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Fish Biologist, ZP-0482-3 (Direct Hire)

Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This is a Direct Hire Public Notice. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.

This is a TERM appointment. Appointments to this position will not convey permanent status in the Federal service and will be for a period not to exceed (NTE) 13 months and may be extended up to 4 years without further competition.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
03/31/2020 to 04/16/2020
Salary
$64,009 to - $99,741 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZP 3
Location
Pasco, WA
2 vacancies
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 25% domestic travel may be required for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Term
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
3 - This position is not eligible for promotion potential.
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
NMFS-NWC-2020-0003
Control number
564211700

Duties

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This position is located in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), Fish Ecology Division with two vacancies in Pasco, WA.

As a Fish Biologist, you will perform the following duties:

  • Conduct and support research aimed at understanding migration, growth and survival of juvenile and adult salmon from populations listed under the Endangered Species Act.
  • Lead aspects of wild fish tagging projects, which includes collecting fish in streams, backpacking electrofishing, PIT-tagging juvenile salmonids, inserting radio tags in adult salmon, installing radio telemetry arrays in the Columbia River estuary, and testing new PIT-tag technologies.
  • Assist with data analysis, writing of reports, and presenting results to different audiences.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply.
  • Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
  • Must be suitable for Federal employment.
  • Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
  • Qualifications requirements must be met by closing date of announcement.

Monster Government Solutions (MGS) will be performing scheduled maintenance from April 11th to April 12th.The scheduled maintenance will begin at 12:01 a.m. ET on April 11th and end at 6:00 p.m. ET on April 12th.  Monster Government Solutions (MGS) will be performing scheduled maintenance from April 15th.  The scheduled maintenance will begin at 12:01 a.m. ET on April 15th and end at 11:59 p.m. ET on April 15th. You may not be able to complete the application process during these time. 

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band. 

The ZP-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12. The full performance level of this position is ZP-3.

Category Rating, Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to this Public Notice.

* A one year trial period may be required.

* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

* This position is in the bargaining unit.

* This position requires a Low Risk Security Clearance.

NOTE:

*This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Fish Biologist, ZP-0482-3 positions throughout NOAA. The position must be alike (e.g. within the same geographic locations, same grade/band and requires the same qualifications and specialized experience as indicated in this vacancy announcement).

Applicants must meet ALL application requirements, to include a complete online resume, by 11:59 p.m. EASTERN TIME (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

Condition of Employment: This position requires the operation of small boats in aquatic environments in Washington, Oregon and California. This position requires the operation of Federal motor vehicles in order to transport small Federal research vessels and other research equipment when conducting field research in these marine and freshwater environments. This incumbent must possess a valid driver’s license and have small boat operator certification.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards.  This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience OR substitution of education for experience OR combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements:

EDUCATION:  

To qualify for the 0482 series:

A. Degree: major in biological science that included:

  • At least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects such as limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, or related courses in the field of fishery biology; and
  • At least 12 semester hours in the animal sciences in such subjects as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields. (Excess course work in aquatic subjects may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate.)

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), of which a minimum of 6 semester hours were in aquatic subjects and 12 semester hours were in the animal sciences, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

AND

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.  Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.  This experience need not have been in the federal government.

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.

To qualify at the ZP-3 or GS-11 level:

In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-2 or GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Assisting with fisheries research that includes PIT tagging of wild salmon populations; and
  • Assisting with data analysis and reporting research findings.

OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. Note: Only graduate education in excess of 2 full years is qualifying for combination of education and experience.

Education

College Transcript: If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.

Note: Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work. An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty.

Additional information

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have met the minimum qualifications for the position. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management’s Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your specific RIF notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
  2. A copy of your SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action”, noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
  2. A copy of your SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action” documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

NOAA participates in e-Verify.  E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position.

Veteran’s Preference does not apply to direct hire recruitment procedures.

Any selections made under this notice will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Therefore, Current Federal employees would be given new appointments to the civil service and may have to serve a new probationary period under CFR 315.802 (b).

NOTE: A one year probationary period will be required under the Direct Hire Authority unless you are a current Department of Commerce employee and are in the same line of work and with no more than a 30 day break in service. 


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