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Resource Protection Specialist

Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS)
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), West Coast Region (WCR), Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary with one vacancy in Monterey, CA.

This position is also announced under vacancy number NOS ONMS-24-12470551-DE, which is open to all US Citizens or Nationals. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
07/11/2024 to 07/22/2024
Salary
$90,310 to - $140,713 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZA 3
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Monterey, CA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - Up to 25% of domestic travel may be required for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NOS ONMS-24-12470550-ST
Control number
799315000

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Duties

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As a Resource Protection Specialist you will perform the following duties:

  • Review, monitor and update resource protection strategies and activities to conserve, protect, enhance, restore, investigate, and maintain sanctuary resources for national marine sanctuaries and other Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Analyze and support the development and preparation of policy and planning documents and ensure thorough coordination of management priorities within the sanctuary and with key external partners (i.e. state, local communities, tribes, academia, etc.) to meet the goals and objectives of Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (OMNS). Apply National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) policies and procedures to analyze and evaluate issues for resource protection and management for ONMS programs, plans and projects.
  • Analyze legislation, regulations, and executive orders to determine impact on national marine sanctuaries program operations and management pursuant to the National Marine Sanctuaries Act or other related environmental regulations, including NEPA. Identify and define major issues and prepare agency policy documents, including drafting regulations, management plans and environmental compliance documents (e.g. Environmental Assessments, Categorical Exclusions). Provide recommendations on policies, legislation, or executive actions, or in response to these actions. Recommend initiatives or actions to the sanctuary superintendent in support of timely and effective development and implementation of policy and planning priorities to meet program and project objectives.
  • Coordinate and cultivate collaborations with key partners on policy priorities, plans, projects, and matters of shared interest. Use analytical and written skills in the review, development, coordination and implementation of, and reporting on NOAA and site resource management policies, plans and activities. Communicate sanctuary priorities and project results to a variety of audiences through oral presentations and written outreach materials. Recommend and justify appropriate resource management strategies for various activities that may occur within a sanctuary to improve processes and procedures. Identify and mitigate potential problems.
  • Participate in spill response planning and marine incident response as part of an on-scene (field) response team. Serve as one of several NOAA representatives during marine incident emergencies to carry out, monitor and coordinate natural resource damage assessment processes/procedures and regulatory and permit compliance activities. Contribute to water quality planning and implementation.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

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-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12.

NOTE:
* A one year probationary period may be required.
* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.
* This position is not in the bargaining unit.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: Participates in onsite aerial, vessel and on-foot monitoring in outdoor rugged terrain in potential severe weather conditions. Required to complete/pass the Hazardous Waste Operation and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER-24), and National Indent Management System Incident Command System training courses (e.g. 100, 200, 700, or 800). This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle. Required to obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license to operate a government vehicle in completion of tasks (i.e. at various field locations, various site meetings, etc.).

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.
  5. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
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.
  • If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the 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-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:

  • Assisting with the interpretation or application and implementation of policies or strategies for protecting marine resources;
  • Developing reports, briefings or presentations for a variety of audiences; and
  • Providing support for hazardous material incidents and disasters, or assisting in the coordination of scientific response activities, or damage assessment processes and procedures.
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 education and experience equivalent to that described above. Note: Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for the GS-11.

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.

  • 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: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation.
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.

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: 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.
Non-Competitive Reinstatement to a Higher Grade/Band than Previously Held MUST submit the following documents:
1. SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action: you must provide the most current Notification of Personnel Action (Form SF-50) that verifies career/career-conditional status, title, series, and highest grade level held on a permanent basis for your previous position. (do not submit an Award SF-50) AND, the SF-50 that verifies your separation date; AND.
2. Performance Appraisal - most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. Do not submit a performance plan that does not include this information.
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.

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 (Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions). However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best-qualified candidates 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:

  • Compliance
  • Hazardous Materials
  • Partnering
  • Strategic Thinking


--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/12470550

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