Biological Science Technician (Wildlife) (Seasonal)

Bureau of Land Management • Ridgecrest, CA

7d • Onsite

About The Position

This is a temporary, seasonal appointment for a Biological Science Technician (Wildlife) position located in Ridgecrest, California. The appointment is not expected to exceed 1560 hours in a service year. The role involves performing a variety of technical duties in support of wildlife programs, serving as a crew member and occasionally a crew lead. Duties include on-the-ground inventories of wildlife and habitat, data analysis, determining factors affecting wildlife populations, preparing reports and recommendations, and entering data into automated databases. The technician will also use, maintain, and calibrate specialized field equipment, plan and assist in designing wildlife habitat improvement projects, and determine the impacts of various land use activities on wildlife and their habitat. This includes providing information for environmental documents and conducting compliance checks on permitted land uses to ensure adherence to mitigation measures. The role also involves reviewing forestry, watershed, and rangeland projects for compatibility with wildlife needs and recommending modifications to protect or improve habitat.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Cannot hold an active real estate license, nor have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
• Direct Deposit Required.
• Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
• Resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement.
• Responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
• This position requires you to wear an officially-approved uniform while in a duty status.
• The incumbent is required to wear the uniform in accordance with applicable policies and be required to sign a condition of uniform wear statement.
• Some locations may require that you possess (or obtain within 30 days of entrance on duty) and maintain a valid state driver's license while employed in this position.
• This position is included in a bargaining unit.
• To qualify at the GS-07 level you must meet the following: Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-06 level comparable in difficulty and complexity to perform the duties of a Biological Science Technician (Wildlife).
• Qualifying specialized experience includes: Wildlife Monitoring: Conducting field surveys and systematic tracking to monitor wildlife populations, behavioral patterns, and habitat health.
• Habitat Assessment: Evaluating land and vegetation conditions to plan restoration projects and protect critical wildlife corridors.
• Environmental Reporting: Drafting technical field summaries and preliminary biological assessments for inclusion in NEPA documentation.
• Data & GIS: Managing, mapping, and auditing spatial and biological datasets using GIS and automated wildlife databases.
• Compliance Checks: Inspecting permitted land uses like mining and grazing to ensure adherence to wildlife mitigation rules.
• Field Logistics: Operating and maintaining specialized field gear including telemetry equipment, GPS units, and remote cameras.
• Crew Leadership: Leading seasonal field crews on remote back-country hitches while enforcing safety and data protocols.
• OR Education: To qualify based on education, you must have one (1) full year (18 semester hours) of graduate-level education in a related field of study.
• OR Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education.
• Graduate level education must demonstrate the difficulty and complexity to do the work of this position.
• You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Nice To Haves

• If selected from this announcement you may be rehired for identical positions without further competition based on work needs, funding, or any other condition of employment.
• If selected from this or a similar competitive, seasonal announcement, your appointment may be creditable for consideration under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) ?.
• 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.

Responsibilities

• Performs on-the-ground inventories of wildlife and their habitat, analyzes the data and reports the findings.
• Determines factors such as occupancy and fate of reproductive efforts for selected sites, feed habits, mortality, success of growth, and adult and young behavior.
• Performs on-the-ground surveys of wildlife habitat and prepares reports and makes recommendations to management on the findings.
• Compiles and organizes survey data and prepares narratives and reports.
• Enters and retrieves data from automated databases.
• Uses, maintains, and calibrates specialized field equipment including GPS units, data loggers, remote cameras and telemetry gear to ensure accurate data capture during wildlife monitoring projects.
• Plans, aids in designing, and lays out projects for wildlife habitat improvement.
• Determines likely impacts of minerals exploration, development, and operation, realty actions, recreational activities, forestry and range development or improvement projects on wildlife and their habitat.
• Provide information and prepare preliminary analysis of impacts on wildlife for inclusion in environmental documents.
• Conducts compliance checks on minerals exploration, development, and operations, realty actions, and range improvement projects to evaluate impacts and assure conformation with mitigation measures.
• Confers with offending party to resolve nonconformance situations.
• Reviews forestry, watershed, and rangeland projects for compatibility with wildlife needs and recommends construction specifications or modifications to protect or improve habitat.

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.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level