This is a 13-month term appointment not to exceed 4 years with possible extensions up to a total of 4 years without further competition. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status in the Federal service.
Duties
As a Research Fish Biologist, you will perform the following duties:
- Design and coordinate the construction and maintenance of an oyster research hatchery and an oyster selective breeding research program to develop Alaska-specific Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas) broodstock for optimized growth in Southcentral Alaska.
- Research measures that may be used to meet the needs of the program and identify, define, and refine specific problems for study and determine the most logical approach to be used.
- Execute all aspects and phases of the research work including planning and conducting experiments, collecting, analyzing and interpreting data, drawing conclusions, making recommendations for future work required in the area, and publishing technical reports of the findings.
- Serve as an advisor on the assigned research work and aid personnel within the office participating in studies, serve as a contributor and reviewer for manuscripts for professional journals and serve on panels and committees.
- Present research findings to internal and external audiences and contribute to outreach materials, annual reports, and publications.
This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel Systems (CAPS). This system replace the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band. The ZP-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12.
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.
To qualify at the 0482 series:
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:
Degree: major study in biology, zoology, or biological oceanography that included at least 30 semester hours in biological and aquatic science and 15 semester hours in the physical and mathematical sciences. This course work must have included:
- At least 15 semester hours of preparatory training in zoology beyond introductory biology or zoology in such courses as invertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, histology, physiology, embryology, advanced vertebrate zoology, genetics, entomology, and parasitology; and
- At least 6 semester hours of training applicable to fishery biology in such subjects as fishery biology, ichthyology, limnology, oceanography, algology, planktonology, marine or fresh water ecology, invertebrate ecology, principles of fishery population dynamics, or related course work in the field of fishery biology; and
- At least 15 semester hours of training in any combination of two or more of the following: chemistry, physics, mathematics, or statistics
To qualify at the ZP-3 or GS-11:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-2 or GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
- Assisting in the construction or maintenance of shellfish or oyster hatcheries; and
- Presenting fisheries-dependent data to the public and scientific community through peer-reviewed journals, technical memos, poster boards, or oral presentations.
OR
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Master's or equivalent graduate degree.
OR
COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above.
NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of one year is qualifying for combination.
Location: Juneau, Alaska
Salary: $74,317 - $115,803 per year
Application deadline: November 9, 2022
