials, and other published products, and distributes products within FWS and to outside partner agencies.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

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 uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.

This 1-year 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 1-year probationary period 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 - 10/22/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized 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 periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. 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.

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying.

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level:

Experience : You must possess at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience includes: 1. assisting with fish, wildlife, plant, habitat, or aquatic resource surveys and biological field investigations; 2. collecting biological samples or data in accordance with established scientific procedures and protocols; 3. assisting with the preparation, maintenance, or use of equipment needed for fish or wildlife capture, handling, tagging, propagation, habitat management, or restoration activities; and 4. entering, organizing, maintaining, or summarizing biological or environmental data for use in reports. You must include hours per week worked. -OR-

Education : Successfully completed one year of progressively higher-level graduate level education (18 semester/27 quarter hours or the school's equivalent) leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree at an accredited college or university that included courses directly related to the occupation, such as fishery biology, ichthyology, limnology, and aquaculture. You must include transcripts. -OR-

Combination of education and experience as listed above. To combine education and experience, first take the number of higher-level graduate education semester hours completed and divide that by 18 semester hours. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week and transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-08 grade level:

Experience : You must possess at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience includes: 1. planning and conducting fish, wildlife, or habitat surveys, biological monitoring activities, or field investigations; 2. collecting, identifying, handling, tagging, or recording biological data on fish, wildlife, plants, or aquatic resources; 3. implementing fish, wildlife, habitat management, restoration, propagation, or invasive-species control activities; and 4. organizing, managing, analyzing, and reporting biological or environmental data using databases, geographic information systems, or standard statistical methods. You must include hours per week worked. -OR-

Education : Successfully completed two full years of progressively higher-level graduate level education (36 semester/54 quarter hours or the school's equivalent) leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree at an accredited college or university that included courses directly related to the occupation, such as fishery biology, ichthyology, limnology, and aquaculture. You must include transcripts. -OR-

Combination of education and experience as listed above. To combine education and experience, first take first take the number of higher-level graduate education semester hours completed and divide that by 36 semester hours. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week and 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.

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. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit:

Additional information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive.

All 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, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior.

Physical Demands Physical demands will range depending on the project and use of the position. Most locations will be in locations around running water and requiring regular and recurring physical activity such as prolonged standing, walking over wet and/or rocky surfaces, stooping, bending, kneeling, climbing, and carrying heavy items may occur.

Work Environment: Most locations will be in locations in and around running water where the incumbent could be exposed to extreme weather conditions, insects/wildlife, and/or other environments that would require the incumbent to use protective clothing or gear such as hard hats, masks, gowns, ear plugs, coats, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields to mitigate risks.

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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.