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Research Economist

Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast fisheries Science Center, Office of the Directorate
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 locate in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), Office of the Directorate, with one vacancy in either Miami, FL, Panama City, FL, St. Petersburg, FL, Galveston, TX, Pascagoula, MS, or Beaufort, NC.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
02/09/2024 to 02/23/2024
Salary
$72,553 to - $183,202 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZP 3 - 4
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Miami, FL
Panama City Beach, FL
Saint Petersburg Beach, FL
Pascagoula, MS
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 for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
4 - 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.
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NMFS SEFSC-24-12304019-DHA
Control number
775528900

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Duties

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As a Research Economist, you will perform the following duties:

  • Lead efforts to collect data with which to establish economic baselines for wind energy development and recreational fisheries in Federal waters in the South Atlantic Region, assess the financial and economic performance of industries related to recreational fishing, and wind energy development. Develop economic models to inform and evaluate management proposals related to recreational fisheries and wind energy.
  • Write grant proposals to acquire supplementary funds to support research activities. Develop materials (reports. presentations, brochures, etc.) to convey findings and disseminates research results through scientific outlets, including publications and presentations at conferences, as well as to stakeholders and the public.
  • Lead, design, and conduct novel and new economic research projects from the use and existence of living marine resources and the measurement of how benefits and usage change over time in response to changes in resource abundance and regulation.
  • Creatively use economic data and theory to propose innovative recreational fishery management policies and new ways to evaluate the economic effects of existing policies.
  • Present economic analyses to other scientists from the SEFSC, NOAA line offices, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the fishery management councils, scientists from other disciplines, representatives of the fishing industry and the broader public as needed. Provide economics expertise to NMFS headquarters and other bodies in addressing regional and national issues related to the economics of recreational fishing and wind energy development.

NOTE: These duties are described at the full performance level of the ZP-4, the ZP-3 is developmental leading to such performance.

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.
The ZP-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14.

Salary for Miami, FL: ZP-3: $77,274 to $120,401, ZP-4: $110,137 to $169195
Salary for Galveston, TX: ZP-3: $ $83,671 to $130,369, ZP-4: $119,254 to $183,202
Salary for Panama City, FL, St. Petersburg, FL, Pascagoula, MS, and Beaufort, NC: ZP-3: $72,553 to $113,047, ZP-4: $119,254 to $183,202

*A three-year probationary period for research positions may be required.
* Payment of relocation/recruitment expenses is not authorized.
* This position is in in the bargaining unit. This position is covered by (2194).

Key Requirements:

  1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
  2. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
  3. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
  • 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:

EDUCATION:

Degree: economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.

OR

Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown 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:
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 in using economic data and theory to evaluate the economic effects of fishery or related natural resource management policies; and
  • Participating in research using models or computer simulation to predict the economic effects of environmental changes, such as wind energy development.
OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 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 year is qualifying for combination.

To qualify at the ZP-4 or GS-13:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-3 or GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
  • Evaluating and advising on the economic effects of fishery or related natural resource management policies using economic data and theory;
  • Participating in research using models or computer simulation to predict the economic effects of environmental changes, such as wind energy development; and
  • Contributing to the development of peer reviewed publications to convey findings and disseminate research results through scientific outlets.

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 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.

Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.

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.

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 three 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.

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.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12304019

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