Fish and Wildlife Biologist

Summary

You will serve as a Fish and Wildlife Biologist with US Fish and Wildlife Service.

For over 60 years, Ecological Services has protected and restored fish, wildlife, plants, and habitats, beginning with the River Basins Program. The Illinois-Iowa Field Office, founded in 1971 and expanded in 1982, reviews federal projects, supports endangered species recovery, leads environmental restoration, and builds conservation partnerships in Illinois and Iowa.

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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:

• Plans and conducts status surveys for both listed and candidate species, in cooperation with other Federal and state agency personnel, private organization representatives, and contractors; negotiates agreements for status surveys with prospective contractors and personnel of cooperating agencies.
• Acts as technical advisor to other Field Office staff on the habitat needs of rare, candidate, proposed, and federally listed species for the purpose of Section 7 consultations with other Federal agencies and designated non-Federal representatives; also consults with staff in preparation of reasonable and prudent measures, reasonable and prudent alternatives, and conservation recommendations.
• Coordinates wide ranging initiatives involving other Federal and state agencies, organizations, and the public in fully implementing Endangered Species Act programs.
• Provides expertise, interpretation, coordination, and determination of compliance activities under Farm Bill programs. Coordinates with the Natural Resource Conservation Service on the Conservation Reserve Program, Wetland Reserve Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program and Environmental Quality Incentive Program, as well as the Swamp buster provisions of the Farm Bill and other habitat protection and restoration activities. Understands and engages with the Farm Bill State Technical Committee and WRP review team to ensure that the Service's objectives and policies are addressed.
• Monitors habitat improvement projects; determines necessary funding; purchases required supplies and services; insures completion of work within appropriate time and funding limits. Monitors projects in accomplishing habitat restoration and/or enhancement on private lands. The work includes data collection, site evaluation and design recommendations, landowner contacts, minor construction, interagency coordination with professional and senior level management officials, writing private lands agreements, track projects and funds, environmental compliance, and other tasks necessary to improve habitat and benefit our natural resources.
• Plans, investigates, conducts, and reviews on-site ecological investigations on a wide variety of the most complex and diverse Federal land and water resource development proposals to determine their effects on fish and wildlife resources, with special emphasis on rare, candidate, proposed, federally listed threatened and endangered species habitat, riparian habitat, wetland ecology and management, and other habitats of concern in the affected area.
• Conducts habitat restorations on private lands, including landowner contacts, mapping, surveying, staking, construction monitoring, seeding, and other related activities, and prepares management plans for restored areas. Responsible for review and development of conservation easements with multi-agency review teams for Farm Services Agency inventory and debt restructure properties. Develops cooperative agreements with Federal, tribal, state, local, and private individuals and organizations for large and complex wetland preservation, enhancement, and restoration projects on private, tribal, and public lands. Participates in review, evaluation, and development of plans for Wetland Reserve Program.
• Prepares objective and complete written reports and other documents and delivers oral presentations to Service, other agency and organization professional, and public groups based on investigations conducted, analyzing present and future impacts of various complex project alternatives on fish and wildlife resources and economic/recreational uses thereof.
• Participates in diverse, complex, and multi-disciplinary planning efforts with public and private groups and state, local, and Federal agencies to achieve Service policies, objectives, and goals.
• Negotiates mitigation of complex project impacts with project proponents and regulatory agencies and develops reasonable and prudent alternatives and conservation recommendations or measures.
• Inspects projects for compliance with policies, standards, guidelines, agreements, and plans; makes recommendations for action to assure compliance.
• Reviews existing, new, and proposed regulations, legislation, and statutes pertaining to fish and wildlife resources. Recommends appropriate procedures for implementing provisions of these mandates and establishes key contacts with other agencies, organizations, and individuals.
• Prepares responses to inquiries from Congressional staff, the public, and the news media, obtaining and providing requested information within established office guidelines, and in conformance with agency and departmental policy.
• Provides guidance to, and directs the work of, lower-graded biologists in matters pertinent to areas of special expertise.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
• 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]https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probation period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.

This probation 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 probation 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 - 08/19/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT:

• A) Possess a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited college or university in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR
• B) Possess a combination of education and experience which includes courses equivalent to a major in the biological sciences (i.e., at least 24 semester hours) as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education that is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, GS-11: In addition to the basic education requirement above, you must possess the qualifications below in order to qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level.

• A) Possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as a GS-09 in Federal service performing the following duties:facilitating activities pursuant to sections of the Endangered Species Act; conducting status surveys for listed candidate species; preparing and implementing habitat restoration and enhancement projects; preparing draft budget initiatives; preparing written correspondence. OR
• B) Possess 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in the biological sciences, natural resource management, or a closely related field which provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position; OR
• C) Possess a combination of experience as described above and graduate education as described above which, when combined, is equivalent to 100% of the qualification requirement.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, GS-12: In addition to the basic education requirement above, you must possess the qualifications below in order to qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level.

• A) Possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as a GS-11 in Federal service performing the following duties: coordinating and facilitating activities pursuant to sections of the Endangered Species Act; planning and conducting status surveys for listed candidate species; coordinating wide ranging initiatives to fully implement ESA programs; independently designing and implementing habitat restoration and enhancement projects; preparing draft budget initiatives; reviewing rules, regulations and legislation pursuant to ESA; preparing written correspondence for publication.

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. Promotion Potential: This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The selectee may be promoted without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

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. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: [click to reveal website link]https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-o...

Additional information

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.

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]https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-...)

If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a 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: Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive.

Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion such as walking over wet, rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces, as well as bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities. The work requires average agility and dexterity.

Work Environment: The position 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 outdoor work. The employee is expected to conduct duties in a safe, professional, and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow employees, or property with which entrusted.

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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.