Biologist (Ecological Services)

About this job

You will serve as a Biologist (Ecological Services) located within the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fish & Wildlife Service Region 7 at the Anchorage Fish & Wildlife Conservation Office in Anchorage, Alaska.

Duties

At the full performance level (GS-11), some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Plan, evaluate, and carry out complex ecological investigations and inspections of complex land and water resource development projects to determine their effects on fish and/or wildlife resources and habitats, ensuring compliance with legal standards and recommending appropriate actions. Lead the review and processing of research and recovery permits in coordination with federal, tribal, and state agencies, and ensure adherence to policies and deadlines and provide technical information regarding the permit process to field offices. Develop comprehensive fish and/or wildlife mitigation and management plans to ensure the preservation, protection, and enhancement of species and habitats across diverse ecological conditions, organize and implement biological and habitat preservation work, and analyze program outcomes to recommend improvements. Maintain communication with biologists and partner agencies, provide technical biological guidance for conservation and recovery programs, and represent the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at professional meetings and public forums. Draft and review biological portions of environmental assessments, impact statements, or resource planning reports to evaluate environmental consequences of proposed actions; and recommend ways to minimize or eliminate impacts on listed species. Respond to inquiries from the public and media, prepare informational materials, assist with public meetings, and provide training to new or lower-grade personnel as required. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/20/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. To receive credit for experience, 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. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following Basic Educational Requirement AND Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying. Basic Educational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one of the following: A. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. You must submit transcripts. B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. -AND- To qualify for this position at the GS-9 grade level: Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience applying professional knowledge of fish and wildlife biology, ecology, or conservation biology to assist in the development of comprehensive wildlife management plans to ensure conservation, protection, and enhancement of wildlife and their habitat; compiling, evaluating, or analyzing data to develop recommendations, objective reports, or presentations; assisting with preparation and review of biological implications of environmental assessments; plans and conducts assessments of low-to-moderate complexity to determine impacts and support compliance determinations; assess impacts of proposed actions and develop draft opinions for supervisory review; analyzing data and writing reports to evaluate findings and make recommendations; and communicating technical or scientific information to colleagues, partners, stakeholders, landowners, agencies, organizations, or the public to exchange information, provide assistance, coordinate activities, or support resource conservation objectives. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: Successful completion of at least two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. Degree must reflect the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. You must include transcripts. -OR- Combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree, in excess of 18 semester hours, and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent. 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. To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level: Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience applying professional knowledge of fish and wildlife biology, ecology, or related natural resource disciplines to independently assess, conserve, protect, restore, or manage fish, wildlife, and their habitats; evaluating biological and project data to identify impacts of proposed projects, programs, or land and water resource activities on fish, wildlife, or habitat resources; reviewing projects, permits, and/or plans for compliance and developing recommendations to address identified concerns; developing reports, environmental analyses, biological evaluations, management plans, and correspondence to communicate findings, conclusions, and recommendations; applying analytical and problem-solving skills to interpret scientific information, assess alternatives, and develop biologically sound recommendations; and communicating biological or environmental information to partners, stakeholders, government agencies, landowners, or the public to explain findings, provide technical assistance, coordinate activities, or support resource conservation and management objectives. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: Successful completion of at least three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. Degree must reflect the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. You must include transcripts. -OR- Combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree, in excess of 36 semester hours, and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent. 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. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. How do I receive credit for a college degree obtained in a foreign university in another country? - OPM.gov Applicants must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials, commonly called a credential evaluation service. To be acceptable, the foreign credential evaluation must include/describe: The type of education received by the applicant; The level of education in relation to the U.S. education system, and state that its comparability recommendations follow the general guidelines of the International Education Standards Council; The content of the applicant's educational program earned abroad and the standard obtained; The status of the awarding foreign school's recognition and legitimacy in its home country's education system; and Any other information of interest such as what the evaluation service did to obtain this information, the qualifications of thee valuator, and any indications as to other problems such as forgery. Foreign credential evaluations that do not contain the above information or that state there is insufficient information provided by the applicant on which to base an evaluation should not be accepted. If the requested evaluation shows the foreign education to be legitimate and comparable to that expected of a candidate with U.S. credentials, it may be accepted at the discretion of the agency.

Requirements

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 www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. 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 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.

Evaluations

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g. resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of any additional assessment(s) required for this position. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed. Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into the following categories: Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job. You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Compliance Oral Communication Reasoning Technical Competence Writing Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessment(s), including a Subject Matter Expert (SME) resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job. Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, select appropriate hiring eligibilities, and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the 11/20/2026--unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13113363 Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. Eligibilities: Please ensure you complete the Eligibility section of this application. This section determines the hiring paths under which you may be considered for this position. You will only be considered for the eligibilities you select. Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach each eligibility carefully to understand the requirements and select all that apply. For each eligibility selected, you must upload the required supporting documentation. Review the eligibility descriptions to confirm you are providing the correct documents. You may select more than one eligibility, if applicable. If you do not select at least one eligibility, you will not be considered for this vacancy. To learn more about federal hiring paths, visit USAJOBS - Unique Hiring Paths. To view the announcement status or your application status, visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status. 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.

Applications are handled only on the official announcement. This page is a readable copy of the public announcement data — the official version controls if anything differs.

Required documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/20/2026 - unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement: Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time). Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. If you have federal experience, you should include series, and grade for each position held, and if experience is part of a career ladder position, you must clearly distinguish the job duties and length of time working for each grade level. More information on how to write a Federal Resume: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include Complete All Required Assessment(s). All college transcript(s), if qualifying based on education. Please submit both undergraduate and graduate level transcripts, as applicable. Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable. Veterans must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (member 4 copy) or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.va.gov/records/ or call 1-800-827-1000. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active-duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation. Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): You MUST submit proof of eligibility including 1) copy of the agency notice, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc.; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be well qualified. For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL). Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from all documents. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

What to expect next

Please refer to your USAJOBS account for application status; the Human Resources Office cannot respond to individual status inquiries. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application. You can find your path with the Department of Interior at https://careers.doi.gov/. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.

Other information

Pay will vary based on grade level and/or duty location for which you're selected. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate. A Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) rate of 1.49% is authorized for Anchorage. Salary Range Information: GS-9: $69,789-$90,731 per year GS-11: $84,439-$109,777 per year Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor. If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a recruitment or relocation incentive. Physical Demands: Work is sedentary and requires average agility and dexterity. Some field work will require periods of physical exertion such as walking over wet, rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities; occasionally carrying light items, such as books, small instruments or samples, and other similar materials; or driving a motor vehicle. 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. 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. All Department of Interior (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, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.

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