Wildlife Biologist

You will serve as a Wildlife Biologist in the Science and Resource Management Division. First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level. GS-09: $61,722 (Step
1) to $ 80,243 (Step 10) per year - Salary Table 2026-RUS. This position is also open to status candidates under announcement CAHN--ST-LLH. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-08/31/2026-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

• A.
  Degree: Successful completion of a biological science degree that included:
  1) 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;
  2) 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
  3) at least 9 semester hours in botany or the related plant sciences. You must include transcripts.
  
  -OR-
• B.
  Combination of
  
  Education and Experience:
  
  Includes courses 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. You must include transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: Possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of at least the GS-07 grade level in the federal service, which has equipped me with the knowledge, skill, and ability to successfully perform the duties of this position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.
  
  Generally technical work below the GS-08 level is not creditable. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to:
  1) assisting in the planning and implementation of wildlife censuses and monitoring surveys;
  2) working as a field crew leader for a wildlife project or study where field decisions were made independently, and activities included gathering, recording, and analyzing resource information, and preparing summary field reports for inclusion in a final report; or
  3) working in a professional or academic position that included working on portions of a research project to include choosing methodology and implementation of data gathering, analysis of wildlife data, and preparation of portions of a final report. You must include hours worked per week.
  
  -OR-
• Education: Successful completion of at least 2 years of progressively higher level of graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in related disciplines appropriate to this position. You must include transcripts.
  
  -OR-
• Combination of
  
  Education and Experience:
  
  Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience. For example, an applicant with 6 months of appropriate experience equivalent to GS-7 (50 percent of the experience requirement for GS-9) and 27 semester hours of appropriate graduate education (50 percent of the education requirement for GS-9, in excess of that required for GS-7) would be qualified for a GS-9 position (assuming that there is no evidence that the attended college or university requires more than 18 semester hours as equivalent to a year of graduate study).
  
  You must include hours per week and transcripts.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace…