Summary This position is a Environmental Contaminants Biologist, GS- 0401-11/12 working in Tulsa, Oklahoma for the R2-Oklahoma Ecological Services Field Office. Responsibilities The position contributes to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's mission and responsibility for identifying and evaluating contaminant threats, mitigating the impacts of those threats, and avoiding impacts to natural resources by preventing the release of toxic and hazardous substances into the environment. This position supports the Service's Ecological Services and other programs by providing contaminant information, advice, and expertise. This position serves as a fish and wildlife biologist handling complex contaminant issues within the Oklahoma Ecological Services Field Office located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with an emphasis on working to identify and address potential contaminant issues and related threats to fish and wildlife resources. Duties will include responses to contaminant releases; development of proactive measures to prevent impacts to threatened, endangered or other species and their habitats; and restoration of natural resources from spills or other releases. This includes work to implement the Department of the Interior's Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program. Other duties may include on-Refuge contaminant investigations, completion of Refuge Contaminant Assessment Protocols, reviewing and commenting on Pesticide Use Proposals and similar activities. This position will require the ability to manage on going Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) caseloads which involve partnerships between state and federal agencies as well as Native American Tribes. The position will require the ability to work as a team member on these cases to effectively complete programmatic task needs in the NRDA program and an effective communicator representing the Fish and Wildlife Service in the team setting. This position is multidisciplinary, relying heavily on expertise in fish and wildlife biology, ecotoxicology, chemistry, and environmental science and risk assessment. It requires an understanding of natural resource laws including the Endangered Species Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Resource Conservation and Reuse Act, and National Environmental Policy Act. The position also requires the ability to work in a team environment, effective written and oral communication, and strong interpersonal skills. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Only experience and education obtained by 02/02/2024 will be considered. In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification. Basic Requirement: You must meet A or B below to qualify for this position. A. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Minimum Qualification [GS-11]: One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-9 in the Federal service. Experience may include work on environmental contaminants in a remote wildland setting; work on fish and wildlife biology involving environmental contaminants. NOTE: Your resume must provide sufficient detail proving you have this experience. OR Completion of three years of progressively higher-level graduate education at an accredited college or university leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in wildlife biology, ecology, or a directly related field appropriate to this position. OR A combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement. Minimum Qualification [GS-12]: One year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility equivalent to grade GS-11 in the Federal service. Experience may include representing a federal agency in collaboration with other agencies on complex environmental contaminant issues; representing a federal agency on environmental contaminant cleanup projects in a remote wildland setting. NOTE: Your resume must provide sufficient detail proving you have this 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 PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts. PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov) Additional Information PCS INFORMATION: -No PCS entitlements authorized Telework: This position is suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval. Additional Vacancies: One or more positions may be filled from applications received under this announcement in the advertised office or other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices in the local commuting area. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP):Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. CTAP or ICTAP applicants must be determined to be well-qualified for this position in order to receive special selection priority. To be well-qualified, a CTAP or ICTAP applicant must meet the following: OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors, where applicable; special OPM approved qualifying conditions for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receives a rating of at least 85 on the questionnaire. For more information visit: OPM's Employee Guide to Career Transition Reasonable Accommodation: The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.