Biologist (Invasive Species Program Manager)
Summary
You will serve as a Biologist (Invasive Species Program Manager) with the Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate's Biological Resources Division (BRD), Landscape Restoration and Adaptation Branch.
You will be responsible for directing overall service-wide invasive species management efforts, encompassing both invasive plants and invasive animals, to protect and preserve NPS lands, waters, infrastructure, and values.
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Duties
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Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:
- Serves as technical expert and scientific advisor to the Natural Resource Stewardship and Science (NRSS) Directorate concerning the management of invasive species and ensures invasive plant program (IPP) work is technically adequate, scientifically credible, and complies with policy directives.
- Manages the Invasive Plant Management Teams (IPMTs) in coordination with designated regional invasive plant leads and program liaisons. Responsibilities include formulation and fiscal responsibility for annual budget, review of annual work plans, preparation of annual reports, conformance with national and local safety protocols and requirements, and strategic planning to ensure the program meets emerging and changing needs within the Service.
- Provides oversight and leadership of service-wide invasive species data management efforts, including the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) invasive species measures, other invasive species metrics that may emerge, and the National Invasive Species Information Management System (NISIMS).
- Develops and implements national strategic plans, investments, and programs on invasive species in concert with other federal (e.g. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, DOI) and state agencies, industry representatives, and outside interest groups. Serves as the NPS representative on various interagency and inter-Divisional committees, task forces, and other special interest groups dealing with topics related to invasive species management.
- Supervises subordinate employees as appropriate within the NRSS directorate who are responsible for application and development of service wide invasive species response and management strategies.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
- 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 [click to reveal website link].
- Driver's License: Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
- Pesticide Application Certification: Must obtain/maintain certification in pesticide application.
- Government Credit Card: You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.
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 or trial 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.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 11/20/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, 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.
Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:
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.
-OR-
B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
-AND-
Specialized Experience: To qualify for this position at the GS-13 grade level:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1) Managing both native and non-native plant and animal species within a wide variety of ecosystems; 2) Applying knowledge of the biological characteristics, conditions, and interrelationships of diverse ecosystems to determine and conserve the health, integrity, and sustainability of that system; 3) Providing leadership to a program, to include budget management; 4) Coordinating, negotiating, and communicating with multiple and diverse stakeholders; 5) Analyzing success of invasive species management projects and evaluate program success. You must include hours per week worked. Please also include GS level of federal positions listed in resume.
Details: There are no qualification requirements for a detail assignment however, employees must meet any positive education/licensure requirements and have experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the major duties of the position. Detail assignments do not include additional or reduced compensation, including locality pay, but benefit from the experience gained, and the opportunity to broaden their knowledge and skills. Time spent on a detail is not creditable for time-in-grade purposes.
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.govApplicants 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.
Additional information
Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. ([click to reveal website link])
All 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, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior.
Physical Demands: Work is mostly sedentary; some fieldwork may occur with limited physical exertion, such as long periods of standing or walking over uneven terrain.
Work Environment: Work is generally performed in an office setting, with occasional fieldwork involving moderate risks or discomforts, such as differing weather conditions. Incumbent will follow all safety precautions and procedures if applying or mentoring others in pesticide applications.
Telework: The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
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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.
Benefits
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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.
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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.