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Natural Resource Specialist

Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
West Coast Region
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 position is located within the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), West Coast Region (WCR) with one vacancy located in Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Sacramento, CA; Boise, ID; or Location negotiable after selection.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/05/2022 to 12/19/2022
Salary
$66,214 to - $113,902 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZP 3
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Sacramento, CA
Boise, ID
Portland, OR
Seattle, WA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 10% of domestic travel may be required.
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
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NMFS WCR-23-11738950-DE
Control number
690991400

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Duties

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As a Natural Resource Specialist (Tribal Coordinator), you will perform the following duties:

  • Serve as the West Coast Region's (WCR) point of contact for tribes on tribal matters; facilitate conversations between tribes and program staff as needed. Ensure tribes receive advance notification of NOAA Fisheries initiatives, decisions, and regulations that may affect tribal trust resources.
  • Serve as the region's technical expert on tribal history, treaties, sovereignty, self-governance, protocols, customs and traditions, and natural and cultural resources for WCR staff. Advise WCR staff, supervisors, managers, and leadership on tribal trust responsibilities.
  • Provide training to increase awareness and understanding of tribal norms, customs, best business practices, and federal obligations for WCR staff, supervisors, managers, and regional leadership. Maintain the Tribal Relations websites and provide tribal consultation guidance and resources to WCR staff.
  • Work to establish and maintain strong cross-cultural relationships with tribal councils, chairpersons, officials, and technical staff to help the agency accomplish its conservation and stewardship mission.
  • Participate in formal tribal government-to-government meetings, and consensus building between NOAA and tribal entities.
  • Represent NOAA to external parties and coordinate external messaging between and among NOAA staff and leadership; maintain relationships with Tribal Liaisons/Coordinators in other federal agencies; maintain a regional database of current tribal council representatives and department chairs; and participate in cross-divisional teams, as appropriate.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel Systems (CAPS). This system replace 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.

Notes:


* A one-year probationary period may be required.
* Payment of relocation incentive may be authorized.
* Payment of recruitment incentive may be authorized.
* This position requires a Low-Risk Security Clearance.
*The negotiable location will be at an NMFS office within the states of Oregon, Washington, California, or Idaho.


Key Requirements:

  1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
  2. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
  3. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
  4. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.

Are There Any Special Requirements for This Position?

  • A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
  • Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

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:

To qualify at the 0401 series:

  1. DEGREE: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
  1. COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.


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:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: 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 facilitating and maintaining working relationships between tribal entities and program staff; and
  • Advising on tribal trust responsibilities.
-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 related graduate level education and
specialized experience.

NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of two years is qualifying for combination.

Education

  • 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.
  • Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-federal-jobs .

Additional information

Other Information:

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:

  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 uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.

The Department of the Commerce (DOC) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

How you will be evaluated

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

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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