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Resource Protection Specialist, ZA-0301-3 (DE/CR)

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

Summary

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, NorthEast Great Lakes Region (NEGL), Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS) with one vacancy in Alpena, MI.

This position is also announced under vacancy number NOS-ONMS-2021-0012, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/26/2021 to 06/08/2021
Salary
$64,649 to - $100,739 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZA 3
Location
Alpena, MI
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 15% of domestic travel may be required for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
3
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
NOS-ONMS-2021-0013
Control number
602576900

Duties

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As a Resource Protection Specialist, you will perform the following duties:

  • Promote resource protection through a variety of education, outreach, and community engagement efforts. Support the development and implementation of sanctuary education, outreach, and interpretation programs, and assisting with the development of external communications (e.g. sanctuary media, social media, etc.), exhibits, and education/outreach programs and products.
  • Recommend, coordinate, and implement research and resource management strategies and priorities. Participate in Sanctuary Advisory Council meetings and serve as staff-lead for associated working groups. Engage with a variety of partners, stakeholders, law enforcement agencies, and community leaders to facilitate the protection of sanctuary resources.
  • Provide communication, coordination, and administrative support of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (TBNMS) research and on-water operations, including budgeting, scheduling, and coordination with sanctuary partners. Provide operational support as a working diver on the TBNMS dive team. Assist in the coordination of Great Lakes ecological and climate and climate research and reporting. Conduct research, dive, and vessel operations.
  • Assist in coordinating and conducting historical and underwater archaeological field research, documentation, and reporting, including drafting National Registry of Historic Places (NRHP) nominations and other archaeological and field research reports.
  • Assist in the operation (e.g. budgeting, scheduling, and safety) of the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. Seek and develop partnerships, grants, and other support to advance the management goals of the sanctuary and Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), and assist in the development of Annual Operating Plans, budgets, contracts, and Memorandum of Agreements.  Work with and assist in coordinating volunteers.

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.

This position requires a Low Risk Security Clearance.  

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 ZA-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12.  

* A one year probationary period may be required.

* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

* This position is not in the bargaining unit.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle. Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license to operate a government vehicle in completion of assigned tasks i.e. site visits, field research, etc.
  • Operate NOAA small boats in compliance with U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and NOAA policies and regulations.
  • SCUBA certification at the level of “Divemaster,” as determined by the NOAA Diving Control and Safety Board.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: This position has physical requirements, including diving, swimming, snorkeling, and lifting equipment more than 50 lbs.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: In order to successfully perform the duties, the incumbent must possess a current and valid Dive Master (or higher) Certification. Applicants must provide documentation with their application to support meeting this Selective Placement Factor.  (Your Application Materials must clearly demonstrate this. Failure to do so will result in your application being marked as ineligible.)

Qualifications

(Continued from Requirements Section)

NOTES:
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Resource Protection Specialist, ZA-0301-3 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).

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.

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.

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.

EDUCATION:   There is no positive education requirement for this position.

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 ZA-3 or GS-11:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-2 or GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Assisting with on-water and/or diving operations to support the Great Lakes or maritime heritage research or resource protection;
  • Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to implement plans and activities for resource management programs and policy development; and
  • Produce education, outreach, and technical products, such as research reports, briefing materials, presentations, interpretation, exhibits, external communications (media releases and social media), web content, education materials and programs, and marketing materials.

-OR-

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related.

-OR-

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

Additional information

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority 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 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.  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) and place you in one of the three pre-defined categories.  The categories are “gold”, “silver” and “bronze”.  However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered.  Candidates placed in the “gold” category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility:  Within each category, those entitled to veterans’ preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed.  Preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. For more information on Category Rating, please go to Category Rating.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

  • Ability to coordinate and develop management documents (e.g. Management Plans, Condition Reports, and Conservation Plans) and the development of policy, and communication products (e.g. outreach, media, and community education).
  • Ability to communicate to a variety of audiences through public speaking.
  • Ability to communicate to a variety of audiences through writing for a variety of products (e.g. interpretation, web content, social media).
  • Ability to provide administrative support of sanctuary law enforcement and resource protection activities.
  • Knowledge of science-based communication and interpretation techniques of climate-related issues.
  • Ability to plan, coordinate, and conduct working and scientific dive and vessel operations.
  • Knowledge of assessments for Section 106 compliance under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
  • Ability to support underwater archaeological research as defined by the Department of Interior (DOI) Professional Qualification Standards in order to support archaeological field studies and determine if sites are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
  • Ability to implement and oversee volunteer programs.
  • Knowledge of grant writing, implementation, and reporting.
  • Ability to develop and maintain relationships with internal and external partners.

To preview questions please click here.

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