Requirements
Conditions of employment
This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel Systems (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-5 is equivalent to the GS-15.
Key Requirements:
- Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
- This position requires a Moderate Risk Security Clearance.
- Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
- Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.*
- More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Additional Information.
- Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
- Qualification requirements must be met by closing date of the announcement.
Additional Considerations:
- A one year supervisory probationary period may be required (probationary period can be served concurrently).
- Payment of relocation expenses (PCS) is not authorized.
- Payment of relocation incentives OR recruitment incentives may be authorized. Note: Relocation incentives are for current federal employees only.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, for those required to serve a 1-year probationary period, we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
- Your performance and conduct;
- Needs and interests of the agency;
- Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of then Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
- A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
- Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
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 at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/
BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position has a positive 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 the following requirements:
To qualify for the 0482 series:
EDUCATION:
A. 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
B. 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.
-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-5 or GS-15 level:
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-4 or GS-14 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
- Planning and executing scientific analysis or research supporting environmental and living marine resource systems;
- Leading projects or teams, including assigning work, setting priorities, and providing feedback on work assignments; and
- Communicating scientific findings to stakeholders through briefings, reports, or presentations.
Education
Substitution of education for specialized experience is not applicable to this vacancy.
This position has a positive Education Requirement. You are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. 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. We may only consider documentation provided prior to the closing date of the announcement. Please see degree and experience requirements in the Qualifications section.
Note: An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty.
Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. 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: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation
Additional information
CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
- A copy of your specific RIF notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
- A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
- A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
- Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
- A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
- A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc;
- A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
- Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
NOAA uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
We will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents).
Additionally, applicants will also be evaluated using Structured Resume Reviews conducted by a panel of Subject Matter Experts. The reviews are in a Pass/Fail format and are conducted to ensure that the applicant meets the Specialized Experience required for the position and grade level.
Veteran's Preference does not apply to direct hire recruitment procedures.
Any selections made under this notice will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Therefore, Current Federal employees would be given new appointments to the civil service and may have to serve a new probationary period under CFR 315.802 (b).
To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12872002
Required Documents
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments):
1. Resume:
- Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Reference the USAJobs Help Center for addition recommendations and instructions.
- You are encouraged to make your resume and profile searchable https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account/profile/searchable.
- You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume.
- If you use your own resume or curriculum vitae, for each work experience at a minimum, your resume should include; job title(s) (including job series and grade, if Federal); description of duties or work performed; starting and ending dates (month and year).
- Part-Time work must be clearly identified and include the number of hours per week; if not identified, then work will be assumed to be Full-Time. (NOTE: A full-time work schedule requires most employees to work 33-40 hours during the work week. A part-time schedule requires an employee to work less than full-time, typically 16-32 hours per week.)
2. Unofficial Transcripts: This position has a positive education requirement and therefore, requires proof of higher education. You must submit an unofficial transcript that includes the following information: name of accredited institution; courses by title; number and department (BIO 101 Intro to Bio, MATH 210 Calculus I, etc.); grades earned; completion dates; quarter or semester hours earned; and degree award date (if applicable).
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. 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.
3. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation if applicable (see Additional Information).
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.