Find Jobs
Find Jobs Near You – Available Work in Your Location
Skip to job details
UF
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Biological Science Technician (Fish)
Career Insights for Biological Technician
See where this job fits in the broader career landscape. Knowing your career path helps you see what's possible from here.
Scorecard
Based on Wisconsin data
Review key factors to help you decide if this role fits your goals. How is this calculated?
What they do
A Biological Technician assists biologists and medical scientists working in labs. Operates lab equipment, monitors experiments, records results and observations. Uses computer software to collect and analyze data.
$48,419 / year median in Wisconsin
+7% projected growth
Job Description
Biological Science Technician (Fish) Department of the Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Iron River National Fish Hatchery Summary This position is located within the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Iron River National Fish Hatchery located in Iron River, WI. Rate of Pay GS-07
- $50,460
- $65,599 GS-08
- $55,882
- $72,644 Pay may vary based on grade level for which you're selected.
Physical Demands:
Physical demands will range depending on the project and use of the position. Most locations will be in locations around running water and requiring regular and recurring physical activity such as prolonged standing, walking over wet and/or rocky surfaces, stooping, bending, kneeling, climbing, and carrying heavy items may occur.Work Environment:
Most locations will be in locations in and around running water where the incumbent could be exposed to extreme weather conditions, insects/wildlife, and/or other environments that would require the incumbent to use protective clothing or gear such as hard hats, masks, gowns, ear plugs, coats, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields to mitigate risks. Requirements Conditions of employment Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/ . Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. Must obtain a Class B Commercial Driver's license within 180 days after entry-on-duty (EOD). Must obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Card within 180 days after EOD. Must obtain a Merchant Mariner Document within 180 days after EOD. Pre-employment and random alcohol and drug testing are required. You will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive test is received. You are required to wear a uniform and comply with the uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided. You may be required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority. You must be at least 21 years of age or older to operate government vehicles having a gross vehicle weight (GVW) rating of more than 26,000 pounds. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.- Additional Requirements located under qualifications
- Qualifications Requirements Continued.
Specialized Experience Requirement:
you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: assisting with the logistics of feeding and caring for fish; carrying out multi-faceted fish propagation activities (spawning, egg care, sorting, sampling, stocking) at a fish hatchery; collect and organize recurring fisheries data using established procedures; maintaining and using fish culture equipment; and apply specialized culture techniques. You must include hours per week worked in your resume to receive credit for experience. You must include hours per week worked.- OR•
Education:
Successful completion of at least one year (defined as the number of hours that the school attended determined to represent one full year of full-time study; if unavailable, then 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours will be considered as satisfying the requirement) of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in a field of study directly related to the position such as in biological sciences, agriculture, botany, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to this position. You must include transcripts. You must include transcripts.- OR•Combination of education and experience .
- AND•To qualify for this position at the GS-08 grade level:
Specialized Experience Requirement:
you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: planning end-to-end fish culture operations (broodstock selection, scheduling, biosecurity, resource allocation); leading multi-faceted propagation activities (spawning, fertilization, egg care, grading, sampling, tagging, stocking); coordinating with partners to align priorities, resolve conflicts, and meet production targets; diagnosing and mitigating complex culture issues (disease outbreaks, water-quality excursions, equipment/system failures); and train/mentor staff on hatchery data systems to ensure integrity and reproducibility. You must include hours per week worked in your resume to receive credit for experience. You must include hours per week worked.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 If qualifying on education, 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 Additional information Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor. Reasonable Accommodation (RA)Requests:
If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments . All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions . Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered. How you will be evaluated You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g. resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of any additional assessment(s) required for this position. Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. 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. Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into the following categories: Best Qualified- applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position Well Qualified
- applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job Qualified
- applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
- unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement: Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time) .
Federal Resume:
https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include Complete All Required Assessments . All college transcript(s) , if qualifying based on education. Please submit both undergraduate and graduate level transcripts, as applicable. Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable. Veterans must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (member 4 copy) or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15 . If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15 , and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.va.gov/records/ or call 1-800-827-1000. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active-duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation. Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) : You MUST submit proof of eligibility including 1) copy of the agency notice, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc.; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be well qualified.For more information visit:
USAJOBS Help Center- Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL). Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials
- you must remove your image from all documents.
- unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement to receive consideration.