Biological Science Technician (Plant or Fish) Positions, GS 3, GS 4, GS 5 - USDA Forest Service, PIBO Monitoring Program

The Pacfish Infish Biological Opinion (PIBO) Monitoring Program will soon begin filling multiple temporary seasonal positions in biology for the 2021 field season. Positions will be filled at the GS-3, 4, and 5 levels. These seasonal (not to exceed 1039 hours) positions will begin on May 10th. Student employees typically work to the first week of August while others will work to mid-September with extensions determined by availability of work and funding.

·        Leadore, Idaho

·        Saint Regis, Montana

·        John Day, Oregon

·        Logan, Utah

The incumbent will serve as a member of the PIBO Monitoring Program team. The project’s goal is to evaluate the status and trend of aquatic and riparian habitat on lands managed by the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and other federal agencies within the Interior Columbia River and Upper Missouri River basins. The PIBO program collects data on approximately 450 streams each year, located throughout the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and Montana. During the summer months the incumbent is required to work remotely for 8 consecutive days, followed by a 6 day break. This is a field based job requiring living, hiking, and working in remote areas with uneven terrain and inclement weather conditions. Government housing is not expected to be available. In the event housing is available it will be limited and only at some duty stations for a nominal fee.

Biological Science Technician (Plant) (GS 4-5) position responsibilities include riparian vegetation data collection and extensive plant identification. You will learn a variety of sampling techniques and how to identify many riparian plant species, including: sedges, grasses, forbs, willows, and other woody plants. To qualify, the incumbent must have completed at least one plant taxonomy course and have experience identifying plants using dichotomous keys.

Biological Science Technician (Fish) (GS 4-5) position responsibilities include an intensive reach scale stream survey. Using one of the most rigorously tested sampling protocols available, technicians collect information on a variety of stream attributes including habitat formations, channel geometry, substrate size, stream bank characteristics, gradient, water chemistry, large woody debris, and macroinvertebrate assemblages. To qualify, incumbent must have course work or experience in natural resource management; especially fisheries, water resources, and stream morphology.

Biological Science Aid (GS 3) position responsibilities will be nearly identical to either the Plant or Fish positions described above depending on experience and needs of the program. 

Every position requires a valid driver’s license issued by any US state or territory. Regardless of position the incumbent will spend a great deal of time wading through streams and must be willing to work and live in wet conditions. The number of positions will be determined by funding but is expected to include approximately 12 of each position listed in the table below. The positions will be distributed amongst all location.

Position, Grade, Announcement Numbers:

0404-Biological Science Technician (Plants) GS-5

0404-Biological Science Technician (Plants) GS-4

0404-Biological Science Technician (Fisheries) GS-5

0404-Biological Science Technician (Fish/Wildlife) GS-4

0404-General Biological Science Aid GS-3