Job Description

Summary

You will perform a wide variety of biological science technical support related to fisheries. You will assist aquatic research biologists with investigations of the biological and physical-chemical components of the park's aquatic ecosystem by carrying out sampling programs that require following established protocols.

Open to the first 50 applicants or until 01/28/2026 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Duties

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Some of the duties you will perform include but are not limited to:

• Sample fish by multiple methods in a set of study lakes in the backcountry of Voyageurs National Park
• Collect data and samples in support of two water quality monitoring programs
• Participate in research projects focused on fish communities, harmful algal blooms, and aquatic invasive species
• Assist higher-level specialists/technicians in conducting monitoring to detect aquatic invasive species.
• Perform laboratory work associated with this research and monitoring
• Operate motorboats to travel to work destinations. Motorboat training will be provided.

As assigned, perform resource management tasks and duties supporting the mission of the park. These may include, but are not limited to, assisting higher-level specialists/technicians in conducting biological aquatic monitoring programs, biological aquatic surveys, and water quality measurements.

Located in the North Woods, Voyageurs National Park is a water-based park, and travel by motorboat is required to conduct fieldwork. Voyageurs National Park is located in northern Minnesota. The park encompasses over 218,000 acres of boreal forest and water along the Canadian border. The park is a class one air shed, and the lakes of the park are identified as outstanding resource value waters within the State. Lakes include Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan and Sand Point; along with 26 smaller remote lakes. The area made up a portion of the Voyageurs highway that opened the North American Continent to European settlement. The waterways of the park were integral to the growth and movement of the Ojibwe people of the region. Within the park there are over 200 campsites, 3 visitor centers; and a concession operated hotel, only accessible by boat, or plane; there are 45 miles of trails; 3 boat launches; and about 15 miles of roads. The park is adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Quetico Provincial Park. International Falls is the full-service gateway community at the north entrance, offering a hospital, two medical clinics, shopping, schools, community college, movie theater, bowling alley, community center and churches. International Falls also serves as the gateway to Canada, so those who are visiting may also include a day trip to our sister city, Fort Frances, Ontario

Park website:

Facebook: Voyageurs National Park | Facebook

This announcement is clearing Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan (I/CTAP) for Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.

• Direct Deposit: Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Drug Testing: You will be required to submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test result prior to appointment. In addition, this position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use. [NOTE: This does not apply to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park]
• Driving: You will be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties; a valid driver's license is required. You will be required to submit a Motor Vehicle Operator's License and Driving Record. You must also submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that disclose all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you.
• Motorboat Operation/Instructor Certification Course: Applicant must be able to obtain a Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC) or Motorboat Operator Instructor Certification Course (MOICC) or equivalent after entrance on duty date. [NOTE: This does not apply to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park]
• Uniform: You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• Minimum Age Requirement: Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/28/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.

GS-04 grade level: To qualify, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications:

• EXPERIENCE: Six months of general experience AND 6 months of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-3 level in the Federal service that is in or related to the duties of the position to be filled. NOTE: Excess specialized experience beyond the required 6 months may be substituted for general experience. General experience is any type of work that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of the position to be filled and/or shows your familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include assisting in conducting biological field studies and surveys and assembling the information. Follow standardized procedures to collect data on condition of resources. Use statistical methods and procedures to perform routine testing of field data collected. water quality sampling; zooplankton sampling; sediment sampling; conducting aquatic environmental monitoring. You must include hours per week worked. -OR-
• EDUCATION: Successful completion of 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must be directly related to the position to be filled (i.e., fisheries biology, aquatic ecology, limnology, plankton ecology, microbial ecology, phycology, malacology, aquatic resources management). You must include transcripts. -OR-
• Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. For example, 6 months of specialized experience (50% of the experience) combined with 1 year of education as outlined above (50% of the education), which included at least 6 semester hours of scientific or technical courses [biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics] and at least 3 semester hours of directly related course. You must include hours per week worked AND include transcripts .

GS-05 grade level: To qualify, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications:

• EXPERIENCE: You must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level. For this position, specialized experience is experience performing biological work relating to the biological and/or physical chemical components of aquatic ecosystems or their subparts such as: water quality sampling; zooplankton sampling; sediment sampling; conducting aquatic environmental monitoring and management activities to document and assess environmental or natural resource conditions; fish or other aquatic animal presence, abundance, reproduction, management issues, and population dynamics; or other similar biological resource management and assessment activities using established protocols and standard scientific equipment; and that has included as a duty and responsibility data entry and data management using Microsoft Access, Excel, Word, ArcGIS, Pathfinder Office, or comparable software programs. You must include hours per week worked. - OR-
• EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four (4) years of education above high school (120 semester hour or 180 quarter hours) leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or 24 semester hours of course work in a related field of scientific or technical study, such as in biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, mathematics, wildlife biology, or other directly related subject matter. At least six (6) semester hours of courses must be directly related to this position (i.e., fisheries biology, aquatic ecology, limnology, plankton ecology, microbial ecology, phycology, malacology, aquatic resources management). You must include transcripts. - OR-
• Successful completion of a COMBINATION of education and experience as described above. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience. For example, if you have six (6) months of the specialized experience described above (50% of the experience requirement), and three (3) years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education) which included at least 12 semester hours of related coursework and 3 hours directly related to the position as specified above (50% of the related coursework required). The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week worked AND include transcripts .

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

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Non-Competitive Rehire Eligibility: Temporary seasonal employees can only maintain their non-competitive rehire eligibility if they work no more than a combined total of Temporary NTE less than 1040 hours anywhere in the National Park Service (NPS) within their established service year. Accordingly, non-competitive rehire eligibility allows for re-appointment to the same position or another position appropriate for temporary appointment with the same qualification requirements (5 CFR 316.402[b][7]), based on series and grade, anywhere in the major subdivision (NPS).

If you have held a temporary seasonal appointment in the past 12 months and have already worked the maximum temporary appointment less than 1040 hours during that period, you are still welcome to apply. However, please be aware that exceeding the limit of 1040 hours in your established service year will result in the loss of your non-competitive rehire eligibility.

The limit can be exceeded by working multiple temporary seasonal positions that result in a combined total greater than 1040 hours. The limit also can be exceeded by working a single temporary seasonal appointment that exceeds 1040 hours, unless granted an exception by OPM.

Employment may be terminated at any time due to fluctuations in funding levels, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking, bending, lifting, carrying, pulling, and similar strenuous activities requiring agility and dexterity. Includes performing duties in remote locations and in adverse weather conditions. Heavy items (e.g., equipment and packs up to 50 pounds) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis.

Working Conditions: You will work in a variety of weather conditions; weather can vary from near freezing temperatures with rain and snow in May to hot and humid weather in late summer. The work performed involves regular and recurring exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals. Pests including black flies, deer flies, mosquitoes, and ticks are common in this region. Laboratory work may involve exposure to hazardous chemicals.

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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.

Benefits

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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 windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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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.

Job Tags

Full time, Temporary work, Part time, Summer work, Seasonal work, Work at office, Remote work,

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