Description
The scientist will be supervised by the Research Program Manager for the Water and Watersheds Research Program. The program’s mission is to conduct basic and applied research on the effects of natural processes and human activities on watershed resources, including interactions between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The program develops core knowledge, methods, and technologies that enable effective watershed management in forests and grasslands, sustain biodiversity, and promote healthy watershed conditions. We have the internal capacity for integration of physical and biological sciences that includes studies in the foundational disciplines of hydrology, biogeochemistry, forest engineering and soils, terrestrial and riparian plant ecology, conservation biology, aquatic ecology, and fisheries. We use high-quality and long-term data for evaluating local, regional, and national environmental change and conduct focused research that addresses specific resource management issues. We also provide managers with tools to evaluate environmental change and manage terrestrial and aquatic resources.

The scientist’s research may be broadly categorized into three elements: a) Addressing the fundamental components of freshwater ecology: defining species and understanding their distributions. b) Examining the physical and biological factors that regulate the distribution of wetland and riparian species, populations and communities and their response to flow alteration, fire, insect outbreak, invasion by non-native species, management practices and climate change. c) Examining the effects of non-indigenous aquatic species on native fish species. 

Duties
– Quantifies the Interactions between biological and hydrologic, geomorphic and biogeochemical processes in forests and rangelands at multiple scales.
– Defines the biological processes and patterns that affect the distribution, resilience, and persistence of native aquatic, riparian and terrestrial species.
– Conduct water and watershed priority research on the responses of watershed processes to natural and anthropogenic disturbance and how watersheds can be better managed
– Explore the importance of environmental processes and disturbances and physical habitat factors in determining the distribution and abundance of aquatic species.
– Develop novel theoretical and analytical approaches for analysis of life history variation and disturbance ecology of resident and non-native or invasive aquatic species.
– Examine the effects of disturbance and climate variability on the dynamics of salmonid and other native fish populations at multiple spatial scales.

Qualifications
This is a research scientist position and is classified under the scientist career plan. Research scientists have open-ended promotion potential. Research accomplishments and their impact on the duties and responsibilities of positions are evaluated periodically. The grade level is limited only by the individual’s demonstrated ability to perform research of recognized importance to science and technology. Final grade level will be determined by a peer review panel. The purpose of the initial review panel is to determine the grade level upon entry into a position.

Candidates being considered for this research position should provide a list of publications for which you have been an author, co-author, or contributor. If providing curriculum vitae, please incorporate all resume requirements identified in the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS, or submit a supplemental resume which includes all information required in addition to the curriculum vitae.

Work Experience
Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.

To qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management’s General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide university course descriptions to clarify content of coursework as necessary.

Please see USAJobs posting for full details: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/695680400 

Basic Education Requirement
Fish Biology Series (0482):
Applicants must show that they have a degree with major study in biology, zoology, or biological oceanography that included at least 30 semester hours in biological and aquatic science and 15 semester hours in the physical and mathematical sciences.

This course work must have included:

• At least 15 semester hours of preparatory training in zoology beyond introductory biology or zoology in such courses as invertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, histology, physiology, embryology, advanced vertebrate zoology, genetics, entomology, and parasitology;
  –and–
• At least 6 semester hours of training applicable to fishery biology in such subjects as fishery biology, ichthyology, limnology, oceanography, algology, planktonology, marine or fresh water ecology, invertebrate ecology, principles of fishery population dynamics, or related course work in the field of fishery biology;
  –and
• At least 15 semester hours of training in any combination of two or more of the following: chemistry, physics, mathematics, or statistics.
• In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.

Minimum Qualifications Requirements
GS-12: One year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11). Specialized experience at this level is defined as ALL of the following:

• Conducting the full cycle of scientific research of study, including identifying research topics, defining study objectives, conducting the research, interpreting the results, and presenting the findings in the form of reports, demonstrations, manuscripts, or other appropriate technology transfer activities.
  Research should show an emphasis on the responses of watershed processes to natural and anthropogenic disturbance, and assess the vulnerability of watersheds to fire, drought, climate change, and other natural and anthropogenic disturbances and respond to the needs of the forests.
• Using statistical models to analyze interactions among environmental changes and fish life history.
• Conducting research on the spatio-temporal dynamics of salmonid life history and habitat conditions in response to disturbances and climate change.
• Disseminating research findings at conferences or scientific meetings and publishing results in peer-reviewed journals.
  -OR-
•  Conferred Ph.D. degree that included scientific research in areas related to the work of the position as described above and/or includes coursework in areas such as quantitative ecology, landscape ecology, restoration ecology, novel spatial analyses in relation to fish species.

GS-13: One year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12). Specialized experience at this level is defined as ALL of the following:

• Conducting a body of research that examines the effects of disturbance and climate variability on the dynamics of native fish populations at multiple spatial scales as a Principal Investigator or lead scientist with primary responsibility of project oversight for hiring and supervising field, lab, or analytical staff, in addition to executing the full cycle of scientific research (i.e. identifying research topics, defining study objectives, organizing and conducting the research, interpreting the results, and presenting the findings in the form of reports, demonstrations, manuscripts, or other appropriate technology transfer activities) in research areas of study in environmental disturbances in determining the distribution and abundance of aquatic species; or developing analytical approaches for analysis of life history variation and disturbance ecology of resident and non-native or invasive aquatic species;
• Collecting data on ecological processes in aquatic systems with relevance to native fish species at different spatial and temporal scales to answer long term watershed management questions.
• Collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to identify research of mutual interest.
• Developing and disseminating research findings in collaboration with resource managers and planners for presentation at conferences or scientific meetings and publishing results in peer-reviewed journals.

Graduate level education alone is not qualifying at this grade level. To qualify at this grade, you must possess the specialized experience listed above.

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.

HOW TO APPLY
Please apply via the USAJobs link: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/695680400 

For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Frank McCormick at frank.h.mccormick@usda.gov.