Job opening: Marine Biologist
Salary: $103 409 - 134 435 per year
Published at: Oct 17 2024
Employment Type: Full-time
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled through the office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Government-Wide Direct-Hire Authority for this occupation and is open to all U.S. Citizens. Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified Veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Duties
This vacancy is limited to the first 50 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.
This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Office of the Regional Director in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, Office of Environmental Compliance, Coordination and Review Unit in Jefferson, LA.
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 biology and ecology and its associated Outer Continental Shelf (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 biologist, 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. Assist 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.
Salary Range Information:
GS-13: $103,409 to $134,435 Per Year
First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.
This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position you must meet the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND (2) Specialized Experience for the series/grade to which you are applying.
(1) Basic Educational 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.
(2) Specialized Experience
To qualify for the GS-13, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade 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 typically 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, AND
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, AND
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.
MUST MEET ALL THREE
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.
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: Lindsey Sakakibara
- Phone: 703-787-1843
- Email: [email protected]
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