Animal Caretaker

Summary

You will serve as a Animal Caretaker for Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 1, Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery.

Duties

The major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: Actively involved in the entire production cycle of the hatchery from spawning to egg care and feeding, to hatching and fry care, to raising of fry, to rearing and release of adult fish, and subsequent harvesting of new eggs to continue the cycle. In addition to routine care requirements, at this level, incumbent decides the care and feeding required according to their personal observations at the time in question. Operates electric, gasoline, or diesel-powered forklift trucks with rated lifting capacity of less than 10,000 pounds, to a height up to14 feet. Operates the lifting and tilting controls, and steers the vehicle, with automatic or manual transmissions (with up to 4 speeds), into position to load, move, transport, and stack goods and materials contained on pallets, skids, crates, or boxes. Performs assignments relative to general maintenance e.g., buildings, grounds, facilities, and/or fleet using simple hand tools and simple power equipment. This includes picking up trash, emptying trashcans, mowing grass, trimming shrubs, clearing small trees or brush, performing minor repairs on traps and fences, washing or cleaning vehicles, etc. Physical Effort: Regular and recurring work requires heavy physical effort. The incumbent must be physically able to withstand arduousconditions. This typically involves: Physical exertion: frequent lifting, carrying, pushing/pulling fish, feeding trays, feed, supplies, and materials of varying weights, sizes, and shapes up to 50 pounds. Feed lifted is generally 50 pounds to height of 4 feet. Occasionally, lifting between 80-100 pounds is required. Physical effort: prolonged standing, walking, stooping, bending, and climbing. Strain: lack of movement, standing in place or stooping for extended periods of time; manual dexterity involved in handling live fish, frequent immersion of hands in cold water. Incumbent is subject to bites and scratches on hands and arms during the spawning process where incumbent will be handling large fish where the ability to move fast and decisively is critical. The work requires periods of sustained exertion. In emergency operations, such as cleaning and adjustment of water intake structures during high water, leaf drop, or in spawning operations, where the need to work rapidly in sorting and selecting fish for egg selection is critical to keeping the mortality rate low. Working Conditions: The work environment is a quasi-industrial. The hazards, physical hardships, and working conditions to which theincumbent will be exposed while performing the assigned work includes working in and around running water, indoorsand outdoors in varying weather conditions and temperatures. Outdoor work requires frequent exposure to wet and slippery surfaces, strong and unpleasant odors, drafts, loud noise, dust, and dirt. If forklift or motor vehicle operation is identified as a duty, the incumbent will also maneuver vehicles in congested areas and over rough terrain. Indoor work is often accomplished in office buildings or in well-lighted, heated, and ventilated areas. At this level there is greater possibility of injury. Incumbent is subject to bites and scratches on hands and arms during the spawning process where incumbent will be handling large fish coming out from under the anesthetic at unforeseen moments in enclosed and constrained confines where the ability to move fast and decisively is critical. Work requires the incumbent to follow proper safety procedures, use standard safety equipment, and wear protective clothing and gear such as coveralls, aprons, rubber clothing, gloves, goggles, ear protectors, safety shoes, and glasses to avoid possible hazards. Safety devices will be provided to ensure safe trade practices are adhered to in order to minimize the opportunity for injury and exposure to harmful chemicals and/or diseases.

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 www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. Must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license for the duration of the appointment. Required to wear the Service Uniform in accordance with Service Uniform Policy 041 FW 4 Requirements to help achieve our mission. Employees required to wear the uniform receive a uniform allowance. For positions that require a uniform to be worn Employees and Supervisors need to complete the Uniform Policy: Condition of Employment Statement Form found in the Policy. Required to respond to alarms on the evenings and weekends, as assigned. Alarm must be responded to timely (<15 minutes) in order to ensure specimens remain viable. Shift work may be required. Emergency overtime may be required. The employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and holidays.. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. 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. 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 your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications and evaluation

This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking, and veterans' preference procedures do not apply. The Servicing Human Resources Office will determine whether applicants meet the qualification and eligibility requirements described in this announcement. Applicants who meet these requirements may be referred to the selecting official on a certificate of eligibles for consideration. You must certify that you will maintain a permanent and exclusive residence within the defined vicinity of the field unit(s) listed in this announcement. Upon receipt of a completed application package, the Servicing Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be reviewed. Applicants may submit only one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine qualifications and eligibility. If more than one resume is submitted, only the most recent submission will be reviewed. If your resume is incomplete or does not demonstrate that you meet the qualification requirements or specialized experience described in this announcement, you may be determined ineligible or not qualified for further consideration. Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience for Federal Wage System (FWS) positions.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To receive consideration, your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/28/2026 -unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement to receive consideration. You must provide documentation to support your eligibility and qualification claims. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibility sections to ensure you submit the appropriate information. You will only be considered for eligibilities for which you have provided the required supporting documentation. Applications may be submitted through USAJOBS or through other authorized methods identified by the agency (e.g., third-party platforms or local outreach efforts) to support targeted recruitment under this authority. Applicants submitting materials outside of USAJOBS must: Submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement, and Ensure all materials are formatted and consistent with the application instructions outlined in this announcement, including resume requirements and supporting documentation. All applications, regardless of submission method, will be evaluated using the same criteria and requirements to ensure a fair and equitable hiring process. Applications received after the closing date, or that do not meet the requirements outlined in this announcement, will not be considered. USAJOBS Application Instructions Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account. Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application." Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application" To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13085423 Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS. Select documents you want included in this application. Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed. Select if you want to include your demographic information. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site." Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown. Upload any missing required documents or optional documents. Review and Submit Application. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement. To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job. Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

Required documents

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/28/2026 unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement: Two Page Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Proof of residence (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy). SF-50 cannot be accepted as proof of residence. Veteran Documentation, if applicable, such as: DD-214, SF15, letter from Veteran Affairs, etc. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from all documents. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

Additional information

This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within the defined local commuting area at the time of application. For this announcement, the local commuting area is the area from which individuals can reasonably commute to the duty station under normal conditions. The defined vicinity for this position is: 75 miles from duty station. You must provide proof of residency within the defined vicinity (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy, etc.). See the Required Documents section for information on how to verify current residence. This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies. All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.