This job will close when we have received 250 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$72,553 to - $181,216 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZP 3 - 4
Locations
9 vacancies in the following locations:
Miami, FL
Honolulu, HI
Lafayette, LA
Silver Spring, MD
Ocean Springs, MS
Pascagoula, MS
Portland, OR
Seattle, WA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel 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.
This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) with vacancies in the following locations:
1 vacancy for the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), Population and Ecosystems Monitoring Division (PEM), located in Ocean Springs, MS.
2 vacancies for the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), Marine Mammal and Turtle Division (MMTD), located in Miami, FL; Pascagoula, MS; or Lafayette, LA.
1 vacancy for the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), Fisheries, Assessment, Technology, and Engineering Support (FATES) Division, located in Pascagoula, MS.
2 vacancies for the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), located in Honolulu, HI.
1 vacancy for the Office of Science and Technology (OST), located in Seattle, WA or Silver Spring, MD.
1 vacancy for the Western Coast Regional Office (WCR), Interior Columbia Basin Area Office (ICBD), located in Portland, OR.
1 vacancy for the Alaskan Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), located in Seattle, WA.
As a Fish Biologist, you will perform the following duties:
Propose program objectives and priorities, content, funding, and allocation of resources, and new programs or projects. Develop briefings or reports for senior leadership to consider additional or revised programs or projects. Interpret and develop new precedents and guidelines requiring the use of advanced scientific techniques and the modification and extension of theories, and practices of the sciences and related disciplines. Integrate emerging technologies into program systems and concepts, and determine their impact on program/project tactics, techniques, and procedures.
Provide technical expertise to lead and perform complex analyses of scientific data and technical materials for the purpose of determining impacts on biological resources and aquatic habitats. Evaluate the effects of land and water development activities on various fish species, marine mammals, and aquatic habitats through a variety of scientific functions. Use judgment and ingenuity to exercise broad latitude to identify misinformation and validate scientific data. Convey the uncertainty of resource management alternatives, examine the consequences of climate change and other environmental factors, and evaluate sampling designs.
Contribute to or serve on a variety of international, national, regional, or local science or management bodies, including regional Fishery Management Councils, to provide expertise and to share program research plans and results. Provide expert consultative services to stakeholders in a variety of scientific fields of science. Serve as a primary technical expert for a variety of communities, government representatives, non-governmental organizations, and academia on fisheries or water resource management.
Write or review documents on scientific analyses and results for consumption by different stakeholders. Provide oversight over one or more phases of research work in facilitation of primary duties, including: determining research methodologies, planning and conducting experiments; collecting, analyzing and interpreting data; drawing conclusions, making recommendations for future work; and publishing findings. Mentor and review the work of lower-level scientists.
NOTE: These duties are described at the full performance level of the ZP-4; the ZP-3 is developmental leading to such performance.
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.
* A one-year probationary period may be required.
* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.
* Payment of relocation incentives OR recruitment incentives may be authorized. Note: Relocation incentives are for current federal employees only. * SEFSC, PEM and FATES positions located in Ocean Springs, MS and Pascagoula, MS are covered under bargaining unit 5627.
* SEFSC, MMTD positions located in Miami, FL; Pascagoula, MS; and Lafayette, LA are covered under bargaining unit 2194.
* AFSC positions located in Seattle, WA are covered under bargaining unit 2274
* All other positions are not in the bargaining unit.
Key Requirements:
Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
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 250 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.
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: major in biological science that included:
At least 6 semester hours in aquatic subjects such as limnology, ichthyology, fishery biology, aquatic botany, aquatic fauna, oceanography, fish culture, or related courses in the field of fishery biology; and
At least 12 semester hours in the animal sciences in such subjects as general zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, entomology, parasitology, ecology, cellular biology, genetics, or research in these fields. (Excess course work in aquatic subjects may be used to meet this requirement when appropriate.)
OR
Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in biological science (i.e., at least 30 semester hours), of which a minimum of 6 semester hours were in aquatic subjects and 12 semester hours were in the animal sciences, 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 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess 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 evaluating fishery or protected species activities for compliance with various regulations or policies aimed at the conservation of biological resources and natural habitats; and
Communicating audience-appropriate scientific information to stakeholders.
OR
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.
OR
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. Note: Only graduate-level education in excess of two years is qualifying for combination.
To qualify at the ZP-4 or GS-13 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess 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:
Providing technical or scientific information to stakeholders related to fishery or protected species activities;
Participating in coordinating fishery or scientific projects; and
Participating in the compilation of papers, publications or other technical or scientific documents.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
May require regular travel to research sites and/or performance of duties aboard a vessel.
The incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license to operate a government vehicle in completion of assigned tasks.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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 one 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.
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.
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 ranges will vary based on the location. Please visit: DOC CAPS Salary Charts for specific salary information related to a specific location.
Salary for Honolulu, HI; ZP-3: $75,640 to $117,856; ZP-4: $107,809 to $165,619
Salary for Lafayette, LA; Ocean Springs, MS; and Pascagoula, MS; ZP-3: $72,553 to $ 113,047; ZP-4: $103,409 to $158,860
Salary for Miami, FL: ZP-3: $77,274 to $120,401; ZP-4: $110,137 to $169,195
Salary for Portland, OR; ZP-3: $78,044 to $121,601; ZP-4: $111,234 to $170,881
Salary for Seattle, WA: ZP-3 $ 81,242 to $126,585, ZP-4: $115,793 to $177,885
Salary for Silver Spring, MD; ZP-3: $82,764 to $128,956; ZP-4; $117,962 to $181,216
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Fish Biologist, ZP-0482-3/4 FPL 4 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).
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) for Honolulu, HI is 8.90% and is not federally taxed. The COLA is not reflected in the locality salary shown in this vacancy announcement. COLAs are exempt from Federal income taxes; post differentials are not.
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.
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 ranges will vary based on the location. Please visit: DOC CAPS Salary Charts for specific salary information related to a specific location.
Salary for Honolulu, HI; ZP-3: $75,640 to $117,856; ZP-4: $107,809 to $165,619
Salary for Lafayette, LA; Ocean Springs, MS; and Pascagoula, MS; ZP-3: $72,553 to $ 113,047; ZP-4: $103,409 to $158,860
Salary for Miami, FL: ZP-3: $77,274 to $120,401; ZP-4: $110,137 to $169,195
Salary for Portland, OR; ZP-3: $78,044 to $121,601; ZP-4: $111,234 to $170,881
Salary for Seattle, WA: ZP-3 $ 81,242 to $126,585, ZP-4: $115,793 to $177,885
Salary for Silver Spring, MD; ZP-3: $82,764 to $128,956; ZP-4; $117,962 to $181,216
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Fish Biologist, ZP-0482-3/4 FPL 4 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).
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) for Honolulu, HI is 8.90% and is not federally taxed. The COLA is not reflected in the locality salary shown in this vacancy announcement. COLAs are exempt from Federal income taxes; post differentials are not.
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.
