POSITION TITLE: biological science technician
Hiring Organization/Employer: USDA
Application Deadline: 5/20/2026
Education Required: none
Location: Negotiable, Georgia
Website Link/URL: USAJOBS - Job Announcement
Description:
As a Wildlife Biological Science Technician, you will perform duties relating to wildlife management and use of techniques aimed at controlling damage caused by wildlife to help protect agriculture, natural resources, property, and threats to human health and safety.
Compensation & Benefits:
$19.52 - $35.36 per hour
Responsibilities:
- The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.
- The duties may include, but are not limited to:
- Inspects and surveys areas and, as necessary, will revise existing WDM programs in close consultation with higher-level management.
- Assists Wildlife Biologists by correctly identifying current, and forecasting future damage, problems and relating them to the damage-causing species.
- Modifies or adapts established damage control techniques as necessary to meet local conditions and address specific environmental, economic or political considerations.
- Enters data into established WDM database/system of record. Uses data to prepare and submit routine reports regarding daily, weekly or monthly activities, observations, and events.
- Responsible for organizing and conducting direct control operations to reduce wildlife damage within a geographical area or technical/subject area of program involvement.
Preferred Qualifications:
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
FOR THE GS-5 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-4 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:
- Experience in wildlife damage mitigation methods and techniques.
- Experience using lethal and non-lethal animal control techniques.
- Conducting basic computer operations for record keeping, data analysis, report writing and correspondence;
OR
Successful completion of 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 scientific or technical courses such as biology, chemistry, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics, with at least 6 semester hours in wildlife.
Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level.
For the GS-6 Grade Level:
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-5 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, federal) sectors which demonstrates experience in:
- Dealing with human-wildlife conflicts and principles of wildlife damage management.
- The requirements of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), Endangered Species Act, and National Environment Policy Act.
- Conducting wildlife damage assessments, counts and abundance surveys.
- The use of firearms, traps, snares, pesticides, immobilizing drugs, pyrotechnics, electronic harassment devices, and other non-lethal control tools.
- Creating/maintaining public contacts to formulate assistance strategies that incorporate technical assistance and operational control techniques.
OR
Successfully completed 1 year of graduate education (18 semester hours) in wildlife.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience at the GS-6 Grade Level:
Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level.
How to Apply:
Please read the entire announcement and instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation. Human Resources will pull applications weekly or as requested by the Hiring Official. If your USA Hire assessments are not complete when the applications are pulled, you will be considered in the next round of pulled applications. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. Resume cannot exceed two pages.
The application process:
1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
2: Create a Resume with USAJOBS or upload a Resume into USAJOBS. You may want to customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. In addition, your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire.
3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required. You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Simply log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue.
4: If you are required to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
5: Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.Review instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
6: Set aside at around 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
7: Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
You may update your application documents and some questions at any time during the announcement open period. Upon application, you may be provided a testing window to complete additional assessments. This testing window may stipulate a completion deadline before the announcement closes. It is your responsibility to complete the additional online assessments within the timeline provided to remain in consideration for this vacancy announcement. Failure to complete the online assessments within the testing window for this announcement will not preclude you from being considered for and completing the online assessments during a testing window on a future announcement.
Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and preparation resources https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
Contact:
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
USDA APHIS MRPBS
250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 410
Minneapolis, MN 55401
US