Biological Science Technician (Plants) (Seasonal)

Biological Science Technicians perform field and technical work to monitor, manage, and protect natural resources, including plants, wildlife, aquatic resources, and their habitats. The typical seasonal entry-on-duty period for Seasonal Staffing Office-Shenandoah National Park is March through September , but can be variable during these months due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding.

Anticipated Entry on Duty: March

• July 2027.

Some of the Biological Science Technician (Plants) Standard Duties include but are not limited to : Measure and monitor vegetation, including live and dead, vigor and disease Collect and preserve samples according to protocols and handling guidance. Maintain sample integrity, and ship to laboratory or storage facilities as required Record and maintain project data using paper and digital, local and virtual, formats.

Use electronic survey and data collection equipment such as GPS, GIS, tablets, sensors, data-loggers, field computers. Conduct field work including plant identification, data collection, equipment use and maintenance. This position will assist the park Botanist by performing biological science technical support functions including plant identification, detailed plant monitoring, data entry, equipment management, and specimen processing.

Projects include long-term forest monitoring, rare plant monitoring, meadow monitoring, and plant protection activities. Technicians collect and organize natural resources data, and enter data into computer spreadsheets and databases daily or weekly. Data summary and basic report writing is required. Required to use chemical tick bite prevention measures (Permanone) on exterior of clothing and equipment.

All employees are expected to participate in basic office cleaning tasks on a regular basis. The position may also perform site visits to document project work compliance with natural and cultural resource impact mitigations, collecting photos, notes, spatial data and resolve resource protection/compliance issues related to NEPA, NHPA, and the ESA.

Additional compliance experience may also be gained in this position.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/02/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your 2 page resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.

e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. You may only submit one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes.

In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed. To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess one of the following : A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-06 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector).

Specialized experience is experience that equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience include: Serving as a project or field lead in implementing vegetation or ecological resource surveys and management activities; organizing, maintaining, and compiling program and field data and information; independently applying/performing a variety of manual, mechanical, and chemical methods to manage threats to native plants, vegetation, and associated habitats; conducting vegetation inventories, studies, and surveys, including collecting and recording field data; and implementing vegetation management activities such as seed collection, planting, propagation, and weeding.

Familiarity with compliance/mitigation under NEPA, NHPA, ESA is a plus. -OR- B . Successfully completed one full year (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours) of graduate level course work, from an accredited college or university, leading to a Master's degree with a major study directly related to the position to be filled.

Graduate study must have been in a field of study that is directly related to the work of this position such as plant taxonomy, botany, forestry, plant ecology, etc. -OR- C . Equivalent combination of experience and education that, together, equal 100% of the qualification standards listed above when combined. For example, six (6) months of specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement) combined with one year of education as outlined above (50% of the education above), along with 50% of the course-specific education stated above.

NOTE: If you are qualifying based in part on education, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts. Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sectors. The OPM Qualification Standards Handbook is available for review at: OPM Qualification Standards . Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.

g., Peace Corps, Ameri. Corps) 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.

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign education programs and that (1) deemed your education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.

S.

Education

program, or (2) given full credit for courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.