Supervisory Wildlife Biologist

Summary

Salary Range Information (Per Annum): GS-13: Step 01 $120,348, Step 10 $156,455

*First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.

Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) rate of 3% is authorized.

Duties

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At the full performance level (GS-13) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

- Provides leadership, direction, and oversight for a comprehensive wildlife and ecological sciences program that supports science-based management and conservation of fish, wildlife, habitats, and ecosystem processes.

- Supervises professional biological staff, establishes program priorities, allocates resources, evaluates performance, and ensures accomplishment of refuge biological program objectives.

- Develops, coordinates, and oversees biological studies, monitoring programs, inventories, and research activities to inform adaptive management and address environmental change.

- Oversees field operations, including wildlife and vegetation surveys, habitat assessments, landscape monitoring, remote sensing applications, invasive species management, ecological restoration, and biological research.

- Analyzes and interprets biological and ecological data and provides scientifically supported recommendations to refuge leadership on wildlife, habitat, and ecosystem management issues.

- Develops and maintains partnerships with Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies, academic institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and other stakeholders to advance shared conservation objectives.

- Represents the refuge at agency, interagency, scientific, and public meetings and prepares technical reports, management plans, and other communications supporting conservation and resource-management decisions.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/17/2026-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 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 science that included: At least 9 semester hours in such wildlife subjects as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, wildlife management, or research courses in the field of wildlife biology; and at least 12 semester hours in zoology in such subjects as general zoology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, ecology, cellular biology, parasitology, entomology, or research courses in such subjects (Excess courses in wildlife biology may be used to meet the zoology requirements where appropriate.); and at least 9 semester hours in botany or the related plant sciences. You must submit transcripts. -OR-
• B. Combination of education and experience: equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), with at least 9 semester hours in wildlife subjects, 12 semester hours in zoology, and 9 semester hours in botany or related plant science, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

-AND-

To qualify for this position at the GS-13 grade level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: 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: supervising or leading a wildlife biology or natural-resource management program; directing the work of biologists, biological technicians, seasonal staff, volunteers, or multidisciplinary teams; coordinating and representing conservation-program interests with governmental agencies, Tribal entities, nongovernmental organizations, universities, research institutions, and the public; applying wildlife biology, conservation biology, wildlife ecology, and ecosystem management principles to complex wildlife and habitat issues; designing or overseeing biological studies, population monitoring, statistical analyses, and data-management activities; evaluating threatened, endangered, or other species of conservation concern; conducting or overseeing wildlife censuses, vegetation surveys, habitat assessments, or water-quality monitoring; interpreting biological and ecological data to develop management recommendations; and preparing or reviewing technical plans, reports, correspondence, and scientific recommendations. You must include hours per week worked.

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 does not allow substituting education for experience.

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. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification

Additional information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

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 permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive.

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.

Alaska Return Rights (excluding Anchorage and Fairbanks): If you are a current U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee and you are transferring from a Region outside of Alaska, you will be eligible to return to a position in your home Region upon completion of a minimum 3-year tour of duty in Alaska. If you exercise this option, your home Region will place you in a position of equivalent grade in the same general occupational classification series that you occupied in Alaska. For the professional series at the GS-5 level or above.

The duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

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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.