Biologist – Direct Hire Authority
This position is located at the Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, in the Vegetation Management Division.
Duties
This is a term position (more than 1 year) with an initial appointment expecting to last at least 13 months but may be extended up to a total of four years, or more based on any changes to regulations governing the number of years term appointments may last, without further competition. Term positions do not convey permanent status in the Federal service. The National Park Service retains the right to extend the duration of this appointment after selection and/or appointment, based on changes to the regulation governing the number of years term appointments may last. This change, which may be made at the agency’s sole discretion and without further competition, shall not be construed or interpreted as the granting of a right to a selectee or employee to such an extension. No extension to a term appointment shall be granted to a selectee/employee to an amount of time that exceeds the maximum number of years authorized under any present or current regulation, unless such regulation expressly allows such action.
Major duties include but are not limited to:
- Prepares or supervises the preparation of environmental assessments (EAs) for projects in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and biological assessments in compliance with the Endangered Species Act.
- Prepares and coordinates the writing of the natural resource sections of management plans and specific action plans pertaining to the management and protection of natural resources.
- Seeks out new partnerships, develops collaborations, and negotiates agreements and other cooperative instruments needed to effectively carry out resource stewardship goals.
- Collects, analyzes, and synthesizes scientific information from research, monitoring, resources management actions, and other sources of information then prepares reports for specific projects, managers, park staff, and partners.
- Carries out project management duties by developing scopes of work, schedules, cost estimates, funding proposals and may serve as contracting officers representative for assigned projects.
- Specific duties include:
- Involvement in post-fire forest restoration, particularly assisting with planning and compliance of giant sequoia and fisher habitat reforestation projects. Collaborates with Restoration Ecologist in planning and implementing reforestation of giant sequoia and mixed conifer forest. Tasks include assisting with restoration plan development; coordinating with USGS, USFS, and Fire Ecology field crews; compliance; data management/analysis; and GIS.
- Coordinates implementation of established vegetation management projects.
- Applies forest biology knowledge to development of fire and fuels management planning and reviewing projects that impact forest resources.
- Uses judgement to develop protocols and procedures for assessing forest health and the success of reforestation projects. Collaborates with NPS Inventory & Monitoring, researchers, and regional collaborators on forest heath in montane and subalpine forest communities.
- Acts as subject matter expert for compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA), particularly regarding white bark pine.
See vacancy posting for full requirements