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Biologist (Marine)

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Office of the Environment, Biological Sciences Unit
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) manages the exploration and development of the nation's offshore resources. It seeks to appropriately balance economic development, energy independence, and environmental protection through oil and gas leases, renewable energy development and environmental reviews and studies. For information about our bureau go to: http://www.boem.gov/.

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
06/22/2021 to 07/13/2021
Salary
$64,649 to - $100,739 per year

First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.

Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Location
Few vacancies in the following location:
Jefferson, LA
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel 1-21 nights per year for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
BOEM-MMLL-21-BH-076(DEU)
Control number
605170800

Duties

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This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Office of the Environment, Biological Sciences Unit in Jefferson, LA.

At the full performance level (GS-12) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Plans, organizes, and coordinates data collection to assess the impacts created from oil and gas, mineral extraction, sand and gravel, and renewable energy activities interacting with biological resources and the marine environment.
2. Participates as a team member and/or leads teams related to regional and national biological and environmental sciences issues.
3. Coordinates and reviews post-lease activities (e.g., exploration and development plans) and applies conditions and mitigations to ensure protection of the marine and coastal environment. Also coordinates with the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) regarding post-lease reviews.
4. Participates in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for Bureau activities. Tasks include: participating in the scoping and planning process; performing environmental analyses; writing and reviewing sections of NEPA documents; attending/participating in public meetings; and performing technical reviews of environmental analyses by Bureau staff and other Federal, State, and local entities.
5. Participates in the GOM Region's Environmental Studies Program to characterize OCS habitats and to assess potential impacts on biological resources created from BOEM's activities. Related duties include suggesting potential studies and developing statements of work, technically evaluating study proposals, and serving as a Contracting Officer's Representative.
6. Keeps abreast of new developments in the field through current literature, attendance at meetings and seminars, and communication with other experts outside the agency. Conducts independent research and prepares reports and technical papers for publication and presentation. Provides guidance to other BOEM field offices and the headquarters office regarding coastal and marine biology, fisheries biology, and/or protected and endangered species, as necessary.
7. Promotes communications and coordination with agencies and individuals interested in marine and coastal environments and associated species information needs relative to offshore oil and gas, mineral extraction, sand and gravel, and renewable energy activities.

BOEM has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Salary Range Information:
GS-11: $64,649- $84,049
GS-12: $77,488- $100,739

This vacancy is also announced as BOEM-MMLL-21-BH-077(MP) for those applicants who wish to apply and be considered under Merit Promotion procedures.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination
  • You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
  • You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.
  • Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements:
To qualify for this position you must meet the (1) Individual Occupational Requirements AND (2) Minimum Qualifications for the series/grade to which you are applying.

(1) Individual Occupational Requirements:

Applicants must meet A or B as defined below:

A. Degree:biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience --Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Please Note:This position requires specific educational coursework to qualify. You MUST provide transcripts in order to verify that the educational requirements have been met. This information must be received by the closing date of the announcement. Failure to provide this information may result in you receiving an "INELIGIBLE" rating.

AND

(2) Minimum Qualifications:

GS-11
To qualify for the GS-11 grade level you must meet A, B, or C defined below.

A. Specialized Experience: At least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1) Conducting analysis of marine and/or coastal environments; 2) Obtaining current and accurate environmental information for the purpose of analyzing the effects of human interactions on marine and coastal environments; 3) Identifying research topics for marine habitats ; 4) Communicating technical and/or environmental information verbally and in written format. MUST MEET ALL SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE STATEMENTS.
OR
B. Education: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree
OR
C. Combination: A combination of specialized experience and education that totals 100% of the experience requirement.

Please Note: You MUST submit a copy of your unofficial or official transcripts to verify that you meet the education requirement defined above. Failure to provide this information will result in your receiving an "INELIGIBLE" rating.

GS-12
To qualify for the GS-12 grade level you must meet the specialized experience defined below.

To qualify for the GS-12, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1) Conducting analysis of marine and/or coastal environments; 2) Obtaining current and accurate environmental information for the purpose of analyzing the effects of human interactions on marine and coastal environments; 3) Identifying research topics for marine habitats and/or coordinating the procurement of environmental studies; 4) Communicating technical and/or environmental information verbally and in written format; 5) Interpreting and applying Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and statutes, such as the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). MUST MEET ALL SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE STATEMENTS.

Please Note: At the GS-12 level, education cannot be used as a substitute for specialized experience.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Education: 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 transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.

Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. 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: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

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.

The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report. In addition, DOI employees, GS-15 and above, who work in the Office of the Secretary; along with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) employees (at ALL grade levels), are further restricted concerning their interests in Federal lands and resources administered or controlled by the Department of the Interior. This includes holding stock in energy corporations which lease Federal lands (e.g.: oil, gas, coal, alternative energy resources, etc.). If you have any such investments you should contact the DOI, BOEM or BSEE Ethics Office before accepting employment. DOI employees are held to the highest level of integrity. Employees must be objective and impartial in the performance of their work. All potential issues (e.g.: work-related interactions with friends, family members, or previous employers) must be disclosed at the time of application or during the interview process.

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 based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork

Decision Making
Reading
Reasoning

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. You are being evaluated under the Category Rating method, which means, if you are determined to be qualified you will be placed in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are "Platinum", "Gold", and "Silver". However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "Platinum" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.

If you are a status applicant (current career or career-conditional Federal employee or former permanent Federal employee with reinstatement eligibility in the competitive service), or are eligible under a special appointing authority and you are selected under this vacancy, you may be subject to serving a new one-year probationary period.

To preview the application click: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11147196

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