Date Opened: 3/26/08 Announcement
Number: WERC 42-08-02
Date Closed: 4/8/08
Job Announcement
U.S. Geological Survey
Equal Opportunity Employer
Temporary Position: Biological Science Technician, GG-0404-05
Salary: $29,726 yearly, $14.24 hourly actual
salary based on hours worked
Type of Appt: Temporary, Not-to-Exceed 180 working days
Work Schedule: Full Time, Up to 4 positions needed
Field Station: USGS, Biological Resources Division,
Yosemite Field Station
Duty Station: Bishop, CA
Proposed Start Date: April 14, 2008 or later
Our research focuses on the processes underlying ecosystem recovery
following disturbance (i.e. fire), the effectiveness of active
restoration of degraded upland and desert habitats versus natural
recovery, and long-term trends in Southwestern and Intermountain
plant community change throughout the Western U.S. Research
integrates observational field studies, long-term monitoring at
established sites, as well as designed field and greenhouse
experiments to understand the processes driving ecosystem recovery
from wildfire, invasion by alien annual grasses, and active
ecological restoration activities. We investigate how fluctuating
desert climate, granivores such as ants and small mammals, and
competition with invasive grasses interact to shape Southwestern and
Intermountain western Desert shrubland and upland communities. Field
work occurs on lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management,
National Park Service, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service in
southern Nevada, California and northwestern Arizona. Candidates will
be asked to work on many different projects for periods of time
during employment.
Interested candidates should have a desire to work in a research team
and willing to work under arduous desert, upland and/or mountain
conditions in the field and in the laboratory/greenhouse. Incumbents
will assist in conducting field studies and surveys to collect
botanical data and/or specimens to support scientific
studies. Incumbents will establish sampling sites, assist in data
collection (keying plants, soil sampling, seed bank sampling,
vegetation inventory and monitoring, biomass collection, species
identification, preparation of herbarium specimens), data management,
maintenance of field, laboratory and computer equipment, and
occasional library research. The incumbent will collect and organize
field and laboratory data, ensuring adequate quality control of data
collected and assists in identifying erroneous data. The incumbent
will also assist in the lab analysis of soil, plant and seed bank samples.
The work involves large amounts of time outside under a variety of
conditions including extreme heat and cold temperatures and will
require the incumbent to carry objects weighing up to 50 pounds. The
use of global positioning systems (GPS units), computers, personal
data assistant (PDA's), digital cameras, on- and off-road vehicles
are an essential part of the job. Only people willing to spend
periods of several days (7-14 nights per month) camping under
primitive conditions at remote locations on data collection trips
throughout the entire spring, summer and fall should apply. Incumbent
must be a US citizen.
Qualifications: 9 months specialized experience in a field survey
party, or 3 years sub professional experience, or 3 years college
study (equivalent 90 semester/135 quarter hours) plus 3 months of lab
or field work experience.
Basis of Evaluation: All applicants will be evaluated on the basis of
education and experience (including unpaid or volunteer
experience). Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility
requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
How to Apply: Carefully read all information and instructions. It is
the responsibility of the applicant to insure the application is
completed. The personnel office will not be responsible for
soliciting additional information from applicants or from official
personnel records, but will consider individuals based on their
applications as submitted. Applications must be received by the
closing date of the announcement to be considered.
Applications must be received by the closing date of the announcement
to be considered.
Submit one of the following forms of application: (a) resume or (b)
OF-612, Optional Application for Federal employments, or (c) other
written format. Also, please submit college transcript or list of
college courses, specifying title of course work, completion date,
semester or quarter hours earned by course title, and grade earned.
If claiming 5 point veterans preference, a DD-214 showing character
of discharge is required. If claiming 10 point veterans preference,
a SF-15 with proof of claim is required.
The USGS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Selection for this
position will be based solely on merit, fitness, and qualifications
without regard to race, sex, color, religion, age, marital status,
national origin, non-disqualifying handicap conditions, sexual
orientation, or any other non-merit factors.
APPLY TO: Peggy Hamilton, USGS/BRD, 3020 State University Dr East,
Room 3006, Sacramento, CA 95819, FAX (916) 278-9474
[EMAIL PROTECTED] Please list the WERC announcement number on your documents
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Steven Ostoja, Ecologist
USGS - Western Ecological Research Center
Yosemite Field Station - Bishop Substation
U.C. White Mountain Research Station
3000 East Line Street
Bishop, CA 93514
Tel. 760.920.8241
Web. www.werc.usgs.gov/yosemite/
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