This position is located in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), with three vacancies in Narragansett, RI, Orono, ME, or Woods Hole, MA.
This is a term appointment not to exceed 13 months with possible extensions up to a total of 10 years without further competition. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status in the Federal service.
Summary
This position is located in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), with three vacancies in Narragansett, RI, Orono, ME, or Woods Hole, MA.
This is a term appointment not to exceed 13 months with possible extensions up to a total of 10 years without further competition. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status in the Federal service.
This job will close when we have received 150 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$37,696 to - $91,984 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZT 2 - 3
Locations
3 vacancies in the following locations:
Woods Hole, MA
Orono, ME
Narragansett, RI
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 20% domestic travel may be required for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Term
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
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.
As a Biological Science Technician, you will perform the following duties:
Provide at-sea research cruise technical support and scientific sampling operations to ensure quality control and data collection consistency. Provide expertise in identification of marine organisms and other ecosystem components to identify, process, and collect samples. Use complex technical equipment.
Assist with project planning and maintenance of planned timelines, leadership and coordination of relevant staff for defined efforts. Coordinate with field operation staff to execute staging and de-staging of equipment and supplies for research cruises and other field operations. Develop procedures and practices for the general maintenance, storage, inventory and procurement of boat-related or project-specific scientific equipment used in the laboratory or field.
Conduct regular maintenance on small boats and related equipment, or technical electronic gear to ensure data quality control practices are in place, and assist with developing databases. Work in spreadsheets and database programs to conduct standardized quality control auditing procedures, develop summarized results for seasonal research cruise data reports, and provide research data for internal and external data requests.
NOTE: These duties are described at the full performance level of the ZT-3; the ZT-2 is developmental leading to such performance.
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 ZT-2 is equivalent to the GS-5 through GS-08.
The ZT-3 is equivalent to the GS-9/10.
*A one year trial period may be required.
*Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.
*Payment of relocation and recruitment incentives may be authorized.
*This position is not in the bargaining unit.
Key Requirements:
Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.
This vacancy is limited to the first 150 applications received and will close at midnight Eastern Time on the day this application limit is reached regardless of the closing date specified in this vacancy announcement. Any application received prior to midnight Eastern Time of the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. You are strongly encouraged to submit all required supporting documents at the time of application should the vacancy close earlier than stated in this announcement due to the applicant limit being reached. Supporting documents will not be accepted once the vacancy announcement closes.
Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
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
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 ZT-2 or GS-05 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZT-1 or GS-04 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
Assisting with collection of scientific data in the field; and
Conducting general maintenance, storage, or inventory of small boat-related or project-specific scientific equipment.
OR
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position to be filled. The successful completion of a full course of study of at least 12 months in a school for clinical laboratory technicians may be substituted for the 1 year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level for positions involving microbiology and biochemistry technician work.
OR
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. Note: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is qualifying for combination.
To qualify at the ZT-3 or GS-09 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZT-2 or GS-08 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
Participating in the collection, processing or analyzing of field data taken for research on marine mammals (such as marine mammals, sea turtles, fish, and plankton, etc.);
Performing laboratory analyses of data taken from the field; and
Organizing or managing databases of data that has been collected from research.
OR
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Two full years of graduate education or a master's degree in biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics.
OR
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. Note: Only education in excess of one full year of graduate education is qualifying for combination.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle. Coordinates with field operation staff and executes staging and de-staging of equipment and supplies for researching cruises and other field operations which require the operation of a Federal motor vehicle.
This position has physical requirements. This position requires regular at-sea duty working on deck for up to 12 hours and lifting of up to 50 lbs. Additional at-sea requirements: prolong walking and standing; climbing stairs and rope ladders; donning survival suits. Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license to operate a government vehicle in completion of transporting experimental fishing equipment and gear in Federal vehicles, visit NOAA NMFS laboratories and attend meetings. May require scientific dive certification, small boat coxswain certification, or other specialized requirements for meeting survey needs.
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.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation by the closing date of the announcement will result in lost consideration. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated visit: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation.
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:
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);
A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
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;
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;
A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
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.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
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. The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:
Manages and Organizes Information
Project Management
Research
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.
Category rating will be used in the ranking and selection process for this position. The quality categories are Gold, Silver, and Bronze. You will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position. If you are eligible, your on-line responses to the application questions will determine your placement in the appropriate quality category described above. Your responses must be substantiated by your resume. If you do not respond to the application questions you may be rated ineligible. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.
NOTE: If it is determined that you have rated yourself higher than is supported in your description of experience and/or education as described in your resume/application, or that your resume or application is incomplete, you may be rated ineligible and/or not qualified.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.
A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume
You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose, for each work experience at a minimum, your resume must include; job title(s) (including job series and grade, if federal); description of duties or work performed; education; starting and ending dates (month and year); and hours worked per week and/or full-time or part-time. If identifying as part-time you must state the number of hours per week. (NOTE:A full-time work schedule requires most employees to work 33-40 hours during the work week. A part-time schedule requires an employee to work less than full-time, but for a specific number of hours (usually 16-32 hours per administrative work week) on a prearranged scheduled tour of duty.)
Transcripts
If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.
Veterans' Preference Eligibles
If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.
If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans' preference and that your character of military service is honorable.
If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders. Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans' preference.
Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) & Inter-agency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Eligibles
If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, the Servicing Human Resources Office must receive proof by the closing date of this announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330 Subpart F for CTAP and 5 CFR 330 Subpart G for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes:
copy of the agency notice;
your most recent Performance Rating; and
your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.
If you are a CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference points). For more information on CTAP/ICTAP please click here.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS by 11:59pm Eastern Time(ET) (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.
Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement:
Click the blue "Apply Online" button.
If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile.
As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application.
Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen.
Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy.
Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below.
If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
NOAA Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS)
1315 East West Hwy
SSMC4
Silver Spring, MD 20910
US
Next steps
Salary for Narragansett, RI and Woods Hole, MA, ZT-2: $42,404 to $75,628, ZT-3: $64,251 to $91,984
Salary for Orono, ME, ZT-2: $37,696 to $67,231, ZT-3: $57,118 to $81,771
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Biological Science Technician, ZT-0404-2/3 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 and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:
Application Received;
Application being assess for qualification;
Referred or Not Referred; and
Selected or Not Selected.
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.
Required documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.
A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume
You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose, for each work experience at a minimum, your resume must include; job title(s) (including job series and grade, if federal); description of duties or work performed; education; starting and ending dates (month and year); and hours worked per week and/or full-time or part-time. If identifying as part-time you must state the number of hours per week. (NOTE:A full-time work schedule requires most employees to work 33-40 hours during the work week. A part-time schedule requires an employee to work less than full-time, but for a specific number of hours (usually 16-32 hours per administrative work week) on a prearranged scheduled tour of duty.)
Transcripts
If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.
Veterans' Preference Eligibles
If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.
If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans' preference and that your character of military service is honorable.
If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders. Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans' preference.
Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) & Inter-agency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Eligibles
If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, the Servicing Human Resources Office must receive proof by the closing date of this announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330 Subpart F for CTAP and 5 CFR 330 Subpart G for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes:
copy of the agency notice;
your most recent Performance Rating; and
your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.
If you are a CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference points). For more information on CTAP/ICTAP please click here.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS by 11:59pm Eastern Time(ET) (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.
Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement:
Click the blue "Apply Online" button.
If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile.
As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application.
Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen.
Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy.
Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below.
If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
NOAA Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS)
1315 East West Hwy
SSMC4
Silver Spring, MD 20910
US
Next steps
Salary for Narragansett, RI and Woods Hole, MA, ZT-2: $42,404 to $75,628, ZT-3: $64,251 to $91,984
Salary for Orono, ME, ZT-2: $37,696 to $67,231, ZT-3: $57,118 to $81,771
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Biological Science Technician, ZT-0404-2/3 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 and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:
Application Received;
Application being assess for qualification;
Referred or Not Referred; and
Selected or Not Selected.
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.).
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
