Fish Biologist

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service•Fairbanks, AK

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Fish Biologist serves with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and provides fisheries and fish habitat expertise to affected Refuges, federal agencies, State of Alaska agencies, and partner organizations. The role includes advising others, preparing fishery management and investigation plans, reviewing work products, and preparing agency comments. The employee engages with Tribal governments, federal, State and local officials, citizens, and private, industry, and public-interest groups to gather input on project evaluations and Service activities. Where delegated, the employee makes decisions about management responsibilities based on internal and external concerns. The position studies and synthesizes current research and reports related to fishery management and shares relevant information with subordinate personnel and staff from other groups and agencies. It develops investigation plans and proposals and conducts fishery investigations, including determining life-history characteristics, population size, exploitation rates, distribution and migration, habitat requirements, and limiting factors. These investigations involve measuring, analyzing, and interpreting chemical, physical, and biological parameters. Duties are developmental when the position is filled below the full performance level. The work combines office administration, project planning, data and report analysis, travel, and field activities. Approximately 70% of the incumbent's time is spent in the office, with the remaining time devoted to travel and fieldwork. Fieldwork may involve rugged terrain, variable and extreme weather, remote locations, boats, helicopters, small fixed-wing aircraft, and motor vehicles. Employees must comply with regional bear-safety policy, including applicable firearms and firearms-safety requirements.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
Appointment is subject to a background investigation and favorable adjudication.
Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered for Selective Service.
Must participate in Direct Deposit.
Must successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
May be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
Meet applicable Time-in-Grade requirements if a current Federal employee.
Meet the basic educational requirement: a biological science major including at least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects and 12 semester hours in animal sciences, or equivalent coursework combined with appropriate experience or additional education.
Submit transcripts to support claimed education when required; education used to qualify must be supported by transcripts.
For GS-11, have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09, including in-season fishery management, interpreting in-season data and recommending actions, assisting with field data collection and project logistics, understanding basic statistics, and working with State managers, Tribal and stakeholder groups, and the public on fishery management and research issues; alternatively, meet the stated graduate education or education-and-experience combination standard.
For GS-12, have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11, including independently carrying out in-season fishery management with intermittent supervision; analyzing and explaining data and recommending management actions; planning and designing field projects and collecting or training others to collect data; using statistical packages and languages such as R; and influencing and negotiating with managers, Tribal and stakeholder groups, and the public on management decisions and research topics.
Resume must state full-time or 40 hours a week, or part-time hours per week, for non-current Federal applicants so qualifying experience can be credited.
Be able to meet the physical demands of fieldwork, including carrying field equipment weighing up to 50 pounds and working in varied terrain and environmental conditions.
Have knowledge of firearms and firearms safety in field situations to comply with bear-safety policy.

Responsibilities

Provide fisheries and fish habitat expertise and serve as a consultant and technical advisor to affected Refuges, federal agencies, State of Alaska agencies, and partner organizations.
Prepare fishery management and investigation plans, review and critique work products, and prepare agency comments.
Meet with Tribal government representatives, federal, State and local officials, concerned citizens, and private, industry, and public-interest groups to obtain input on project evaluations and Service activities.
Make decisions concerning management responsibilities where delegated, taking account of internal and external concerns.
Study and synthesize current research and reports related to fishery management and direct relevant information to subordinate personnel and staff from other groups and agencies.
Develop investigation plans and proposals and conduct fishery investigations.
Determine fish life-history characteristics, population size, exploitation rates, distribution and migration, habitat requirements, and limiting factors through investigations.
Measure, analyze, and interpret chemical, physical, and biological parameters.
Plan and carry out in-season fishery management activities, analyze in-season data, and recommend management actions such as fishery openings or closures.
Plan and design field projects, collect field data or train others to collect it, and carry out project logistics.
Use statistical methods and, at the GS-12 level, statistical packages and languages such as R to analyze data and report results.
Engage with State managers, Tribal and stakeholder groups, and the public on fishery management and research issues or decisions.
Travel to and conduct field visits, using applicable bear-safety policies and procedures.