USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Lansing, MI

note: you must be a US citizen to be eligible for this position

 

Job Title: Research Entomologist

Series and Grade: GS-0414-11/12

Salary Range: MI $55,204 - $66,167

Location (Duty Station): Lansing, MI

Number of Positions: 1 position is available

 

Duties: The selected person will be responsible for developing and maintaining a comprehensive research program that focuses on understanding and quantifying invasive species biology, ecology, interactions and impacts on host species and natural enemies, and developing and evaluating sustainable management strategies that restore ecosystem functions.  The research will involve:

 

·      Laboratory- and field-based research in the United States and in countries where invasive species are native or naturalized. 

·       Studies on established species such as emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae), beech bark scale (Cryplococcus fagisuga), gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar); invasive species currently threatening forest ecosystems in the United States such as Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis); and species at high risk of becoming invasive such as Agrilus fleischeri that attacks and kills non-native poplar species in China.

·      The  primary research focus will be on emerald ash borer (EAB) biological control including evaluating the biology of introduced and native parasitoid species; the effects of natural enemies and other mortality factors on EAB population dynamics using life table analyses; the impacts of EAB and biocontrol on the survival, health, and regeneration of ash species (Fraxinus spp.), and changes in forest structure and species composition. 

 

Duty Station: Lansing, MI, Forestry Sciences Laboratory on the campus of Michigan State University.

 

Community:

Lansing, MI is the state capital and located in south-central Michigan with many cultural amenities and community services normally associated with larger cities. The laboratory is located on the campus of Michigan State University. Outdoor recreation activities abound with several local and state parks nearby.  Lansing is within 1-2 hours from Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Grand Rapids, and about 4 hours from Chicago, IL.

 

Vacancy Announcement

The vacancy announcement for this position will be posted in the near future on the U.S. Government's official website for employment opportunities at www.usajobs.gov. All persons indicating an interest in applying for this position will be notified when the position is posted. Those who wish to be considered for this position must apply to the vacancy announcement and upload all required documentation, including transcripts and eligibility for special authority hiring, as appropriate. All applicants who have applied to the announcement and are found to be qualified

and in the quality group will be referred for consideration.

 

Contacts: If you have questions or wish to be sent notice of the vacancy announcement posting, please contact Dr. Therese M. Poland, USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 3101 Technology Blvd., Ste. F, Lansing, MI 48910, therese.poland@usda.gov, 517-884-8062

 

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) Should contact USDA's TARGET CENTER at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). The USDA Forest Service provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the contact person or office identified earlier in this announcement for assistance. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.