FUL - Wildlife Biologist (Temporary)

US National Park Service; Twentynine Palms (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

US National Park Service at Joshua Tree National Park seeks a Wildlife Biologist (Temporary) to lead program development for wildlife resources and their habitat requirements. The role supports conservation efforts in a dynamic park setting and may extend based on agency needs and funding.

The position is temporary, anticipated to last about one year with possible extension up to two years, and requires meeting federal qualification standards and time-in-grade requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in biological science with coursework in wildlife subjects and zoology; transcripts required.
• Combination of education and experience may substitute for degree as specified by the agency.
• Experience coordinating human-wildlife conflict management strategies and building effective working relationships.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement wildlife resource programs and habitat requirements.
• Coordinate human-wildlife conflict management strategies and outreach.
• Maintain productive relationships with stakeholders, agencies, and the public.

Skills

Human-wildlife conflict coordination

Stakeholder engagement

Wildlife management programs

Education

Bachelor's in biological science

Combination of education and experience

Job description

You will serve as a FUL - Wildlife Biologist (Temporary) at Joshua Tree National Park. The wildlife biologist is responsible for program development and implementation for wildlife resources and their habitat requirements.

This is a temporary position expected to last 1 year but may be extended up to a maximum of two years based on agency needs and potential funding.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/02/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. All candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements.

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/OR 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: Bachelor's Degree or higher degree with a major in biological science that included at least 9 semester hours in such wildlife subjects as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, wildlife management, or research courses in the field of wildlife biology; and at least 12 semester hours in zoology in such subjects as general zoology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, ecology, cellular biology, parasitology, entomology, or research courses in such subjects (Excess courses in wildlife biology may be used to meet the zoology requirements where appropriate.); and at least 9 semester hours in botany or the related plant sciences. You must submit transcripts. -OR-
• B. Combination of education and experience: You must have a combination of education and experience equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), with at least 9 semester hours in wildlife subjects, 12 semester hours in zoology, and 9 semester hours in botany or related plant science, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. (NOTE: The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that the applicant possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field). (You must submit a copy of your college transcripts to support this claim.)

IN ADDITION TO THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, TO QUALIFY FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL OF THIS POSITION, YOU MUST MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING

A. You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience includes activities such as assisting with coordinating human-wildlife conflict management strategies and programs; maintaining effective working relationships with related groups and individuals, agencies and the public.

B. You must have 2 years 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. (You must submit a copy of your college transcripts to support this claim.)

C. You must have a combination of education and experience. To calculate your percentage of qualifying graduate education, divide your number of semester hours in excess of 18 semester hours by 18 or the number your school uses to represent one year of full-time graduate academic study. To calculate your percentage of experience, divide your months of qualifying specialized experience by 12. Add the two percentages. They must equal 100% to qualify using this option. (You must submit a copy of your college transcripts to support this claim.)

Volunteer Experience

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.