This position is located within the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Fisheries Monitoring and Analysis Division, with one vacancy in Dutch Harbor, AK.
This position is also announced under vacancy number NMFS-AKC-2021-0018, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.
Responsibilities
As a Fish Biologist, you will perform the following duties:
- Review and establish quality controls, and ensure compliance of proper collection and preservation of specimens.
- Ensure the procurement & maintenance of inventory safety gear and sampling supply inventory.
- Provide safety and sampling briefings, in-season advising, and data quality control to observers.
- Ensure industry concerns and needs are handled professionally in accordance with the federal regulations pertaining to the North Pacific Observer Program.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 5% of domestic travel may be required.
Requirements
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply.
- Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
- Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
- Qualifications requirements must be met by closing date of announcement.
- Must be suitable for Federal employment.
This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.
The ZP-2 is equivalent to the GS-07/09 grade levels, however is only being advertised equivalent to the GS-09 grade level. The full performance level of this position is ZP-3. The ZP-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12 grade level.
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.
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 here.
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 in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
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.
Salary: $59,756 to $85,551 per year
Work schedule: Full-time
Application deadline: March 15, 2021
