Assistant Director - Ecological Services

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC

JobSummary

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and habitats for the American people. FWS responsibilities are to protect and conserve migratory birds, endangered species, and marine mammals and fish. FWS partners with farmers and ranchers, State and local governments, Federal agencies, Tribes, citizen volunteers, corporations, and conservation groups to accomplish its mission. You can find additional information at WWW.FWS.GOV

LowGrade

HighGrade

PromotionPotential

SubAgencyName

Assistant Director - Ecological Services

OrganizationCodes

IN/IN15

Relocation

True

HiringPath

ses
public

MCOTags

FY26 Position(s)
2025 Hiring Freeze Exempt - Section 4L

TotalOpenings

AgencyMarketingStatement

You too can make a difference in our world. The work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is meaningful and varied. Want to know more about what it is like to work for us? Click here to Learn more about Fish and Wildlife Service Regions - www.fws.gov/about/regions

TravelCode

ApplyOnlineUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/Apply

DetailStatusUrl

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/Application/ApplicationStatus

MajorDuties

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is the only federal government agency whose primary responsibility is to manage fish and wildlife resources in the public trust. These functions are frequently conducted in cooperation with Tribes, other Federal and state agencies, and non-governmental organizations, and other partners. The Assistant Director for Ecological Services (AD-ES) provides leadership and oversight to an exceptionally complex and far reaching program area which focuses primarily on activities related to assisting other federal agencies and non-federal parties in complying with a variety of federal wildlife laws, including the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Marine Mammal Protection Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Federal Power Act, Coastal Barrier Resources Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and National Environmental Policy Act. The incumbent must process and apply executive level expertise in the administration of environmental law and policy to direct and manage policy development within the rapidly changing social and political landscape of conservation in the Nation. The AD-ES provides frequent counsel and recommendations to the Director and other members of the FWS Directorate on matters of policy and the implementation and management of specific issues within the program area. ES Program activities are among the most complex and sensitive in all of natural resource management and are subject to constant litigation, frequent Congressional oversight, and extensive media interest and are often raised to the attention of the highest political levels in the United States including the DOI Secretary, the White House, and Congress. On a regular and routine basis, the AD-ES represents FWS to high level officials including Assistant Secretaries, Representatives and Senators (and their staffs), state government officials, foreign leaders, and Presidents/CEOs of non-governmental organizations and businesses. The AD-ES frequently testifies before Congress on legislation relative to the program and is often the spokesperson for National issues in the media involving the program area.

Education

PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts. PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Requirements

Evaluations

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the ECQs and TQs listed above. ECQs and TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. If selected, you must be certified by an OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before you can be appointed to the position, unless you are a current career SES member, a former career SES member with reinstatement eligibility, or an SES Candidate Development Program graduate already certified by OPM. All applicants must submit the following in order to receive consideration for this position: 1 Resume must include the following information: Vacancy announcement number Full name, mailing address, and day and evening telephone numbers Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degrees received Information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including: Job title (include series and grade if Federal job) Duties and accomplishments Employer's name and address Supervisor's name and phone number Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year) Salary Indicate if we may contact your current supervisor Information about honors, awards, and special accomplishments 2. Graduates of approved SES Candidate Development Programs must include a copy of the OPM certification of eligibility. 3. Current or former Career SES members must submit documentation of their SES status. 4. If you are a current federal employee, you must submit a copy of a recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, that indicates Federal status, grade, tenure, and type of service. 5. A copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal (from either the government or private sector).

HowToApply

Review the appointment eligibility criteria in the application preview linked below. The eligibility section of the application allows you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to and submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section or the application text. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility criteria, you will not be considered for this position under this announcement. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents section. Click 'Apply' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents. To preview the assessment questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12886288. Please ensure you check the acknowledgement checkbox then click the Submit Application button to submit your application. Applications must be received by 05/15/2026 , 11:59pm ET to receive consideration. Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, in Applications tab, click the position title you applied to for the status. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact the Human Resources Office via email at fwshiring@fws.gov.

WhatToExpectNext

Once you submit all the required documents and the online application in USAJOBS, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the evaluation process is complete, you will be notified of your status and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. You will be notified if this job is filled or canceled. Timelines for this process vary widely. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging in to your USAJobs Account.

RequiredDocuments

Required Documents To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes: Resume. At a minimum, your resume MUST contain job title (include job series and grade, if federal), duties, starting and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and salary. USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume. https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YX7o1PBoFk? For this job announcement the following documents are required: Your resume A complete Assessment Questionnaire SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action (that shows your current grade and step) if a current or former Federal employee. Most recent performance appraisal.

Benefits

BenefitsUrl

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/

OtherInformation

PCS INFORMATION: Yes, entitlements for payment of basic moving expenses, as required and to the extent allowed by the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 302-3.101, are authorized for eligible applicants changing duty station when the change meets the distance tests as provided in FTR 302-1.1 and 302-2.6. All moving expenses are taxable. In addition, relocation discretionary entitlements MAY be authorized for this position including contractor-provided home sale. Telework: This position is suitable for situational telework with supervisory approval. The sensitivity level of the position requires completion of a successful background investigation of the selectee. Reasonable Accommodation: The FWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.

KeyRequirements

WithinArea

False

CommuteDistance

ServiceType

AnnouncementClosingType

AgencyContactEmail

fwshiring@fws.gov

SecurityClearance

Other

DrugTestRequired

True