Fish and Wildlife Biologist

Summary

You will serve as a Fish and Wildlife Biologist, within the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with Region 8 - Pacific Southwest.

Duties

Location information: This position requires on-site presence. The selected applicant will be expected to report to one of the following FWS offices, with the specific workstation to be determined by the Agency upon selection. Sacramento, California at the Bay-Delta Fish and Wildlife Office - salary range per annum: $99,218 to $128,987 Fremont, California at the San Francisco National Wildlife Refuge Complex - salary range per annum: $111,896 to 145,468 This position is a Senior Fish and Wildlife Biologist in the Endangered Species Division. The incumbent will be responsible for carrying out Service activities associated with Section 7 consultations for development, transportation, infrastructure, water conveyance, recreation, restoration and flood control projects in the San Francisco Bay. Work is performed under the authority of the Endangered Species Act. The projects are often complex, require interaction with a variety of state, federal, local and non-governmental organization, and require evaluation of impacts on fish and wildlife resources, frequently under tight deadline. As a Fish and Wildlife Biologist your duties will include but are not limited to the following: Act as technical advisor to other Field Office staff on the habitat needs of rare, candidate, proposed, and federally listed species for the purpose of Section 7 consultations with other Federal agencies and designated non-Federal representatives; consults with staff in preparation of reasonable and prudent measures, reasonable and prudent alternatives, and conservation recommendations. Coordinate wide ranging initiatives involving other Federal and state agencies, organizations, and the public in fully implementing Endangered Species Act programs, the Federal Power Act, and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. Inspect projects for compliance with policies, standards, guidelines, agreements, and plans, followed by recommendations for action to assure compliance. Review rules, regulations, legislation and statutes pertaining to rare, candidate, proposed, threatened, and endangered fish, wildlife, and plant resources. Prepare and guide the preparation of written correspondence, reports, and papers pertaining to technical aspects of work that analyzes current conditions and assesses implications of future actions on rare, candidate, proposed, threatened and endangered species, fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Facilitates implementation of conservation actions authorized through Biological Opinions and other regulatory documents such as conservation strategies, recovery plans, and habitat management plans.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/13/2026-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 in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. You must submit transcripts. B. Combination of education and experience that includes coursework equivalent to a major (e.g., 24 semester/36 quarter hours or school equivalent) in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines as shown in A above, PLUS appropriate experience or additional education. This combination of education and experience is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field as described in A above. AND Specialized Experience: To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level: Minimum Qualifications [GS-12]: One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service performing work in or directly related to the position to be filled. Qualifying experience may include: (1) implementing conservation strategies, recovery plans, or risk analyses pursuant to Section 7 consultation under the Endangered Species Act; (2) providing technical leadership with actions and restoration initiatives in estuarine systems and tidal marshes regarding threatened and endangered species; (3) analyzing and coordinating the development of endangered species conservation initiatives in coordination with other agencies (Federal, state, local), organizations, and the public; (4) preparing and reviewing written correspondence, reports, or papers on natural resource impacts for publication based on literature, observations made, and investigations results; (5) conducting risk assessments related to potential management- or development-related impacts to habitats of threatened and endangered species. 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.

Education

This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification