Wildlife Inspector
What you'd do
The Wildlife Inspector, GS-1801-07/09, 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.
Major 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).
What you need to qualify
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 on 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-07: 1. One (1) year of full-time specialized experience comparable to difficulty and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: 1) assisting with basic inspections and preliminary fact-finding; 2) reviewing documentation to support compliance checks and detect potential discrepancies; 3) using information systems and standard inspection equipment to carry out routine tasks; 4) gathering and reviewing data to support simple trend analysis or compliance evaluations; 5) communicating with travelers, carriers, businesses, and Federal partners to exchange basic information and provide routine guidance on law enforcement, wildlife law, and/or wildlife trafficking. -OR- 2. Successful completion of one (1) full year of graduate-level education in a field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position. Acceptable fields include, but are not limited to: natural resource management, natural sciences, earth sciences, history, archeology, anthropology, park and recreation management, law enforcement/police science, social sciences, museum sciences, business administration, public administration, behavioral sciences, sociology, or other fields directly related to the management and protection of natural and cultural resources. -OR- 3. Successful completion of a combination of graduate-level education and specialized experience, as described above, may be used to meet the total qualification requirements. Only graduate education beyond the bachelor's degree is creditable, and when combined with specialized experience, the total must equal 100% of the qualification requirements. To combine graduate education and specialized experience, first take the amount of qualifying completed graduate education and divide the 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. -OR- 4. Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): A bachelor's degree in a qualifying major as described above AND evidence of SAA based on one of the following: 1) Ranking in the upper one-third (1/3) of the graduating class; 2) Election to a recognized national scholastic honor society; 3) A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all completed undergraduate coursework; 4) A GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for coursework completed during the final two (2) years of the bachelor's program; 5) A GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale based on all completed coursework in the major field of study; or 6) A GPA of 3.5 or higher in the major field of study during the final two (2) years of the bachelor's program. To verify SAA, applicants must submit transcripts that clearly show how GPA was calculated. Minimum Qualification Requirements GS-09: 1. One (1) year of full-time specialized experience comparable to difficulty and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: 1) assisting with inspections and investigations of suspected wildlife laws violations, following required search, seizure, and evidence-handling procedures; 2) examining shipments, containers, and documentation to verify compliance and identify high-risk shipments or travelers; 3) utilizing automated inspection/compliance systems and related equipment to carry out inspections and interdiction tasks; 4) analyzing wildlife trade data and trends to support the development of compliance and permit evaluation criteria; 5) communicating with travelers, carriers, businesses, and Federal agencies to exchange information, resolve compliance issues, and provide outreach on wildlife import/export requirements. -OR- 2. Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education in an accredited college or university leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., in a field of study directly related to the position. -OR- 3. Successful completion of a combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above, which together equals 100% of the qualification requirements. Only completed graduate education beyond the first year may be combined with specialized experience. To determine the percentage of qualifying graduate education, divide the number of graduate semester hours earned beyond the first 18 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. 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.
Before you apply
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