BIOLOGIST

Summary

You will serve as a BIOLOGIST (Natural Resource Manager) with US Fish and Wildlife Service responsible for leading and overseeing a comprehensive Natural Resources Program at the U.S. Air Force Academy, supporting mission readiness and ecological stewardship through integrated natural resource planning, habitat management, watershed restoration, species recovery, conservation partnerships, and environmental education.

Duties

• Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Lead the planning, implementation, coordination, and evaluation of the U.S. Air Force Academy's comprehensive Natural Resources Program, ensuring alignment with mission readiness, ecological stewardship, and applicable conservation priorities. Develop, implement, and update the Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) and integrate natural resource considerations into installation planning, operations, cadet education, and training activities. Lead and oversee large-scale habitat management, watershed restoration, habitat conservation, and species recovery projects, including conservation and recovery efforts for Preble's jumping mouse. Manage and oversee natural resource contracts and projects, providing technical direction, evaluating work products, and ensuring effective implementation of program objectives. Serve as a subject matter expert and principal representative in regional and landscape-scale conservation initiatives, coordinating with U.S. Air Force Academy leadership and staff and collaborating with Federal, State, local, and other partners to advance shared natural resource objectives.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 09/29/2026-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. To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level: Specialized Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience includes: (1) leading or coordinating natural resource management programs or projects involving habitat conservation, habitat management, watershed restoration, species recovery, or ecological stewardship; (2) developing, implementing, evaluating, or updating species or habitat management plans (such as Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans (INRMP)) and integrating natural resource considerations into organizational operations or activities; (3) providing technical direction or oversight for complex natural resource conservation or restoration projects; and (4) coordinating with Federal, State, local, or other partners to address complex natural resource management issues. NOTE: Your resume must contain sufficient information in these areas to be found qualified. 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.

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 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 probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. This 1-year 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 1-year probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

This position has a mandatory education requirement. 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: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications

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 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 09/29/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement to receive consideration. Note: You will only be marked eligible for those eligibilities that you selected and provided the appropriate supporting documentation. 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/13062129 Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. 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. 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. To view the announcement status or your application status, visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.