Supervisory Biologist
Summary
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI). The mission of the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) is to save species by using cutting edge science, sharing knowledge and providing inspirational experiences for our guests.
More than one selection may be made from this announcement.
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Duties
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The Supervisory Biologist (Curator) is responsible for curating animal collections which may include exotic, rare, endangered and native species, maintaining excellence in all aspects of the care and welfare of these animals, supervising animal keeper staff who are responsible for the care, husbandry, and daily management of a wide variety of species.
In this position, you will:
- Supervise assistant curators, animal keepers, volunteers, interns, students, and contractors.
- Manage all aspects of the daily care and husbandry of the assigned animal collections.
- Prepare annual budget for routine and emergency needs.
- Develop and implement management, disease surveillance, and breeding programs for endangered or threatened species.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
- Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
- May need to complete a Probationary Period
- Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
- Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
Conditions of Employment
The incumbent may be exposed to bites, scratches, animal waste, animal parasites and zoonotic diseases. Incumbent will be scheduled to work on some weekends and holidays. Incumbent is an emergency employee, required to report for scheduled and unscheduled tours of duty under very adverse circumstances. The incumbent must receive immunizations to guard against zoonotic diseases and is subject to regular medical screening. This position requires a valid driver's license to operate government vehicles.
Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information.
For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications:
Degree: Biological Sciences, Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, Chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
or
Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
In addition to the basic qualification requirement above:
Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as supervising staff including hiring and performance management; curating and managing animal collections with exotic animals in an accredited zoo; managing administrative work including budget management and communication; and collaborating with facilities construction and design.
Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual 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.
Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.
Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study.
Education
Refer to the "Qualifications" section.
Additional information
- This position is not included in the bargaining unit.
Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position. However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.
Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.
Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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The Federal Government offers a comprehensive benefits package.
Please see Benefits at [click to reveal website link] for a complete description.
Flexible Spending Accounts - [click to reveal website link]
Health Insurance - [click to reveal website link]
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Life Insurance - [click to reveal website link]
Long Term Care Insurance - [click to reveal website link]
Retirement Program - [click to reveal website link]