The Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) works to promote safety, protect the environment, and conserve resources offshore through vigorous regulatory oversight and enforcement. For information about our bureau go to: http://www.bsee.gov/

Duties

Thisposition is located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement with the Office of Environmental Compliance, Environmental Monitoring Unit, Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Region in Jefferson, Louisiana. At the full performance level (GS-13) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: 1. Serves as the principal advisor on marine ecology and its associated OCS components (i.e., corals, fish and fisheries, deepwater benthic communities, topographic features and banks, live bottoms, and other marine-life/marine-habitats). 2. Serves as the lead marine ecologist, leading BSEE's efforts on consultations and coordination with BOEM, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region. 3. Serves as the lead on Marine Trash and Debris (MTD) oversight and the interagency, and oftentimes, international coordination required under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships (MARPOL) - Annex V, the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act (MPPRCA), and regulations imposed by various agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 4. Oversees office compliance monitoring and verification of operational reports and industry's Post Activity Submittals (PAS) as it relates to their field of expertise, which includes requisite documentation submitted after OCS operations are complete (in part or in whole) to verify/record compliance with environmental standards. 5. Oversees, schedules, and participates in field efforts regarding ecology-related compliance monitoring, including 1) work with data collection efforts, 2) mitigation, stipulation, and Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) enforcement, and 3) coordination with industry contacts, BOEM studies leads, and other Federal, State, and private groups. 6. Briefs and defends BSEE technical programs, policies, and conclusions to other Federal, State, and Local Governments, industry leads, and private groups/persons as the technical authority on marine ecology. 7. Establishes criteria for impact-assessment methodologies and identifies improvement of verification methodologies and enforcement needs for marine/benthic species via adaptive management and coordination with their counterparts in BOEM, develops associated monitoring/compliance programs, and prepares sections and/or reviews of BSEE and BOEM NEPA documents, regulations, and/or NTLs related to marine ecology and the incumbent's area of expertise. 8. Assists with studies/research as a Contract Inspector (CI) or Project Inspector (PI) for BSEE or the BOEM Environmental Studies Program (ESP). As CI/PI, the incumbent may participate as a Technical Proposal Evaluation Committee (TPEC) member and may be required to participate in/oversee the collection, standardization, and analyses of data related to OCS resources and/or industry activities to identify specific scientific issues and problems. As CI/PI, the incumbent will also assist in the administration of the study's technical aspects, oversight of contractor performance, assist in progress meetings, participate in field efforts, and review and inspection of all deliverable items. BSEE has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval. Salary Information GS-13; Step 1: $98,496 - Step 10: $128,043 per annum. This position is included in a bargaining unit. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Local 3457, is the exclusive representative of all employees in this bargaining unit. This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

Requirements

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position you must meet the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND specialized experience for the series to which you are applying. (1) Basic Educational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, applicants must meet the Education Requirements described below: A. Degree: biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences. SUBMISSION OF TRANSCRIPTS IS REQUIRED. (2) Specialized Experience To qualify for the GS-13, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 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 in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1. Performing environmental monitoring of systems, processes, and equipment to meet the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) standards, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (NMSA) standards, Executive Order 13089 - Coral Reef Protection standards, OCS Lands Act (OCSLA) regulations, Marine Debris reduction requirements, and/or similar mitigation measures applied to an authorized activity. 2. Performing compliance verification reviews or monitoring of marine habitats subject to MSA, NMSA, and Executive Order 13089 requirements, OCSLA regulations, Marine Debris reduction requirements, and/or similar mitigation measures applied to an authorized activity. 3. Conducting or overseeing site inspections and/or investigations to assess compliance with MSA, NMSA, and Executive Order 13089 requirements, OCSLA regulations, Marine Debris reduction requirements, and/or similar mitigation measures applied to an authorized activity and preparing requisite reports. Must meet all. 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. Merit Promotion candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements by the closing date of the 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

Contacts

• Address Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement 45600 Woodland Road Sterling, VA 20166 US
• Name: Belinda Odums
• Phone: 504-736-2494
• Email: [email protected]