Interior, US Fish and Wildlife Service Logo
Position Title
Social Scientist
Agency
Interior, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Announcement Number
MR-21-11094120-DP (DE) Opens in new window
Open Period
Thursday, May 6, 2021 to Friday, May 21, 2021
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from the agency hiring for this position?

If yes, confirm:
• you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.

For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
(limit characters)
3. Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a Federal agency other than the agency hiring for this position? If yes, confirm:
• you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent. For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center. 

To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
(limit characters)
4.

Reasonable Accommodations for taking the online assessments are provided on a case-by-case basis only to qualified individuals with a disability covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.

Do you have a disability (physical or mental) that you believe will interfere with completing the online assessments and require a Reasonable Accommodation?

(limit characters)
5. Are you a U.S. citizen or national. 

For example, you can apply to these jobs if you're a U.S. citizen or national  or non-citizen and you:

Have never worked for the Federal Government.
Currently work for the Federal Government, but are in the excepted service.
Currently work for the Federal Government, but you're not eligible for merit promotion.
Are not sure if you're eligible for any other hiring path.

Even if you're eligible under one of the other hiring paths, you can still apply to jobs that are 'open to the public'.
(limit characters)
Preferences
1. Select the locations you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location. (limit characters)
2. Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position. (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Minimum Qualification (limit characters)
For each question, choose the response that best describes your experience and training. Mark only one response for each question. Please note that your answers will be verified against the information you provided in your resume or application and information provided by your references. (limit characters)
1. Education and Four Experience (limit characters)
2. GS-12 Specialized Experience (limit characters)
A valid driver's license is required. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
3. I possess a valid State driver's license.
(limit characters)
Knowledge of and skill in applying conservation social science concepts, principles, and practices sufficient to identify research needs, provide technical support, and identify data-gaps for complex natural resource issue; to address complex natural resources management issues at both site-specific and regional scales to inform management decisions. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
4. Utilize professional knowledge of principles, theories and techniques of the conservation social sciences to address complex interdisciplinary natural resource problems.
(limit characters)
5. Apply statistical analysis methods and procedures used in conservation social science field to analyze and interpret data.
(limit characters)
6. Apply social science theory and methods to address wildlife or other natural resource management issues, using qualitative and quantitative approaches.
(limit characters)
7. Use conceptual maps, logic models or other systematic processes to plan, design, or evaluate program goals and objectives.
(limit characters)
Skill in integrating social science and natural science concepts and principles to independently develop communication materials and products that address complex relationships between people and the wildlife and their habitats. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
8. Apply strategic communication techniques such as framing, persuasion, story telling, and awareness building to communicate technical social science to natural resources practitioners.
(limit characters)
9. Coordinate with natural resource practitioners to identify evaluation needs and approaches.
(limit characters)
10. Synthesize a variety of conservation social science documents, data, information, and plans into relevant resources that can be interpreted and used by field or regional level employees not trained in the social sciences.
(limit characters)
Skill in establishing and maintaining effective relationships with natural resource practitioners and decision-makers to ensure social science results are applied to conservation planning, program development, and policy (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
11. Consult with natural resource practitioners to understand and help them frame their conservation challenges and recommend social science tools and resources to address them.
(limit characters)
12. Give briefings to practitioners and leadership that highlight the utility of social science to address complex natural resource issues, including impact on the project outcome or decision.
(limit characters)
Ability to collaborate with others on teams to accomplish shared objectives. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
13. Serve as a contributing member of a growing conservation social science community of practice across the federal, state and nongovernmental organizations, representing the organization and providing social science expertise.
(limit characters)
14. Work with small groups of social science experts in an organization or across organizations to identify social science needs and capacity.
(limit characters)
15. Participate in interdisciplinary teams to develop and implement solutions to complex conservation issues.
(limit characters)
Minimum Qualifications (limit characters)
For each question, choose the response that best describes your experience and training. Mark only one response for each question. Please note that your answers will be verified against the information you provided in your resume or application and information provided by your references. (limit characters)
16. Education or Four years experience (limit characters)
17. GS-13 Specialized Experience (limit characters)
A valid drivers license is required. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
18. I possess a valid State driver's license.
(limit characters)
Mastery knowledge of and skill in applying qualitative and quantitative social science  principles, practices, and techniques to better understand how human factors may impact wildlife or other natural resource management, such as to evaluate conservation interventions or work unit strategic communications; to inform campaigns or strategies aimed at influencing human conservation behavior; to improve stakeholder engagement processes or partnership building efforts; to develop reports that identify short-coming (realized and projected) and recommend solutions of alternative courses to take; and to discuss study results with technical and non-technical individual(s). (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
19. Apply statistical analysis methods and procedures used in a conservation social science field to analyze and interpret data.
(limit characters)
20. Apply social science theory and methods to address wildlife or other natural resource issues, using both qualitative and quantitative approaches.
(limit characters)
21. Use conceptual maps, logic models or other systematic processes to plan, design or evaluate program goals and objectives.
(limit characters)
22. Utilize professional knowledge of principles, theories and techniques of the conservation social sciences to address complex interdisciplinary natural resource problems.
(limit characters)
Skill in integrating social science and natural science concepts and principles to independently develop communication materials and products that address complex relationships between people and the wildlife and their habitats. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
23. Apply strategic communication techniques such as framing, persuasion, story telling, or awareness building to communicate technical social science to natural resource practitioners.
(limit characters)
24. Coordinate with natural resource practitioners to identify evaluation needs and approaches.
(limit characters)
25. Develop tools or resources communicate the conservation social sciences and their application to a variety of stakeholders, such as natural resource practitioners, managers and supervisors, senior management, and external partners.
(limit characters)
Ability to coordinate work unit efforts with other internal and external offices, represent these efforts to key individuals and groups outside the immediate work unit, as well as serve as spokesperson and social science subject matter expert for the Service. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
26. Serve as a key member of a growing conservation social science community of practice across federal, state and nongovernmental organizations, representing the organization and providing social science expertise.
(limit characters)
27. Work with leadership and others to develop and implement a plan to integrate social science into strategic planning efforts, policy recommendations, and programmatic priorities.
(limit characters)
28. Coordinate the work of a team in planning and carrying out program or project objectives
(limit characters)
29. Convene small groups of conservation social science experts in an organization or across organizations to identify social science needs and capacity.
(limit characters)
Skill in establishing and maintaining effective relationships with a wide range of conservation and natural resource practitioners, program managers, and decision-making officials sufficient to ensure that social science principles are incorporated into conservation planning, program development, and policy to address stakeholder and public involvement, socioeconomic consideration of the surrounding communities; and to develop collaborative conservation partnerships and strong strategic communication. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
30. Collaborate with relevant conservation organizations (e.g., federal, state, academic, nongovernmental) to integrate social science into wildlife and other natural resource management and to coordinate on approaches, best practices or practitioner tools.
(limit characters)
31. Consult with natural resource practitioners to apply conservation social science to complex issues in areas such as landscape-level planning, stakeholder engagement, partnership building and strategic communication.
(limit characters)
32. Give briefings to practitioners and leadership that highlight the utility of social science to address complex natural resource issues, including impact on the project outcome or decision.
(limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
33. I have assured my resume/application contains all of the information listed under the Section titled: "Required Resume/Application Information."
(limit characters)
34. Verification Statement

As explained in the vacancy announcement, your responses to this Occupational Questionnaire are subject to evaluation and verification based on the documents and references you submit. Later steps in the selection process are specifically designed to verify your responses and rating. Providing false or fraudulent information in or attached to your application may be grounds for not hiring you, or for separating, you after you begin work. All information you provide is subject to investigation.

Please take this opportunity to review your responses to ensure their accuracy. By agreeing below to this verification statement, you are confirming that you: 1) understand this verification statement, 2) have reviewed your responses to this questionnaire for accuracy, and 3) verify that your responses accurately describe your current level of experience and capability.

Failure to agree to this verification statement will disqualify you from further consideration for this position.
(limit characters)