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.

The ZA-2 position requires a Low Risk Security Clearance.

The ZA-3 position requires a Moderate 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-2 is equivalent to the GS-07/09. However, this position is being advertised equivalent to the GS-09.

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.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: 

• Train and re-certify as required to maintain basic NOAA diving and diving related medical proficiency and qualifications. 
• Meet physical requirements for NOAA Diving as described in the NOAA Diving Medical Standards and Procedures Manual. 
• Successfully complete a NOAA Diving physical exam and receive clearance to dive from NOAA Diving Medical Officer at entry on duty. 
• Able to swim and work in a water column; walk, stand, bend, stoop, lift/carry up to 60 pounds on land and aboard small vessels. 
• Utilize SCUBA equipment underwater. 
• Perform duties indoors in typical office setting, outdoors and in small boats exposed to weather, and in water conditions including cold temperatures, low visibility, and hazardous marine life. 
• Operate government-owned vehicles and small boats in support of NDC mission. 
• Travel as needed to support off-site dive instruction and operations. 
• This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR:

• Incumbent must possess a current and valid SCUBA Diving Certification or government or Department of Defense (DoD) equivalent (such as Navy First Class Diver, Navy Second Class Diver, Basic Diving Officer, or Salvage Diving Officer). (Your Application Materials must clearly demonstrate this. Failure to do so will result in your application being marked as ineligible.)

Qualifications

CONTINUED FROM THE REQUIREMENTS SECTION:

NOTES:

This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other (title, series, grade) 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-2 or GS-09 level:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-2 or GS-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

• Helping maintain diving-related facilities or operations, e.g., diving or hyperbaric chamber operations, and diving unit inspections;
• Helping with training, development, delivery, scheduling, and instructional activities of diving and helping in the instruction of personnel in diving theory, practice, and policy; and
• Providing diving assistance as an instructor or trainer by supporting dive operations in varying water conditions, such as cold temperatures, low visibility, and hazardous marine life.

OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Master's or equivalent graduate degree with a major study in Education, Marine Science, Marine Biology, or related science field, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a 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.

AND

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: Incumbent must possess a current and valid SCUBA Diving Certification or government or Department of Defense (DoD) equivalent (such as Navy First Class Diver, Navy Second Class Diver, Basic Diving Officer, or Salvage Diving Officer). (Your Application Materials must clearly demonstrate this. Failure to do so will result in your application being marked as ineligible.)

To qualify at the ZA-3 or GS-11 level:

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:

• Maintaining diving-related facilities or operations, e.g., diving or hyperbaric chamber operations, and diving unit inspections;
• Developing, scheduling, and providing instruction in diving and advising and instructing personnel in diving theory, practice, and policy; and
• Providing guidance as a dive instructor/trainer and supervisor, and standby diver and tender, supporting dive operations in varying water conditions, such as cold temperatures, low visibility, and hazardous marine life.

OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree with a major study in Education, Marine Science, Marine Biology, or related science field or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree.

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.

AND 

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: Incumbent must possess a current and valid SCUBA Diving Certification or government or Department of Defense (DoD) equivalent (such as Navy First Class Diver, Navy Second Class Diver, Basic Diving Officer, or Salvage Diving Officer). (Your Application Materials must clearly demonstrate this. Failure to do so will result in your application being marked as ineligible.)

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:

ALL GRADES:

• Knowledge of the physical effects of increased pressure on the human body, the proper use of specialized diving equipment, the potential hazards, and the rules and procedures for conducting dives safely.
• Knowledge of facilities maintenance and operations, diving and hyperbaric chamber operational support, and diving unit inspections.
• Knowledge of the physics of diving as it relates to the effects of hyperbaric conditions on the human body (including gas properties and laws, hydrostatics and basic underwater acoustic, optics, and thermodynamics).
• Ability to supervise divers and serve as standby diver and tender.
• Ability to provide diving instructional or curriculum material in order to provide instruction in diving theory, practice, and policy.