Summary

You will serve as a Wildlife Refuge Managerwith US Fish and Wildlife Service. This position is located in Olympia Washington with the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Region 1.

Duties

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Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Administer land and aquatic conservation activities, habitat management, and restoration projects.
• Represent the Service as refuge management expert with elected and appointed Federal, state and local government officials and employees, the media, local and national level environmental and conservation groups, members of academia, Tribal representatives, corporate partners, and the general public on issues affecting natural resource management in the geographic area.
• Coordinate with state, local, and other Federal agencies and special interest groups when formulating long-range plans for the management of the Refuges' natural resources.
• Supervise a multifaceted team of professional, technical, analytical, and administrative support staff.
• Overseeing and administering the biological program at assigned Refuge/Wetland Management Districts (WMD), administering land and aquatic conservation activities, habitat development, research programs, population studies, wildlife inventory, and monitoring activities to include species lifecycle requirements and management.
• Formulating, developing and implementing long-range plans, strategies, and Refuge/WMD policy associated with all operations, fiscal requirements, personnel and property management, etc.

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.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• A financial disclosure report will be required within 30 days of appointment.

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.

This is a supervisory position that may require completion of a supervisory probationary period.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 09/21/2026-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.

-AND-

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Basic Educational Requirement AND/OR Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying.

Basic Education Requirement:

• Degree: A bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited college or university in zoology, wildlife management, or an appropriate field of biology that included at least 9 semester hours in zoology; 6 semester hours in such wildlife courses as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, or wildlife management; 3 semester hours in botany; and 3 semester hours in conservation biology. You must include transcripts.-OR-
• A combination of education and experience: A combination of education from an accredited college or university and specialized experience - courses equivalent to a major in one of the fields described in A above that included at least 9 semester hours in zoology; 6 semester hours in wildlife courses such as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, or wildlife management; 3 semester hours in botany; and 3 semester hours in conservation biology plus appropriate experience or additional education. You must include hours worked per week and transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-13 grade level: 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) overseeing wildlife biology, habitat management, land management, or natural resource conservation programs; 2) directing natural resource, refuge, park, conservation, or public land management operations; 3) supervising staff conducting habitat conservation, maintenance, or public use programs; and 4) coordinating with Federal, State, Tribal, local, or private stakeholders to achieve natural resources management, land conservation, environmental stewardship, or public use objectives. 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. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications

Additional information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

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 Environment: The work requires some physical exertion such as walking over wet, rough or uneven marshy surfaces; bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching or similar activities; and recurring lifting of moderately heavy items weighing up to 50 pounds, Work is performed both in an office and outdoors. Incumbent may be subject to biting insects and me be required to work in close proximity to large animals.

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.