SENIOR BIOLOGIST

SALARY: $6,479.00 - $8,731.00 Monthly
$77,748.00 - $104,772.00 Annually
DEPARTMENT: REGIONAL PLANNING
OPENING DATE: 08/10/22
CLOSING DATE: 09/15/22 12:00 AM
EXAMINATION NUMBER: 50313B
WHEN TO APPLY: Applications will be accepted beginning Monday, August 15, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. (PT) through Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. (PT).
RECRUITMENT TYPE: Open Competitive

WHO WE ARE

The Department of Regional Planning plans and helps shape the development of safe, healthy, equitable and sustainable communities while respecting individual rights and protecting the natural environment in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County.

With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation. As the largest employer in Southern California, over 112,000 employees in more than 36 departments provide vital public services as diverse as law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, cultural activities and many more.

We are dedicated professionals committed to preserving the dignity and integrity of the workplace as well as protecting the rights of each employee. With more than 2,300 different job descriptions, the County offers a lifetime of opportunities and careers! We offer one of the strongest public-sector benefits packages in the nation. Join us and discover a rich selection of health care options, robust retirement plans, and the flexibility to work, relax, and rejuvenate in order to reach your fullest personal and professional potential.

Check Out Our Outstanding Benefits! Click here to see a list of employee benefits.

The Position:

Performs the most difficult and significant basic or applied research or other related activities in one or more specialized fields of plant- or animal- related science, or environmental science, supervises others engaged in research and provides information regarding the field of specialization to the public and others.

The ideal candidate:

The ideal candidate will have overall responsibility for a major area of research or related activities in one or more of the following specialized fields: animal biology, entomology, nematology, plant biology, plant genetics, plant pathology, plant physiology, plant taxonomy, plant ecology, horticulture, soil science, environmental science, integrated pest management, or weed management. These positions receive administrative direction from a higher level position and direct other professionals in their individual research by providing technical assistance on a consultative basis. Incumbents must exercise a thorough knowledge of the practice of biology including data collection and analysis, population and habitat inventory, monitoring, and goal setting, disease identification and control, and departmental systems, approval processes and communication protocols. Incumbents must also exercise a thorough knowledge of the principles, techniques, procedures and relationships of the science of their field of specialization and of the application of this knowledge in directing and conducting research in the investigation, analysis and solution of significant, practical problems in their area of specialization.

Permanent employees who have completed their initial probationary period and hold a qualifying payroll title may file for this examination if they are within six (6) months of meeting the experience requirements by the last date of filing. However, the names of such employees will be withheld from the certification list until the required experience is fully met.

Out-of-Class experience will NOT be accepted for this examination.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Applies scientific knowledge and methodology to the solution of problems in the practice of biology including data collection and analysis, population and habitat inventory, monitoring and goal setting, and disease identification and control.
• Plans, organizes, and conducts systematic research on problems of considerable scope and complexity.
• Publishes in scientific and popular publications research findings which answer important scientific questions, open new avenues for further study, redefine an important subject matter area, or result in important improvements in product or technique.
• Applies results of applied research to the solution of significant problems which are hard to define, require unconventional or novel approaches or highly sophisticated research techniques, or present other above average difficulties.
• Gives expert information to the public, colleagues, industry representatives, and other agencies. May present papers at scientific meetings and gives lectures to lay groups, students, or staff.
• Conducts correspondence and exchanges information with other specialists in his own and related fields.
• May supervise other professionals engaged in scientific activities, or act as lead scientist in coordinating various research projects.
• May draft ordinances, regulations, or proposed techniques for the control of conditions or organisms affecting plant life or public health.
• Prepares or supervises the preparation of research grant proposals for submission to private or public agencies.

REQUIREMENTS:

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

Option 1:

A Ph.D. degree with specialization in conservation biology, botany, wildlife biology, landscape ecology, terrestrial ecology, urban ecology, or a closely related field.

Two (2) years' of professional experience conducting biological surveys, preparing and/or reviewing biological reports, and analyzing and/or mitigating impacts of development projects in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Option 2:

A Master's degree with specialization in conservation biology, botany, wildlife biology, landscape ecology, terrestrial ecology, urban ecology, or a closely related field.

Four (4) years' of professional experience conducting biological surveys, preparing and/or reviewing biological reports, and analyzing and/or mitigating impacts of development projects in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

*In order to receive credit for the required degree/coursework you must include a legible copy of the official diploma, official transcripts, or official letter from the accredited institution which shows the area of specialization, and/or a legible copy of the official certificate and/or license at the time of filing or within 15 calendar days of filing. If you are unable to attach the required documents at the time of filing, you must email them to Jandrino@planning.lacounty.gov. Please include examination number and title.

LICENSE

A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

PHYSICAL CLASS

Physical Class II - Light: Light physical effort which may include occasional light lifting to a 10 pound limit, and some bending, stooping or squatting. Considerable walking may be involved.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

EXAMINATION CONTENT

This examination will consist of two (2) parts:

PART I:

A multiple choice and/or simulation assessment(s), weighted 40% assessing:

• Deciding and Initiating Action
• Working with People
• Delivering Results and Meeting Customer Expectations
• Persuading and Influencing
• Planning and Organizing
• Deductive Reasoning

Candidates must achieve a score of 70% or higher on Part I to proceed to Part II.

MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTS ARE NOT REVIEWABLE BY CANDIDATES PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.

PART II:

A structured interview, weighted 60%, assessing:

• Professional/Technical Knowledge of the most current information, theories, techniques, practices, and procedures of the fields of biological science
• Professional/Technical Knowledge of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California Coastal Act, and other federal, state, county, and local laws and ordinances pertaining to environmental and biological impacts
• Fact Finding and Data Analysis
• Decision Making
• Adaptability/Flexibility
• Relationship Building
• Customer Service
• Presentation/Oral Communication Skills
• Technology Aptitude

CANDIDATES MUST ACHIEVE A PASSING SCORE OF 70% OR HIGHER ON EACH WEIGHTED PART OF THE EXAMINATION IN ORDER TO BE PLACED ON THE ELIGIBLE LIST.

IMPORTANT

All notifications including invitation letters will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application. It is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add jandrino@planning.lacounty.gov, examanalyst@planning.lacounty.gov, info@governmentjobs.com, talentcentral@shl.com, noreply@proctoru.com, and donot-reply@amcatmail.com to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.

Los Angeles County will not consider claims of not viewing or receiving notification to be a valid reason for late test administration or rescheduling of a test component.

Test scores cannot be given over the telephone.

TRANSFER OF TEST COMPONENTS

• Applicants who have taken identical components recently for other exams may have their scores automatically transferred to this examination.
• This examination contains test components that may be used in the future for new examinations and your test scores may be transferred.

TEST PREPARATION

Study guides and other test preparation resources are available to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides will help you preparing for the test, we advise you to review all related materials that you deem necessary.

An interactive, Online Test Preparation System for taking practice tests may be accessed on the Department of Human Resources website at http://hr.lacounty.gov/. Please click on "Find A Job" and then "Job Search Toolkit." Test preparation information is located under the "Employment Test Assistance" section.

Additional online practice tests are available at https://www.shldirect.com/en-us/practice-tests/.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications must be submitted online only. Applications submitted by U.S. Mail, Fax, or in person will not be accepted.

Apply online by clicking the green "Apply" button at the top right of this posting. You can also track the status of your application using this website.

Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the deadline as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on governmentjobs.com/careers/lacounty, you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.

Please make sure you put in the time and effort when filling out your application . The acceptance of your application depends on whether you have clearly shown that you meet the Selection Requirements as listed on this job posting. Provide any relevant job experience in the spaces provided so we can evaluate your qualifications for the job. For each job held, give the name and address of your employer, your job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed. If your application is incomplete, it will be rejected.

Please note that all information included in the application materials is subject to verification at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of any information may result in disqualification or rescission of appointment. Utilizing verbiage from Class Specification and minimum requirements serving as your description of duties will not be sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and you may be disqualified.

IMPORTANT NOTES

• ALL information included in the application materials is subject to VERIFICATION. We may reject your application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made.
• FALSIFICATION of any information may result in DISQUALIFICATION OR RESCISSION OF APPOINTMENT.
• Utilizing VERBIAGE from Class Specification and Minimum Requirements serving as your description of duties WILL NOT be sufficient to meet the requirements. Doing so may result in an INCOMPLETE APPLICATION and you may be DISQUALIFIED.

NOTE: If you are unable to attach required documents, you must e-mail the documents to Jandrino@planning.lacounty.gov within fifteen (15) calendars days of filing online. Please include your name, exam number, and exam title on all the faxed documents. Documents submitted after the end of the filing period will not be considered as part of your application submission.

TESTING ACCOMMODATION

If you require an accommodation to fairly compete in any part of the assessment process, let us know by contacting the Testing Accommodations Coordinator at Jandrino@planning.lacounty.gov. You will be required to complete the Request for Reasonable Accommodation form as well as provide supporting documentation from a qualified professional justifying the requested accommodation(s). The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can respond to your request and keep you moving through the process.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES

For applicants who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, you may borrow laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots from some public libraries throughout Los Angeles County to complete job applications. Please note some public libraries have reopened with limited access hours and may require prior reservation to use their computers. For more information, please visit their website at https://lacountylibrary.org/reopening or contact the specific libraries directly.

VACANCY INFORMATION

The resulting eligible list for this examination will be used to fill vacancies throughout the Department of Regional Planning.

Passing this examination and being placed on the eligible list does not guarantee an offer of employment.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

The names of applicants receiving a passing grade in the examination will be placed on the on the eligible list in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of promulgation.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER

Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.

NO SHARING OF USER ID, EMAIL AND PASSWORD

All applicants must file their application online using their OWN user ID and password. Using a family member or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

AVAILABLE SHIFT

Day

SPECIAL INFORMATION

COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate

All County workforce members must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Successful candidates for this position will be required to submit proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or request an exemption for qualifying medical or religious reasons during the onboarding process. Candidates should not present proof of vaccinations until instructed to do so by the hiring department.

Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI)

The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Regional Planning is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO)

The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.

American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accommodation

If you have a disability and need assistance to apply to this job, let us know by contacting the ADA Coordinator at drphr@planning.lacounty.gov. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can respond to your request and keep you moving through the process.

California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922
ADA Coordinator Email: drphr@planning.lacounty.gov
Teletype Phone: (800) 899-4099
Alternate Teletype Phone: (800) 897-0077
Department Contact Name: Jorge Andrino
Department Contact Email: Jandrino@planning.lacounty.gov