New job Research Ecologist in Hawaii

Research Ecologist

Company : US Department of the Interior
Salary : $79,109 - $102,847 a year
Location : Hawaii

Full Description

Duties

Summary

What General Information Do I Need To Know About This Position?

Salary: $79,109 (Step 01) to $102,847 (Step 10); NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.

The selectee will be entitled to a cost of living allowance of 4.42% in addition to the basic salary.


Responsibilities

As a Research Ecologist within the Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawaii, some of your specific duties will include:

  • Conducts complex or novel scientific investigations requiring the development of new or improved techniques or procedures.
  • Responsible for research to understand the ecology of plant species and plant communities in Hawaii and other Pacific Islands with a special emphasis on the restoration of ecosystems and ecosystem services.
  • Responsible for all phases of an identifiable area of research or will participate as a professionally responsible member of a team in substantive aspects of research studies intended to develop strategies for the restoration of plant communities and their ecosystem function.
  • Operates a government owned or leased vehicle as an incidental driver.

Physical Demands & Work Environment
Work is performed in an office, laboratory, and/or in the field. The office is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The work will require standing or sitting in place for extended periods of time, often in front of a computer terminal, and requires dexterity for complex and detailed manipulations in the laboratory. The incumbent is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow workers, or property with which entrusted. Work also requires driving and walking over rough terrain; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, reaching, or similar activities. Work may also include frequent lifting of moderately heavy items, such as equipment and samples that weigh less than 15 kilograms or approximately 35 pounds. Temperature and weather extremes may be encountered in the performance of the outdoor work.

Travel Required

25% or less - You may be expected to travel up to 5 nights a month for this position.

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

15

  • Job family (Series)

    0408 Ecology

  • Requirements

    Requirements

    Conditions of Employment

    Key Requirements:

    • Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
    • Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
    • Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
    • More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
    • Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.
    Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?
    • This vacancy is limited to the first 50 applications received and will close at midnight Eastern Time on the day this application limit is reached regardless of the closing date specified in this vacancy announcement. Any application received prior to midnight Eastern Time of the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. You are strongly encouraged to submit all required supporting documents at the time of application should the vacancy close earlier than stated in this announcement due to the applicant limit being reached. Supporting documents will not be accepted once the vacancy announcement closes.
    • Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
    • A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
    • Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

    Qualifications

    BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Ecologist, all grade levels.

    A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in biology or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours or the equivalent in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours or the equivalent in ecology, and 12 semester hours or the equivalent in physical and mathematical sciences.

    For GS-12:

    In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-12 level:

    **Possess three full years of successfully completed progressively higher-level graduate education (54 semester hours, 81 quarter hours or the equivalent) or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in ecology, biology or other directly related field underlying ecological research if it provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position to be filled.

    **OR Possess one year of appropriate specialized experience that is in ecology, biology or a related field of science underlying ecological research is qualifying if it is equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in the Federal service, and if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled.

    Examples of GS-11 level work may include: 1) design, development and conduct of protocols to analyze spatial and temporal data; 2) conduct of sampling, experimental design, statistical analyses and biometrics relative to restoration ecology; 3) independent planning and conduct of comprehensive biological studies/investigations and requests for proposals; 4) modifying and adapting standard biological techniques and procedures; 5) serving as a technical resource on biological issues; 6) design and management of projects, studies to provide an understanding of the effects of environmental perturbations in study areas; 7) production of manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed scientific journals.

    **OR Possess a combination of successfully completed graduate level education, as described above, that is beyond the first two years of progressive graduate study, and professional experience, as described above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE GRADUATE EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE)

    You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.

    Education

    • 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 completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-federal-jobs .

    Additional information

    Other Information:

    • Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
    • The full performance level for a Research position is GS-15; however, promotion eligibility is dependent upon the scientific contributions of the incumbent as evaluated by a peer panel.
    • Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) may compete for civil service jobs. Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only in very limited circumstances where there are no qualified citizens available for the position.
    • USGS employees are subject to Title 43, USC Section 31(a) and may not: (a) have any personal, private, direct or indirect interest in lands or mineral wealth of lands under survey; (b) have any substantial personal, private, direct or indirect interests in any private mining or mineral enterprise doing business with the United States; or (c) execute surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations.
    • The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
    • DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
    • THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
    Agency Benefits:
    • USGS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework in accordance with the DOI Telework policy and with supervisor approval. The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis.
    • For additional information on our internal telework policy, please reference the Department of the Interior Telework Handbook at: https://www.doi.gov/telework/policies.
    • Working for the U.S. Geological Survey offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; health, life, dental, vision, and long term care insurance, flexible spending accounts, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

    How You Will Be Evaluated

    You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

    -Basis of Rating: Category rating will be used in the ranking and selection process for this position. The quality categories are Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.

    If you meet the basic qualification and eligibility requirements of this position, you will be contacted via email after the vacancy announcement closes and given 20calendar days to submit narrative responses that address the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required to perform the duties of this position. You will be rated and ranked based on the information you provide in your resume as well as the responses you submit to the required KSAs. The knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies required for this position are as follows:

    • Ability to conceive and successfully conduct complex ecological field operations that assess the effectiveness of methods that restore damaged ecosystems, ecosystem function, and ecosystem services, principally through a diverse and complex set of experimental, analytical, and observational methods.
    • Ability to conductresearch related to the community structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems on Pacific Islands. Research is in the field of restoration ecology and the task is to determine how island ecosystems can be managed to reduce and mitigate effects of disturbance from factors such as introduced plants, fire, disease, land use, and ungulates.
    • Ability to carry out research directly relevant to strategies and management actions that restore ecosystems and ecosystem services from disturbed island ecosystems.
    • Ability to communicate results of ecological investigations to stakeholders, the public, funding-source representatives, and government officials, and obtain funding for research.
    To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11087482

    Background checks and security clearance

    Security clearance

    Not Required

    Drug test required

    No

    Position sensitivity and risk

    Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

    Trust determination process

    Credentialing

  • Required Documents

    Required Documents

    Required documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.

    Transcripts
    • -If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) or list of course work, which includes semester hours earned and grade received, by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.

    Veterans' Preference Eligibles
    • -If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.

    • -If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans' preference and that your character of military service is honorable.

    • -If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders. Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans' preference.

    Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.

    Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) & Inter-agency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Eligibles
    • -If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, the Servicing Human Resources Office must receive proof by the closing date of this announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330 Subpart F for CTAP and 5 CFR 330 Subpart G for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes:
    • copy of the agency notice;
    • your most recent Performance Rating; and
    • your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.
    If you are a CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference points). For more information on CTAP/ICTAP please click here.

    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

  • Benefits

    Benefits

    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.

    Review our benefits

    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.


Help

This job is open to

  • Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

    Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

  • The public

    U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.


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