Summary You will serve as a Fish Biologist with U.S. FWS - Lodi Fish and Wildlife Office.
Serves as a Fish Biologist supporting delta smelt release and supplementation studies, advancing multi-agency priorities and long-term Central Valley and State Water Project operations.
Learn more about this agency Duties Help
Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:
- Contribute to annual supplementation planning and study design for release methodologies and assist in transitioning experimental releases to a comprehensive delta smelt supplementation program in coordination with the San Francisco Bay-Delta Fish and Wildlife Office.
- Lead and execute delta smelt release activities including developing protocols, scheduling, and implementation, in coordination with production facilities, the San Francisco Bay-Delta Fish and Wildlife Office, and other agency partners.
- Contribute to the collaborative preparation and submission of experimental release and supplementation reports with partner agencies and stakeholders.
- Guide the Tagging and Data Coordinator in identifying program priorities and needs.
- Acquire and facilitate the maintenance of release vehicles and equipment, ensuring timely repairs and necessary purchases.
Requirements Help
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 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 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 - 11/05/2026-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.
Basic Requirement:
- Possess a degree from an accredited college or university in biological science that included at least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects such as limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, or related courses in the field of fishery biology; and at least 12 semester hours in the animal sciences in such subjects as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields; OR
- Possess a combination of education from an accredited college or university and experiencecourses equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), of which a minimum of 6 semester hours were in aquatic subjects and 12 semester hours were in the animal sciences, as shown in "A" above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Minimum Qualification [GS-11]
- Possess at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience includes: (1) Experience in fish biology, ecology, or resource management; (2) Strong organizational skills with experience in project planning and field implementation; (3) Effective communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration with diverse stakeholders; (4) Proven ability to lead field crews and manage equipment efficiently. OR
- Possess 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate level education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in a major study related to fisheries/aquatics; OR
- Possess a combination of progressively higher-level graduate education and experience as listed above. To combine education and experience, first convert quarter hours to semester hours by multiplying by the fraction 2/3. Then, divide your number of graduate semester hours in excess of the first 36 hours by the number 18 (or the number your school uses to represent one year of graduate education). 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 This position has a mandatory education requirement.
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.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (
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: The work requires recurring, at times significant, physical exertion such as walking considerable distances in rough, wet, uneven, or rocky terrain; wading through swift, turbulent waters; bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities; and carrying heavy field equipment up to 50 pounds in weight under a wide variety of environmental conditions during all seasons and temperature extremes. Sampling and biological investigations may also involve some moderately strenuous and repetitive exercise that may require above average agility, dexterity and physical coordination to perform fine and precise work, delicate adjustments or exact measurements. Analytical work may require extended periods sitting at a computer monitor with little physical activity. The incumbent may be expected to drive and/or ride long distances in a vehicle and small watercraft.
Work Environment: The work requires both office and outdoor work. The office is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. Temperature and weather extremes may be encountered in the performance of the outdoor work. Outdoor work includes working from small and frequently wet watercraft and wading in cold, swift water. Field work is conducted year around and includes such extremes as sub-freezing temperatures and snow and ice during winter, as well as temperatures exceeding 100ºF during summer. Field work, data gathering, and biological investigations can entail exposure to potentially dangerous or hazardous situations such as negotiating rivers and streams during periods of high flows.
The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
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.
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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.
