Fish Biologist

Role overview

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking a Fish Biologist based in Jamestown, Kentucky. This is a full-time, on-site federal position with a multi-grade career ladder, where the listed responsibilities reflect the GS-12 full-performance level. At lower grades, the work is narrower in scope and carried out with less autonomy, with progression to the higher level dependent on satisfactory performance, available higher-level duties, and funding.

Key duties

• Support the Project Leader in shaping hatchery policy by interpreting directives, regulations, and broad program guidance. Help prepare accurate Station Action Plans, Program Planning Documents, Annual Reports, and related fiscal reports, while coordinating fish production and stocking plans with Tribal, State, and Federal partners.
• Collaborate with the Project Leader on research efforts by identifying current information gaps and technology needs tied to propagation of existing and future aquatic stocks, aligned with Service priorities and program obligations.
• Track fish health, growth, and quality, and take corrective action when needed, including therapeutic or preventive treatment measures.
• Carry out the full range of technical and administrative supervisory duties, including setting objectives, defining scope, building work plans, scheduling tasks, assigning duties, adjusting priorities and deadlines, evaluating performance, and taking steps to ensure subordinate staff meet quantity and quality standards.
• Build and maintain working relationships with Federal, State, Tribal, civic, and conservation partners to coordinate fish production activities and strengthen conservation outcomes in support of Service goals.

Requirements and conditions

• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or national.
• Merit promotion candidates must satisfy federal time-in-grade rules under 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
• Selection depends on suitability findings from a background investigation.
• Shift work may be required, including emergency overtime and work outside standard hours such as evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• A valid state driver’s license must be maintained throughout employment because the role requires operating a government or private motor vehicle on official duties.
• The official U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uniform is required.
• Acceptance of the position includes a probationary period of one year or a trial period of two years, during which continued employment is evaluated in relation to the public interest.
• Individuals assigned male at birth after 12-31-59 must be registered with Selective Service.
• Only experience and education completed by 06/23/2026 will be considered.
• Applicants must meet both the basic educational requirement and the federal qualification standard for the grade level.
• Proof of education is required when qualifying through education or a combination of education and experience, including transcripts and, where needed, official clarification of coursework from the institution.
• Pass/fail coursework rules apply when more than 10% of undergraduate credits were taken on a pass/fail basis.
• Graduate education credit is based on the school’s definition of one academic year; if unavailable, 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours is treated as one full-time graduate year.
• Foreign education must be credential-evaluated for equivalency to accredited U.S. coursework.
• PCS benefits may be available for eligible applicants changing duty stations when federal distance tests are met, but only basic moving expenses are authorized and all such payments are taxable.
• Telework is only suitable in an emergency or natural disaster.
• CTAP procedures apply for qualifying Department of the Interior employees; applicants must provide the required documentation and meet the well-qualified standard.
• Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities.
• Applicants consent to their application and related materials being shared with other Department of the Interior bureaus or offices that have matching vacancies in the same series, grade, full performance level, and geographic area.
• The probationary period is part of the appointment process and continued employment depends on performance, conduct, agency needs, organizational goals, and service efficiency.

Basic education requirement

You must hold a bachelor’s degree in a biological science with at least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects such as limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, or similar coursework, plus at least 12 semester hours in animal science subjects such as zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, ecology, cellular biology, parasitology, entomology, or related research courses. A qualifying equivalent combination of education and experience may also satisfy this requirement.

Minimum qualification standard

For the GS-11 level, candidates need at least one year of specialized experience comparable to the GS-09 level in federal service, including hatchery production operations, propagation of cold/cool/warm-water aquatic species, help with program planning and administration, monitoring fish for stress or disease, and maintaining fish production and distribution records. An alternative path is three full years of progressively higher graduate study leading to a Ph.D. in a directly related field, or an equivalent blend of graduate education and professional experience.

For the GS-12 level, candidates must have one year of specialized experience comparable to the GS-11 level, including planning and running daily hatchery production activities, propagating cold, cool, and warm-water species, preparing program plans and budgets, developing hatchery work plans, and planning and conducting fisheries studies involving biological data collection and analysis related to fish culture, fishery resources, and fish health.

Education submission details

Applicants relying on education must submit unofficial or official transcripts showing grades, credit hours, major, GPA or class rank, institution name, and student name. If any coursework is not clearly identifiable, additional written verification from the registrar or other appropriate official may be required. Official transcripts will be requested later if selected.

Additional information

Only applicants committed to improving the efficiency of the federal government and aligned with public service values should apply for consideration.

Those selected into the probationary or trial period must ultimately receive written certification that continued employment advances the public interest, or the appointment will end.

Volunteer experience, including unpaid service through national service or other organizations, may be credited when it directly supports the required competencies and experience.

All qualifying experience, including volunteer work, will be considered.

No salary or stipend amount was provided in the source posting.

No vacancy count, application deadline, or start date was stated in the source content.

No perks or benefits were specifically listed beyond possible PCS support and standard federal employment conditions.