Fish Biologist

Summary You will serve as a Fish Biologist (Assistant Project Leader) within the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 3, Iron River National Fish Hatchery, location in Iron River, WI. Salary Range Information: GS-11: $74,678 - $97,087 GS-12: $89,508 - $116,362 First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate. Duties This position is designated as a Code 4 supervisor, with less than 25% of duties involving the supervision of a small hatchery team and performing the full range of technical and administrative supervisory responsibilities, including setting objectives, defining work scope, and developing overall plans. Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Provide technical and operational oversight, training, guidance, and assistance to staff and volunteers engaged in station operations and maintenance. Monitor fish health, growth, and quality, and implement corrective measures or administer therapeutic and prophylactic treatments. Assist with formulation, implementation, and evaluation of production and distribution plans. Plan, develop, and conduct studies and investigations, developing diagnostic protocols, and recording experimental fish culture data such as those related to using hormones and testing new and modified pharmaceuticals, fungicides, and other pesticides. Work with the Hatchery Manager to hire, direct, assign, promote, reward, suspend, discipline, or remove employees. Schedule, assign, and direct work; administering supervisory personnel functions; evaluating work performance; taking necessary action to ensure work meets quality and quantity standards. Work in conjunction with the Project Leader to develop and implement the hatchery outreach program by providing tours, making presentations, speaking to various organizations and groups, maintaining the hatchery visitor center, and conducting fishing events. Plan, schedule, attend, and conduct meetings with elected officials (local, county, state, Congressional), varying levels of government units (local, state, federal), interest groups (landowners, county, state bureaus, state and national environmental groups). Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. Qualifications Additional Requirements You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles. Shift work is required. You will be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and holidays. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/15/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Basic Educational Requirement AND Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying. Basic Educational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one of the following: A. Degree: major in biological science that included at least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects such as limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, or related courses in the field of fishery biology; AND at least 12 semester hours in the animal sciences in such subjects as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields. (Excess course work in aquatic subjects may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate.) You must submit transcripts. -OR- B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), of which a minimum of 6 semester hours were in aquatic subjects and 12 semester hours were in the animal sciences, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. -AND- To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level: Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: (1) carrying out daily activities of hatchery production operations; (2) propagating cold, cool and warm water aquatic species; (3) assisting in program planning and budget preparation; (4) observing fish for signs of stress or disease and initiating the appropriate steps to alleviate stress or treat disease; and (5) maintaining records of fish production and distribution. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: Successful completion of at least 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in the biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or closely related field which provided the knowledge skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position. You must include transcripts. -OR- Combination of education and experience: To combine education and experience, first take the total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week and transcripts. To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level: Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: (1) planning and carrying out daily activities of hatchery production operations; (2) propagating cold, cool and warm water aquatic species; (3) program planning and budget preparation; (4) developing and carrying out hatchery work plans; and (5) planning and conducting fisheries studies, including design, collection, and analysis of biological data related to fish culture, fishery resources, and fish health. 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 This position has a mandatory education requirement. 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