Biological Science Technician (Field Support Technician)

Overview

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is seeking a Biological Science Technician to join their Ready Response Corps (ARRC), a specialized team tasked with quickly responding to animal and plant health emergencies to protect American agriculture. This role involves deploying to various incidents to halt the spread of animal and plant diseases and participating in emergency management operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Deploy to agricultural, plant, animal, and wildlife emergencies to aid in response, containment, and mitigation efforts.
• Support operations involving veterinary services, plant health, wildlife damage control, and animal care.
• Execute field tasks including surveillance, sample collection, biosecurity measures, movement control, quarantine enforcement, pest mitigation, and wildlife monitoring.
• Assist with depopulation, disposal, pest eradication, plant health measures, and wildlife handling as per incident requirements and agency procedures.
• Participate as a team member within Incident Management Teams, contributing to logistics, operations, planning, or technical field work depending on deployment needs.
• Ensure smooth handoffs during shift changes through detailed documentation and communication of field conditions.
• Oversee or engage in cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing equipment, vehicles, facilities, and premises in line with disease or pest response protocols.
• Conduct field interviews with producers, landowners, and facility operators.
• Perform inspections at farms, nurseries, markets, wildlife areas, and production facilities to ensure regulatory compliance and support emergency response activities.

Qualifications and Eligibility

Applicants must fulfill all qualifications by the announcement's closing date, including specialized experience or education requirements. One year of specialized experience at the GS-6 level is required, involving tasks such as applying plant science principles for pest management, identifying pests across life stages, handling restricted-use chemicals, collecting and managing biological data, and communicating technical plant health information.

Alternatively, candidates with one year of graduate-level education (18 semester hours) in related biological or agricultural sciences may qualify. Combinations of education and experience meeting 100% of qualification standards are also accepted.

Experience that qualifies includes work in research, control programs, nurseries, or large dairy farm environments with record-keeping, environmental management, and sanitation, but excludes unplanned labor without responsibility for work scheduling.

Emergency Response Responsibilities

All APHIS personnel, including this role, have ongoing obligations for emergency response deployment, which may involve irregular hours, travel to austere locations, and assignments beyond usual duties. Travel can be extensive and scheduled with minimal notice.

Additional Information

This position has a starting date of July 31, 2026, and closes on August 6, 2026. The salary range offered is $50,460 to $82,007 annually. Selection incentives could be authorized but are not guaranteed. Transcripts are mandatory if qualifying through education alone or a combination of education and experience.

Join the USDA in a vital role protecting American agricultural health and learn more about the organization's work and career opportunities by visiting the APHIS careers portal.