This position is located within the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS), Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), Population and Ecosystems Monitoring Division (PEMD) with one vacancy located in Beaufort, NC; Miami, FL; Pascagoula, MS or Galveston, TX. Pascagoula, MS/ Beaufort, NC $46,696 - $81,771 Miami, FL $49,758 - $87,134 Galveston, TX $53,898 - $94,384

Duties

As a Biologist, you will perform the following duties: Coordinate with SEFSC Population and Ecosystems Monitoring Division (PEMD) researchers and survey leads and other divisions to address and resolve ecological and survey database issues (e.g., combining disjunct data sets within fishery-independent survey time series) to facilitate wind energy-related ecological assessments and survey mitigation analyses. Manage spatially explicit data in ArcGIS or similar Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Create spatial databases and data products to support wind energy planning, the SEFSC wind science implementation plan, and survey mitigation. Develop, improve, and apply quality assurance/quality control approaches to ecological and survey databases to ensure data quality and precision.

Requirements

Qualifications

This position is being recruited with an opportunity for non-competitive conversion eligibility to a permanent OR term position upon completion of all Recent Graduate program requirements. Conversion is not mandatory nor guaranteed (see Other Information). CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: Incumbent must be able to stand for long periods of time, ascend and descend ladders, lift up to 50 lbs. unassisted, and work in potentially harsh weather conditions on uneven surfaces (e.g., vessels at sea). Eligibility Requirements In order to be eligible for an appointment under the Pathways Recent Graduate Program you must meet the following requirements: You must be a recent graduate who has completed, within the previous two years, an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution such as an accredited technical or vocational school; a 2- or 4-year college or university; a graduate or professional school (e.g., law school, medical school); or a post-secondary home school curriculum. Note: Certificate program is defined as post-secondary education in a qualifying educational institution equal to at least one academic year of full-time study that's part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum. Veterans who were precluded from applying due to their military service obligation begin their 2-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty; however, eligibility for these veterans cannot exceed 6 years from the date on which the degree or certificate was obtained. The date of release or discharge from active duty should be later than the date the degree or certificate was obtained. Qualification Requirements 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 requires applicants to meet a Basic Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of specialized experience or a substitution of education for experience in order to be found minimally qualified. You MUST meet one of the following basic education requirements: Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A 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-02 level: Specialized Experience: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicant must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-01 or GS-05 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: To qualify at the ZP-2 or GS-07: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-1 or GS-05 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Assisting in resolving ecological or survey database issues; and Assisting in managing data in ArcGIS or similar Geographic Information Systems (GIS). OR Superior Academic Achievement as demonstrated by a bachelor's degree in a related field from an accredited college or university with either: a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 based on a 4.0 scale; a 3.5 GPA based on a 4.0 scale for required courses completed in a major field of study during the last two years of undergraduate study; class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision of the college; membership in a national Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies 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.

Education

Qualifying Education Institution: Any of the following educational institutions or curricula that have been accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/

This position requires proof of higher education, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a letter from your college or university with your graduation date. NOTE: Students who anticipate graduating within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement may apply with submitted unofficial transcripts and enrollment verification.

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.

Contacts

• Address NOAA Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS) 1315 East West Hwy SSMC4 Silver Spring, MD 20910 US
• Name: Aniessa Chinn
• Email: [email protected]