About this role
Job Summary
You will serve as a Wildlife Refuge Manager with Great Dismal Swamp and Nansemond National Wildlife Refuges. This position supervises all operations and staff, overseeing habitat management, conservation programs, public use, and administrative functions. Applies expert resource-management knowledge and works with diverse partners to address complex environmental issues and advance agency goals.
Qualifications
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 10/29/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience.
For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. -AND- Minimum Qualification
Requirements
To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Basic Educational Requirement AND/OR Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying. Basic Educational
Requirements
In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one of the following: A. Degree: zoology, wildlife management, or an appropriate field of biology that included at least 9 semester hours in zoology; 6 semester hours in such wildlife courses as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, or wildlife management; and 3 semester hours in botany, and 3 semester hours in conservation biology. You must submit transcripts. You must submit transcripts. -OR- B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
To qualify for this position at the GS-13 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:
- 1) Planning, administering, evaluating, managing, and/or operating programs, activities, and projects associated with conserving and managing fish and/or wildlife resources on public or private land for the purpose of providing critical habitat for fish and wildlife;
- 2) Applying wildlife biology, ecology, and/or habitat management procedures and policies to be implemented and conducted in field operations;
- 3) Assist with development of long and short term management plans;
- 4) leading a staff of professional and nonprofessional personnel; and
- 5) Delivering formal and informal presentations, conducting training, leading meetings, facilitating refuge or program tours, or representing an organization before partners, community groups, or the public..
You must include hours per week worked. Volunteer 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.
Major Duties
- Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Oversee and administer refuge land, wildlife, and wetland conservation activities. Utilize principles and methods of refuge use and planning policy, such as community and outdoor recreation, environmental, and land use planning. Supervise a multifaceted team of professional, technical, analytical and administrative support staff, setting a team attitude of adhering to high professional standards and completion of accurate, high-quality work related to compliance. Formulate, develop, communicate and implement short- and long-range plans, strategies, and refuge policy associated with all operations, projects, fiscal requirements, personnel and property management, etc. Communicate with internal and external audiences by conducting formal and informal presentations, leading meetings, providing training, facilitating refuge tours, and representing the refuge at public and partner events to explain refuge management objectives, conservation initiatives, and Service policies.
Requirements
Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment. A financial disclosure report will be required within 30 days of appointment. Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.
This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. This is a supervisory position that may require completion of a supervisory probationary period.