This position is located in Interior Region 2, in the South Florida / Caribbean Network in the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division. Open to the first 100 applicants or until 08/28/2023 whichever comes first. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration.

Duties

The duty station for this position is located in Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands. The Incumbent is a Fish Biologist in the South Florida/Caribbean Inventory and Monitoring Network of the National Park Service. Many of the job duties will be performed within the Virgin Islands National Park, Buck Island Reef National Monument, Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve, Biscayne National Park, and Dry Tortugas National Park. The Incumbent is required to operate a boat and have an Advanced Open Water SCUBA Certification. The duties of this position include, but are not limited to: Carries out monitoring activities in association with standard Inventory and Monitoring protocols that are focused on detecting change in resources such as seagrass, spiny lobster, reef fish, and coral communities in South Florida and the Caribbean. Determines percent cover and trends of major taxonomic groups (e.g., coral, algae [turf, calcareous, macroalgae], gorgonians, sponge, and substrate), coral species diversity, coral community structure, and coral health and rugosity within tropical marine environments to support the park's ecosystem protection strategies. Performs biological and technical work relating to reef fish and fish habitat sampling and other important marine natural resources using SCUBA gear. Organizes field crews and leads the logistics for a complex marine program located in a remote field setting. Safely operates motor-powered watercraft in marine environments that experience frequent changes in weather patterns. Enters data into relational databases and performs quality assurance/quality control to ensure data accuracy and completeness. Summarizes and analyzes field data for use in data reports, articles, resource briefs, presentations, and education and outreach materials. Assists with the development and preparation of protocols, written summaries, resource briefs, resource data summary reports, and manuscripts. Develops and maintains liaisons and effective working relations with related groups and individuals, agencies, and the public in order to encourage and facilitate cooperative regional management strategies. Responsible for program management duties in support of the SFCN field office in USVI including coordination of regional Network operations, collaboration with park management and natural resource staff, tends to administrative details of the field office and acts as team leader, making decisions regarding safety, operations and methodology as necessary for VIIS based staff. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-08/28/2023-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience. The work requires physical exertion to SCUBA dive from a motorized vessel/dive platform to monitor reef fish and other natural marine resources. An Advanced Open Water Diver Certification with a minimum of 50 logged scientific dives is a prerequisite for this position. Initial and periodic completion of a DOI Standard Medical History and Examination Form (DI-7004) and ability to meet National Park Service Dive Program training standards as described in Reference and Field Manual 4 are required to carry out diving-related duties. Additional duties also include the operation and basic safety related maintenance of motor powered watercraft and ability to pass a DOI Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC). This position is subject to pre-employment and random urinalysis screening. QUALITY RANKING FACTOR: You will be required to obtain and maintain a DOI Motorboat Operation Certificate. -AND- SELECTIVE FACTOR: This position performs underwater work requiring the use of SCUBA equipment, a Recreational Dive certificate, and a Dive Log with a minimum of 50 scientific dives, and proof of operation experience or certificate is required. Candidates who do not meet this requirement by the close of this announcement will receive no further consideration for this position. - AND - Basic Qualifications Requirements: You must meet one of the following basic qualification requirements below, for the Fish Biologist, GS-0482-09/11. If you do not meet these basic qualifications, you will be considered not qualified and will not receive consideration for this position. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 and GS-11 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: Research Positions: Applicants must show that they have a degree with major study in biology, zoology, or biological oceanography that included at least 30 semester hours in biological and aquatic science and 15 semester hours in the physical and mathematical sciences. This course work must have included: At least 15 semester hours of preparatory training in zoology beyond introductory biology or zoology in such courses as invertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, histology, physiology, embryology, advanced vertebrate zoology, genetics, entomology, and parasitology; and At least 6 semester hours of training applicable to fishery biology in such subjects as fishery biology, ichthyology, limnology, oceanography, algology, planktonology, marine or fresh water ecology, invertebrate ecology, principles of fishery population dynamics, or related course work in the field of fishery biology; and At least 15 semester hours of training in any combination of two or more of the following: chemistry, physics, mathematics, or statistics. - AND - To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must possess at least one or all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-07, in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equips the applicant with particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the duties of this position. Experience at this level must include: Experience in fish taxonomy, life history biology, and ecological habitats of marine fish in South Florida and the Caribbean. Experience in the collection of fishery monitoring data using standard protocols and methodology. Experience diving with SCUBA equipment to monitor fish and other natural marine resources. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in the fields described in the Research Position Requirement listed above. You must include transcripts. -OR- COMBINATION: A combination of successfully completed higher level graduate education and specialized experience to meet the total qualification requirements for the grade level specified above. This is computed by first determining your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level (e.g. 6 months specialized experience = 50%); then determining your education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level (e.g. 2 1/2 years of creditable graduate level education = 50%); and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must possess at least one or all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement: EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-09, in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is experience that equips the applicant with particular knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the duties of this position. Experience at this level must include: Experience in fish taxonomy, life history biology, and ecological habitats of marine fish in South Florida and the Caribbean. Experience in the collection of fishery monitoring data using standard protocols and methodology. Experience diving with SCUBA equipment to monitor fish and other natural marine resources. Knowledge of laws, regulations, NPS policies and guidelines regarding the management and monitoring of fish populations and fisheries. Experience preparing management and scientific reports regarding the results of inventory, monitoring, and research activities. Experience with program management duties by developing work plans and schedules, scopes of work, cost estimates, and proposals and/or grants to justify funding requests and accomplish goals. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate level education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in a major study related to fisheries/aquatics. You must include transcripts. -OR- COMBINATION: A combination of successfully completed higher level graduate education and specialized experience to meet the total qualification requirements for the grade level specified above. Volunteer Experience: 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.

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Contacts

• Address Interior Region 2 100 Alabama Street Building 1924 Atlanta, GA 30303 US
• Name: Christine Jewett
• Phone: (000) 000-0000
• Email: [email protected]