Supervisory Fish Biologist

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. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle. This position has physical requirements. This position will operate on sea duty on NOAA vessels, working out at sea for extended periods. (Ex: Working at sea for extended periods, potentially up to, and in excess of, 20 days at a time.) Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state driver’s license to operate a government vehicle in completion of assigned tasks. Tasks include attendance at local and regional meetings, delivering or moving samples from vessels to laboratory facilities, and transporting personnel to vessels as needed. 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: To qualify for the 0482 series: BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position requires applicants to meet the Basic 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 an application package. You MUST meet one of the following basic education requirements: 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. 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-13/14): SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must 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: Planning or leading living marine resource projects or teams, to include assigning work, setting priorities, coordinating logistics, and providing feedback on work assignments; Participating and collaborating with research partners in research investigations on stock assessment for living marine resources; and Planning and conducting standardized fishery independent surveys such as trawl, dredge, or optical surveys.
This position is located in the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), with two vacancies in Woods Hole, MA.