Wildlife Inspector

This Wildlife Inspector position is with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior) in Phoenix, AZ. The Wildlife Inspector, GS-1801-11/12, serves under Region 9, Office of Law Enforcement, conducting complex inspections and enforcing federal laws on the import, export, and interstate transport of wildlife and wildlife products. The position ensures regulatory compliance, identifies violations, and supports efforts to prevent unlawful wildlife trade. Key duties: • The Field Senior Wildlife Inspector serves as a frontline enforcement officer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Office of Law Enforcement, protecting wildlife resources by detecting and deterring illegal wildlife trade. As a technical expert at assigned ports of entry, the position conducts complex inspections, leads interdiction activities, and ensures compliance with federal, state, and international wildlife protection laws. Working across cargo facilities, passenger terminals, warehouses, and other port environments, the inspector applies advanced biological and analytical expertise to regulate legal wildlife trade and counter trafficking efforts. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full-performance level. At the full-performance level GS-12, the duties include but are not limited to: Leading interdiction and inspection activities at ports of entry to detect and counter wildlife trafficking, applying expertise in species identification, risk assessment, and data analysis. Conducting inspections and investigations of wildlife shipments and travelers, identifying high-risk activity, collaborating with partner agencies, and supporting the lawful flow of wildlife trade through informed compliance efforts. Serving as a technical expert and liaison, supporting civil and criminal cases, sharing information with domestic and international partners, completing special projects, and preparing reports and presentations. Delivering training and outreach to inspectors, partners, and the public, and providing leadership and mentorship to strengthen Wildlife Inspection Program capabilities. Performs other related duties as assigned, including conducting inspections in varied and hazardous environments, preparing investigative findings and recommendations, and coordinating with experts and regional counterparts to enhance inspection operations. Physical Demands: This position requires performing physical inspections that may involve pushing, pulling, lifting, and moving items weighing up to 50 pounds, as well as working with live animals and animal products that present significant safety hazards. Wildlife Inspectors may encounter bites, scratches, and potentially dangerous envenomation from reptiles and invertebrates, and may be exposed to various communicable diseases, and hazardous chemicals used on wildlife products. Strict adherence to safety procedures is required, including use and maintenance of protective equipment and completion of required safety training. Work Environment: Administrative work is performed in an office setting; however, inspections occur at warehouses, container stations, passenger terminals, quarantine facilities, and other locations throughout the port of entry, sometimes many miles apart. Frequent or extended travel for special staffing assignments may be required, including work at non-designated ports of entry, and assisting Special Agents with executing search warrants. Medical Surveillance Program: Position is subject to enrollment and ongoing participation in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Medical Surveillance Program in accordance with 242 FW 4 and 5 CFR Part 339. Incumbents must complete periodic medical surveillance examinations due to potential exposure to hazardous chemicals and communicable diseases encountered during inspection and interdiction activities. Work Schedule: Position may require working at a fixed workstation or at multiple stations/work sites under established, rotating, or other work schedules (i.e., evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime, and shift work). Foreign Language: Depending on the duty station, this position may necessitate demonstrating basic to fluent proficiency in a foreign language (speaking, reading, and writing). Qualifications: All qualifications must be met by the closing date, 08/20/2026, of this announcement - unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet time-in-grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. For current Federal Employees, if hours worked per week are not included in your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Minimum Qualification Requirements GS-11: 1. One (1) year of full-time specialized experience comparable to difficulty and responsibility to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: 1) conducting targeted interdiction and inspection activities to detect noncompliance with U.S. and foreign wildlife laws, treaties, and regulations; 2) identifying wildlife, parts, and products, and referring specimens requiring advanced identification; 3) conducting risk assessments and analyzing trade data and trends to develop criteria for evaluating compliance with permits and regulations; 4) communicating mission objectives through analytical reports; 5) supporting civil and criminal investigations with partner agencies involving illegal wildlife trade and other violations of federal, state, tribal, and international laws. -OR- 2. Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M, in a field of study directly related to the position. You must include transcripts. -OR- 3. Successful completion of a combination of graduate education and specialized experience, as described above, may be used to meet 100 percent of the qualification requirements for this position. Only graduate education beyond the first two (2) years may be combined with specialized experience. To combine graduate education and specialized experience, first take the amount of qualifying graduate education beyond the second year and divide that number of semester hours by 18. Then take the number of full-time months of specialized experience and divide that number by 12. Add the resulting percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include the number of hours worked per week for all experience listed and must submit transcripts to verify qualifying education. Minimum Qualification Requirements GS-12: 1. One (1) year of full-time specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: 1) conducting interdiction and inspection of wildlife shipments at ports of entry, identifying specimens using taxonomic or forensic methods, and documenting findings to support enforcement actions; 2) conducting port-specific risk assessments using analytical tools, intelligence, and trade data to identify trends, establish inspection criteria, and develop cargo and passenger lookouts; 3) supporting investigations by collecting, preserving, and processing evidence under federal standards, examining high-risk shipments across transport modes, and contributing to case development; 4) serving as a technical expert and liaison with domestic and international partners, facilitating information exchange, advising industry entities, participating in special projects, and preparing reports and presentations; 5) developing and delivering training, guidance, and outreach to inspectors, partners, and the public, supporting program improvements, and providing mentorship to strengthen inspection program operations. You must include hours worked per week for all experience listed. NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-12 grade level. Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP): Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. View the full announcement and apply on USAJOBS.gov.