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FUL Seasonal Biological Science Technician (Plants)
Summary
The purpose of the position is to perform routine and uncomplicated biological science tasks common to natural resource management related to ecological restoration. This includes plant identification, invasive plant control, native plant augmentation, and field data collection.
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This job is open to
The public
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Special authorities
Clarification from the agency
This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority and is open to U.S. citizens and nationals who meet all eligibility requirements, including permanent and exclusive residency within the defined vicinity of the field unit as described in this announcement. Under this authority, veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking procedures do not apply.
Duties
This position will work under the supervision of experienced staff as part of a dynamic team conducting ecological restoration fieldwork in one of America's most botanically diverse national parks at Indiana Dunes. To perform duties effectively, you will need a foundation in botanical sciences and a desire to learn and work hard. Attention to details and ability to work outdoors as part of a team is essential.
Fieldwork will be conducted in a variety of habitats including wetlands, prairie, open dune complex and/or black oak savanna. Field work will include:
- Chemical and mechanical treatment of invasive plants, seed collection, native plant installation, and field data collection.
- Using tools and operating equipment such as chainsaws, brush cutters/clearing saws, hand saws, loppers, pruners, backpack sprayers and applying herbicide to control target invasive plant species.
- May be required to work from amphibious vehicles such as a Marshmaster, Landtamer, Argo, and/or operate an ATV or UTV.
- Using GIS technology to document project work.
Work will be adaptive with other tasks assigned as necessary to achieve the park's restoration goals. This position will require application of herbicides for vegetation control, strenuous manual labor (carrying up to 40 pounds over uneven terrain and in mucky substrate). Wetland work may occur in water depths of up to three feet, and direct bodily contact with water and muck may be unavoidable.
Area Information: Indiana Dunes National Park
Indiana Dunes National Park is located at the southern tip of Lake Michigan approximately 50 miles southeast of Chicago, Illinois. The park is a biodiversity hotspot where a rich mosaic of habitats are home to over 1,100 native plant species. At 15,000 acres, the park contains 15 miles of shoreline and over 50 miles of trails. Small towns, lakefront communities, natural areas, farms and industry surround the park. An abundance of cultural and recreational activities are available year-round. The area has weather typical of the Midwest, with temperatures normally ranging from 0 degrees in the winter to 90 degrees in the summer.
GOVERNMENT HOUSING NOT AVAILABLE
Requirements
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.
- Driver's License: 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.
- Vehicle Operation: You may be required to complete training and operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
- 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-04/29/2026-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 qualified specialized experience.
To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:
EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is applying/performing a variety of manual, mechanical chemical and/or bio-control methods to manage non-native invasive plant species; performing basic vegetation inventories, studies and surveys; participating in site rehabilitation through soil preparation, planting, propagating, and native seed collection; field data collection using GIS technology.
You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, mathematics. NOTE: At least six semester hours of the education must have been in courses directly related to the position such as: Agronomy, Crop Science, Botany, Silviculture, Horticulture, etc. 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 l year of specialized experience. For example, six (6) months of specialized experience (50% of the specialized experience requirement), and three years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education), which includes at least 12 semester hours of related coursework as specified above and 3 hours directly related to the position such as: Agronomy, Crop Science, Botany, Silviculture, Horticulture, etc. (50% of the related coursework required).You must 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
This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within the defined local commuting area at the time of application. For this announcement, the local commuting area is the area from which individuals can reasonably commute to the duty station under normal conditions. The defined vicinity for this position is: Field Unit Local Hiring for Porter, IN defined as 50 miles from Indiana Dunes National Park, 1100 North Mineral Springs Road, Porter, IN 46369. Residency will be verified during the hiring process.
Salary Range: 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.
Additional Selections: 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 / Working Conditions: A majority of the duties will be conducted outdoors in weather ranging from humid and hot to cold and snowy. This position will require application of herbicides for vegetation control, strenuous manual labor (carrying up to 40 pounds over uneven terrain and in mucky substrate). The incumbent will be exposed to poisonous plants including the very poisonous wetland shrub Rhus vernix (poison sumac) and Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy), biting and stinging insects including ticks which may harbor Lyme disease, mosquitoes which may harbor West Nile Virus, tripping hazards. Incumbent will be required to treat uniform with Permethrin to reduce potential for tick-born illnesses. Wetland work may occur in water depths of up to three feet, and direct bodily contact with water and muck may be unavoidable.
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
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.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applicants will be evaluated based on how well they meet the qualification requirements for the position.
Upon receipt of a completed application package, the Servicing Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement.
Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be reviewed. Applicants may submit only one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine qualifications and eligibility. If more than one resume is submitted, only the most recent submission will be reviewed.
This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking, and veterans' preference procedures do not apply. The Servicing Human Resources Office will determine whether applicants meet the qualification and eligibility requirements described in this announcement. Applicants who meet these requirements may be referred to the selecting official on a certificate of eligibles for consideration.
Applicants must certify that they maintain a permanent and exclusive residence within the defined vicinity of the field unit(s) listed in this announcement. Residency eligibility will be verified during the hiring process.
If your resume is incomplete or does not demonstrate that you meet the qualification requirements or specialized experience described in this announcement, you may be determined ineligible or not qualified for further consideration.
Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
- Botany
- Teamwork
- Technical Competence
- Technical Documentation
Required Documents
The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/29/2026:
- Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, dates specified in month and year format, 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 qualified specialized experience. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
- Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP/CTAP) consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, 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. ICTAP/CTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they exceed minimal qualifications for this position (i.e. Resume supports substantial possession of stated competencies) for the position.
- Transcripts if qualifying based on education.
- Proof of residence (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy).
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To receive consideration, your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/29/2026.
You must provide documentation to support your eligibility and qualification claims. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibility sections to ensure you submit the appropriate information. You will only be considered for eligibilities for which you have provided the required supporting documentation.
Applications may be submitted through USAJOBS or through other authorized methods identified by the agency (e.g., third-party platforms or local outreach efforts) to support targeted recruitment under this authority.
Applicants submitting materials outside of USAJOBS must:
Submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement, and
Ensure all materials are formatted and consistent with the application instructions outlined in this announcement, including resume requirements and supporting documentation.
All applications, regardless of submission method, will be evaluated using the same criteria and requirements to ensure a fair and equitable hiring process.
Applications received after the closing date, or that do not meet the requirements outlined in this announcement, will not be considered.
USAJOBS Application Instructions- Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
- Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
- Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application"
- To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12937625
- Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
- Select documents you want included in this application.
- Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
- Select if you want to include your demographic information.
- After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
- Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
- Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
- Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
- Review and Submit Application.
- While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
- You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
- To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
- Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.
Agency contact information
1100 N Mineral Springs Rd
Porter, IN 46304
US
Next steps
Once your Occupational Questionnaire has been received, you will receive an acknowledgment confirming your submission was successful.
Applicants who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Under this authority, all applicants determined to be qualified may be referred. If your name is referred, you may be contacted directly by the hiring official for a possible interview.
You will be notified of the status of your application at key stages in the process, including when candidates are referred for consideration and when the selection process has been completed.
Overview
- 0404 Biological Science Technician
- Credentialing
- Suitability/Fitness
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