Biological Science Technician (Plants) (Temporary)

Summary

You will serve as a Biological Science Technician (Plants) (Temporary) performing field and technical work to monitor, manage, and protect natural resources, including plants, wildlife, aquatic resources, and their habitats. Likely Entry on Duty: February to March 2027. Open to the first 100 applicants or until 11/16/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Duties

Some of the Biological Science Technician (Plants) Standard Duties include but are not limited to: Manages invasive plant populations and restores disturbed sites using best available methods in accordance with established policy and standards, applying experimental methods when needed. Collects, cleans, and stores native plant materials for subsequent propagation, seeding, and transplanting; manages and inventories materials and plants in a nursery; outplants and provides post-planting care. Produces containerized plants from seed collections and cuttings; maintains these and other plant materials received from government cooperators and private growers in good condition. Develops annual nursery and plant propagation work plans based on restoration priorities, species lists, and quantities established by supervisor. Manage and analyze data using spreadsheet, database, statistical, and GIS software. Develops seasonal and weekly work plans for vegetation staff and partners in coordination with supervisor; independently sets daily schedules and trains staff in work protocols. Collects field data to monitor all vegetation management actions; updates and improves protocols as needed; completes required reporting for all vegetation management actions. Conduct vegetation sampling in remote wilderness settings. Additional duties for GS9: Executes complex invasive plant management operations, providing technical leadership in the identification, monitoring, mapping, and implementation of treatments for invasive species; ensures adherence to established protocols and safety standards and evaluates treatment effectiveness to inform adaptive management strategies. Develops successful field and greenhouse propagation techniques for native species through review of scientific literature, discussions with subject matter experts in plants and restoration ecology, and experimentation for a limited number of species as needed. Develops outyear work plans and completes analytical reporting on vegetation management tasks; develops novel protocols for vegetation management; coordinates with partners to develop and improve resource management strategies. Following established procedures and within a defined scope, conduct scientifically credible forest plot data collection. Plans and executes multi-day backcountry field data collection trips into the backcountry. Leads field crews on backcountry field data collection trips, prioritizing safety and scientific validity of data collection efforts; making independent decisions in the field that align with safety and project goals.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-11/16/2026-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-08 grade level, you must possess the following: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in the federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience may include: Performing nursery work involving the growing and maintenance of native plants in a controlled environment; participating in site rehabilitation through soil preparation, native seed collection, broadcast or drill seeding, native plant salvage, and/or planting of native plants for upland and/or wetland restoration; conducting field surveys and vegetation mapping, including identification to sub-species of native vegetation, using established protocols; assisting with invasive plant management through identification, monitoring, and control of invasive species; and serving as a crew member on revegetation and vegetation management work. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess one of the following: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-8 level in the federal service (obtained in either the public or private sector). Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of specialized experience may include: Producing containerized plants from seed collections and cuttings; leading site rehabilitation efforts through soil preparation, native seed collection, broadcast or drill seeding, native plant salvage, and/or planting of native plants for upland and/or wetland restoration; leading field surveys and vegetation mapping in remote locations to document and assess plant presence, abundance, reproduction, management issues, and population dynamics using established protocols; managing and summarizing vegetation data using computer software (such as Microsoft Access, Excel, Word, ArcGIS, Pathfinder Office, or comparable); leading an invasive plant management crew, including planning and executing invasive plant control methods; leading a vegetation research or monitoring project, including quality control/assessment, data summary, and reporting; and training other staff in vegetation management and restoration techniques. -OR- B. Successfully completed at least two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in a field that is directly related to the work of this position, such as botany, horticulture, ecology, restoration ecology, fire ecology, rangeland ecology, or other directly related subject matter. -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, 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 experien