This position is located within the Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, with one vacancy in Glouster, MA; St. Petersburg, FL; Long Island, CA; or Silver Spring, MD.
As a Biologist (Endangered Species), you will perform the following duties:
- Serve as a subject matter expert in the completion of tasks related to Endangered Species Act section 7 consultations, providing technical guidance and instruction to other staff.
- Research and analyze scientific information to evaluate the effects and impacts of various activities on threatened and endangered species and their critical habitat conducting independent review of information.
- Establish rapport with customers and stakeholders in order to build on relationships and build collaborative relationships to better provide services that meet both the customer’s needs and the need for ESA compliance.
- Write concise documents, briefs, biological opinions, and technical correspondence that clearly communicate the analysis done under Section 7 of the ESA and present this information in the promotion of understanding and cooperation.
REQUIREMENTS
Conditions of Employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply.
- Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
- Must be suitable for Federal employment.
- Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable
- Qualifications requirements must be met by closing date of announcement.
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-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14.
The full performance level of the position is ZP-4 or GS-13/14.
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.
EDUCATION: This position requires applicants to meet a Basic Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of specialized experience in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet one of the following basic education requirements:
A. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
B. 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-4 or GS-13 level:
In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-3 or GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
- Supporting a protected or endangered species program by conducting and guiding consultations, including for complex and controversial actions, assessments and analyses based on section 7 of the Endangered Species Act;
- Preparing specialized documents related to the conservation and protection of animals per the Endangered Species Act; and
- Implementing recovery plans for threatened and endangered species.
EDUCATION
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.
Salary: $100,424 - $159,286 per year
Application deadline: December 13, 2021
