Biological Science Technicians (plants) Location: Empire, MI and possibly also Munising, MI (duty station is not yet determined). Housing my be provided at a fee.
Duration: May 4 – August 27, 2008 Series and Grade: GS-0404-4/5 Vacancies: 5 Pay: $10.17 - $18.34/hour Major Duties: The incumbents will work for the Great Lakes Network of the National Park Service Inventory & Monitoring (I&M) program. The goals of the I&M program include monitoring key environmental variables so that ecological change can be detected and addressed in a timely manner. The incumbents will assist with sampling vegetation. These are largely field based positions. The incumbents will assist with the establishment of permanent monitoring plots at Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshores in Michigan. Incumbents will collect extensive monitoring data on trees, shrubs, and herbs, collect data on coarse woody materials, identify select insect and disease pathogens and assess tree health. The incumbents will work in one of two types of positions: 1) tree and shrub specialists. They will identify and measure tree and shrub species as well as collect data on coarse woody materials. 2) herbaceous specialists. They will record information on herbs and browse. It is essential that the herbaceous specialists be able to identify vegetation (including grasses and sedges) to the species level. Field work will be performed in teams of 2-3 people. The incumbents will also spend approximately 5-10% of time performing computer work. These positions will require frequent travel, and will typically work an eight day on/six day off schedule. The incumbents will be expected to carry field equipment weighing up to 50 lbs. He/she will be exposed to high temperatures, stinging and biting insects, and poisonous plants. Additional Information: These positions will be posted on USAJobs in early 2009: www.usajobs.opm.gov. Undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in fall 2009 may be hired directly and bypass the standard federal hiring process. Interested people are encouraged to contact Suzanne Sanders at 715-682-0631, ext. 23, with any questions. No emails please.
