This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/573973000. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
This position is located in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), Population & Ecosystems Monitoring & Analysis Division (PEMAD) with one vacancy in Woods Hole, MA.
This position is also announced under vacancy number NMFS-NEFSC-2020-0051, which is open to all US Citizens/Nationals. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.
Learn more about this agency07/21/2020 to 07/30/2020
$58,909 - $111,062 per year
ZP 2 - 3
1 vacancy in the following location:
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Occasional travel - Up to 20% domestic and foreign travel may be required.
No
Permanent
Full-Time
Competitive
3 - If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you may be non-competitively promoted if you perform successfully and if recommended by management.
No
No
NMFS-NEFSC-2020-0050
573973000
Current or former competitive service federal employees.
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
VEOA, VRA, 30% Disabled, Schedule A. Current or former employees at a land management agency who were initially hired under competitive procedures in a time-limited appointment.
As a Fish Biologist, you will perform the following duties:
• Assist Program Lead in the preparation of fishery independent resource cruises.
• Serve as Watch Chief or Chief Scientist during fishery-independent resource surveys.
• Process biological specimens collected during fishery-independent resource cruises in the laboratory.
• Train staff in the proper identification and taxonomic classification of marine fish and invertebrates.
• Use modern analytical software to analyze and report scientific findings, execute quality control, auditing procedures and data extraction and aggregation to facilitate fishery-independent data reporting.
• Utilize statistical procedures and software to execute quantitative analyses related to fishery-independent survey design, assessing sampling gear efficiency, biological and ecosystems processes.
• Communicate with internal and external stakeholders and researchers with varied backgrounds.
NOTE: The duties described are at the full performance level of the ZP-3 grade; the duties at the ZP-2 are developmental leading to the ZP-3 level.
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-2 is equivalent to the GS-07/09, however is only being advertised at the GS-09 equivalent. The ZP-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12.
NOTE:
* A one year probationary period may be required.
* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.
* This position is not in the bargaining unit
* This position requires a Low Risk Security Clearance.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
- Incumbent must meet NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) health criteria for sea-duty on NOAA vessels. Please visit https://www.omao.noaa.gov/learn/marine-operations/about/project-planning/health-screening for more details.
- This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle because the incumbent will driving a truck loaded with research equipment to vessel; requires ability to lift gear, and delivering/picking up equipment from vessels.
- Incumbent will need to travel to a variety of regional locations to conduct field work, meet with collaborators, collect and evaluate data, and participate in scientific presentations.
Physical Requirement: Incumbent will be expected to perform duties over long, odd hours, lifting and moving heavy equipment or biological samples many times throughout the day, on an unsteady platform depending on sea state. Incumbent must also be able to frequently bend, lift, and stoop to perform field operations.
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:
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-2 or GS-09 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: 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-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
-OR-
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.
-OR-
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:A combination of education and experience as described above.
Note: Only graduate education in excess of one full year is qualifying for combination of education and experience.
To qualify at the ZP-3 or GS-11 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: 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:
-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 two full years is qualifying for combination of education and experience.
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.
CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management’s Career Transition Resources website at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
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.
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. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions). However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best-qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.
The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:
At the ZP-2 grade level:
At the ZP-3 grade level:
At both grade levels:
Due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3), during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.
OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov. To begin, click the Apply Online button near the bottom of this screen and follow the prompts to register into your USAJOBS account, answer the questions, and submit all required documents.
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select Apply Online to continue.
If you have problems completing your on-line application, including problems submitting your supporting documents, please contact the Help Desk by e-mail at mgshelp@monster.com or by phone at (866) 656-6831. The help desk is available Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET
For instructions on submitting your application in an alternate format, please contact the Agency Contact listed in this vacancy announcement.
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Fish Biologist, ZP-0482-2/3 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).
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at https://www.usajobs.gov/ and clicking on “Track Your Online Application.” The four points of notification are:
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans’ preference, disability, etc.)
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/573973000. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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