What are the responsibilities and job description for the Biological Science Technician position at Division of Human Resources?
This position is a Career Seasonal Biological Science Technician, GS- 0404-5/6
Selectee(s) will be in a work/pay status for a specified time period each year (generally April-October) and will be in a non-work/non-pay status for the remainder of the year. The anticipated annual period of employment for these positions is 6 to 7 months.
In order to qualify for this position, you must possess Minimum Qualifications.
Minimum Qualification [GS-05]
Physical Capability: Much of the work is performed in a field environment and involves arduous labor. Incumbent(s) are required to be in excellent physical condition and capable of rigorous outdoor activities, including safely hiking over wet, rough, steep, slippery or rocky terrain. Work requires frequent bending, stooping, walking, standing, working in cramped positions, climbing, and prolonged standing on concrete floors. Duties of the position occasionally require driving on unimproved roads, considerable walking on steep terrain (80% or more), working in water with boots or waders, walking through or working in heavily timbered areas (sometimes walking 5 or more miles), at times carrying heavy packs, lifting and moving objects over 50 lbs., crouching, stretching, reaching, and other similar activities. Field work takes place outdoors during all seasons of the year, often under adverse weather conditions, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 100 degrees (F), and in very dry to rainy and snowy conditions. Field work in performed during the daytime, night, weekends, and holidays. The nature of the work requires an adequate sense of sight and hearing to safely perform the duties. Work requires the incumbent to wear potentially uncomfortable safety equipment, including a negative pressure respirator sometimes in excess of 8 hours.
Notification to Applicants: Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.
- (14) positions with the Marquette Biological Station in Marquette, MI.
- (4) positions with the Ludington Biological Station in Lundington, MI.
Selectee(s) will be in a work/pay status for a specified time period each year (generally April-October) and will be in a non-work/non-pay status for the remainder of the year. The anticipated annual period of employment for these positions is 6 to 7 months.
Qualifications:
Only experience and education obtained by 05/07/2026 will be considered.In order to qualify for this position, you must possess Minimum Qualifications.
Minimum Qualification [GS-05]
- One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level or higher in the Federal service related to aquatics and/or Fisheries. Examples of qualifying experience includes (1) leading others as part of a technical team to accomplish aquatic or fisheries related objectives; (2) collecting and recording biological, physical, or environmental data in an aquatic or fisheries related field setting; (3) operation, maintenance, troubleshooting and repair of sampling devices related to aquatic or fisheries related work; and (4) using computer software to manage and analyze data and draft scientific reports. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified. OR
- Successfully completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position to be filled (e.g. fisheries or aquatics). OR
- A combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement
- One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level or higher in the Federal service related to aquatics and/or Fisheries. Examples of qualifying experience includes (1) leading others as part of a technical team to accomplish aquatic or fisheries related objectives; (2) collecting, recording and entering biological, physical, or environmental data in an aquatic or fisheries related field setting; (3) operation, maintenance, troubleshooting and repair of sampling devices related to aquatic or fisheries related work; (4) training field staff on standard operating procedures and equipment use; (5) conducting program outreach to user groups and general public; and (6) using computer software to manage and analyze data and draft scientific reports. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified. OR
- One full year of graduate-level education that is directly related to the position to be filled (e.g., major study in or directly related to fisheries or aquatics).
- A combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement.
Physical Capability: Much of the work is performed in a field environment and involves arduous labor. Incumbent(s) are required to be in excellent physical condition and capable of rigorous outdoor activities, including safely hiking over wet, rough, steep, slippery or rocky terrain. Work requires frequent bending, stooping, walking, standing, working in cramped positions, climbing, and prolonged standing on concrete floors. Duties of the position occasionally require driving on unimproved roads, considerable walking on steep terrain (80% or more), working in water with boots or waders, walking through or working in heavily timbered areas (sometimes walking 5 or more miles), at times carrying heavy packs, lifting and moving objects over 50 lbs., crouching, stretching, reaching, and other similar activities. Field work takes place outdoors during all seasons of the year, often under adverse weather conditions, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 100 degrees (F), and in very dry to rainy and snowy conditions. Field work in performed during the daytime, night, weekends, and holidays. The nature of the work requires an adequate sense of sight and hearing to safely perform the duties. Work requires the incumbent to wear potentially uncomfortable safety equipment, including a negative pressure respirator sometimes in excess of 8 hours.
Notification to Applicants: Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.
Responsibilities:
As a Biological Science Technician your duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:- Leading 1-3 same and lower-graded employees and contractors at remote locations to complete established work plan objectives and tasks according to protocols. Coordinating, reviewing, and ensuring completion of daily fieldwork.
- Providing technical support and participating with other team members to conduct lampricide treatments, barrier control, and assessment operations including pesticide application, chemical analysis of water, quality assurance procedures, bioassay tests, measurement of stream flow characteristics, velocity and discharge, sea lamprey sterilization, collection of biological specimens, instream and offshore assessments, studies to determine distribution, growth, and abundance of sea lampreys in the larval, parasitic, and spawning life stages, operation and maintenance of barrier structures, and measuring the effect of lamprey control on non-target species.
- Recording observed conditions that would affect the interpretation of data derived from samples. Preparing draft reports involving the tabulation or collection of data with comments on surrounding environments and conditions that could affect program activities. Interpreting data collected and providing supervisor with information needed to adjust treatment, barrier, and assessment approaches.
- Operating, maintaining, repairing, fabricating, and occasionally designing highly specialized fishery equipment (e.g., equipment for mixing and delivering concentration of liquid and powder forms of lampricides, lamprey sterilization equipment, fish holding and hauling facilities, water filtration apparatus, water sampling devices, electrofishing gear, electrical/mechanical weirs, nets, trawls, and traps). Operating, maintaining, and repairing motorized watercraft up to 26', non-motorized watercraft, and ATVs. Operating and maintaining light-, medium- and heavy-weight trucks and trailers on public highways and off-road situations. Utilizing a variety of tools including maps, compasses, GPS, computer and other resources to navigate in populated and remote areas.
- Contacting landowners and other agencies to obtain access information and/or permission necessary to complete field work.
Salary : $20