Fish Biologist

This position is designated as a Code 4 supervisor with less than 25% of duties involving the supervision of a small hatchery team and performing the full range of technical and administrative supervisory responsibilities including setting objectives defining work scope and developing overall plans.

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

• Provide technical and operational oversight training guidance and assistance to staff and volunteers engaged in station operations and maintenance.
• Monitor fish health growth and quality and implement corrective measures or administer therapeutic and prophylactic treatments.
• Assist with formulation implementation and evaluation of production and distribution plans.
• Plan develop and conduct studies and investigations developing diagnostic protocols and recording experimental fish culture data such as those related to using hormones and testing new and modified pharmaceuticals fungicides and other pesticides.
• Work with the Hatchery Manager to hire direct assign promote reward suspend discipline or remove employees.
• Schedule assign and direct work; administering supervisory personnel functions; evaluating work performance; taking necessary action to ensure work meets quality and quantity standards.
• Work in conjunction with the Project Leader to develop and implement the hatchery outreach program by providing tours making presentations speaking to various organizations and groups maintaining the hatchery visitor center and conducting fishing events.
• Plan schedule attend and conduct meetings with elected officials (local county state Congressional) varying levels of government units (local state federal) interest groups (landowners county state bureaus state and national environmental groups).

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born aftermust be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more visit have and maintain a valid drivers license throughout employment.
• Much obtain and maintain a valid Commercial Drivers license throughout employment.
• Pre-employment and random drug testing are required. You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
• You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You are required to obtain and maintain a Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC) Merchant Mariners Document (MMD) and Transportation Workers Information Credential (TWIC) card.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

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 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 individuals employment should continue and that their appointment should be 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.

*Additional Requirements located under qualifications*

Additional Requirements

• You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles.
• Shift work is required. You will be required to work other than normal duty hours which may include evenings weekends and holidays.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/15/2026-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: major in biological science that included at least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects such as limnology ichthyology fishery biology aquatic botany aquatic fauna oceanography fish culture or related courses in the field of fishery biology; AND at least 12 semester hours in the animal sciences in such subjects as general zoology vertebrate zoology comparative anatomy physiology entomology parasitology ecology cellular biology genetics or research in these fields. (Excess course work in aquatic subjects may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate.) You must submit transcripts. -OR-
• B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e. at least 30 semester hours) of which a minimum of 6 semester hours were in aquatic subjects and 12 semester hours were in the animal sciences as shown in A above plus appropriate experience or additional education.

-AND-

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: (1) carrying out daily activities of hatchery production operations; (2) propagating cold cool and warm water aquatic species; (3) assisting in program planning and budget preparation; (4) observing fish for signs of stress or disease and initiating the appropriate steps to alleviate stress or treat disease; and (5) maintaining records of fish production and distribution. You must include hours per week worked. -OR-
• Education: Successful completion of at least 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in the biological sciences agriculture natural resource management chemistry or closely related field which provided the knowledge skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. You must include transcripts. -OR-
• Combination of education and experience: To combine education and experience first take the total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week and transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: (1) planning and carrying out daily activities of hatchery production operations; (2) propagating cold cool and warm water aquatic species; (3) program planning and budget preparation; (4) developing and carrying out hatchery work plans; and (5) planning and conducting fisheries studies including design collection and analysis of biological data related to fish culture fishery resources and fish health.

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.

Required Experience:

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