Biologist 1 (Marine) / Trainee 1 / 2 - NY HELPS

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday & Paid Time Off

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Pension from New York State Employees’

Shift & Geographic pay differentials

Affordable Health Care options

Family dental and vision benefits at 0

NYS Deferred Compensation plan

Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College

Job summary

The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation seeks a qualified professional to implement the Tidal Wetlands (Article 25) and Protection of Waters (Article 15) regulatory programs in NYC. You will conduct regulatory reviews, site inspections, attestations at hearings, and provide public guidance on wetland regulations and jurisdiction.

Responsibilities include outlining regulatory determinations in writing, assisting in enforcement, and creating descriptive maps in ArcPro.

Responsibilities

• Conduct regulatory reviews of permit applications for marine construction and restoration projects in urban areas.
• Perform site inspections on permitted projects and violation investigations, sometimes in rough terrain or adverse weather.
• Attend site meetings with applicants, permittees, consultants, contractors, or respondents.
• Conduct tidal wetland delineations and verify boundaries delineated by consultants.
• Assist in enforcement by determining compliance and developing remediation requirements.

Job description

Duties Description

This position will be responsible for implementing the Tidal Wetlands (Article 25) and Protection of Waters (Article 15) regulatory program in NYC. Duties include:

• Conducting regulatory reviews of permit applications for marine construction and/or restoration projects in urban areas.
• Performing site inspections, alone or with other staff, on permitted projects and violation investigations, at times in rough terrain or under adverse weather or environmental (ticks, mosquitos, poisonous plants) conditions.
• Attending site meetings with applicants, permittees, consultants, contractors, or respondents.
• Conducting tidal wetland delineations and field-verifying tidal wetland boundaries delineated by consultants.
• Assisting in enforcement with Div. of Law Enforcement and Office of General Counsel by determining compliance with regulations, assessing environmental impacts, and developing remediation requirements.
• Providing guidance to the public, consultants, other government agencies, and DEC staff about wetland regulations and jurisdiction and general knowledge relating to the NYSDEC.
• Providing testimony at permit hearings and enforcement hearings.
• Articulating clearly, in writing and orally, justifications for regulatory determinations.
• Possessing excellent communication skills, written and oral, required for frequent contact and communication with applicants, consultants, contractors, government officials, and the public on proposed projects, violation investigations, site inspections, and compliance conferences.
• Analyzing information and create descriptive maps in ArcPro.
• Working independently and organizing your own schedule, including ability to adjust schedule and priorities on the fly.
• Working in and around water with the potential to work from a boat.
• Possessing a valid driver's license and being comfortable driving in a dense, urban environment.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

Non-Competitive Qualifications

A bachelor's or higher degree including or supplemented by 18 semester credit hours in algal ecology, apex predators, aquaculture mariculture, aquatic community ecology, biology of algae, biological oceanography, biology of commercially valuable seaweeds, biology of fishes, biology of marine plankton, biology of marine plankton ecology, biology of marine plankton physiology, biology of marine plankton taxonomy, biology and conservation of marine birds, biology and conservation of sea turtles, chemical oceanography, coastal botany, coastal ecology, coastal estuarine process, coastal oceanography, conservation and management of marine resources, conservation biology and marine biodiversity, crustacean biology and management, diseases of marine organisms, ecology of fishes, ecology, utilization and management of marine fishes, effects of powerplants, dredging, marine construction, pollutants, climate, etc., on marine biota and/or ecology, environmental microbiology, environmental toxicology and public health, estuarine processes, estuarine wetlands biology, estuarine wetlands ecology, estuarine wetlands management, experimental marine biology, field or lab method in: fisheries, marine science, marine biology, fish biology (marine), fish disease and disorders, fish physiology, fisheries economics, fisheries management, fisheries oceanography, fisheries population dynamics, fisheries science, fisheries sociology, fishery biology, fishery biology seminars, geological oceanography, ichthyology, internship in marine science, invertebrate marine zoology, laboratory method in: fisheries, marine science, marine biology, larval ecology (marine), living marine resources management seminars, long island marine habitats, long island sound science and use, management of marine fisheries, marine algal ecology, marine aquaculture mariculture, marine aquatic community ecology, marine benthos, marine biochemistry, marine geochemistry, marine biology, marine birds, marine chemistry, marine conservation, marine ecology, marine environmental toxicology, marine fish ecology, marine geology, marine invertebrates biology, marine invertebrates ecology, marine invertebrates taxonomy, marine mammals, marine microbial ecology, marine microbiology, marine operations and research, marine botany, marine phycology, marine phytoplankton ecology, marine phytoplankton biology, marine phytoplankton taxonomy, marine phytoplankton physiology, marine plankton ecology, marine plant ecology, marine wetland plant ecology, marine plan identification, marine pollution, marine productivity, marine resource management, marine science internship, marine wetlands biology, marine wetlands ecology, marine wetlands management, molluscan biology, molluscan immunology and pathology, ocean chemistry, oceanographic problem solving, physical chemical biology of marine organisms, physical oceanography, physiological ecology of marine algae, physiological ecology of marine organisms, plankton and productivity in oceans, plankton ecology, primary productivity in the sea, principals of fishery science, research/field studies in marine science, quantitative fisheries stock assessment, seagrass ecosystems, sea turtles, tidal wetlands biology, tidal wetlands ecology, tidal wetlands management, tropical marine ecology, utilization of marine fisheries, waves, tides, beaches, zooplankton biology (marine), zooplankton ecology (marine), zooplankton physiology (marine), zooplankton taxonomy (marine).

Examples of Non-Qualifying Courses: botany, freshwater aquatic biology, genetics, hydrology, limnology, microbiology, physiology, zoology.

Note: Internship Max of 4 credit hours.

Competitive Qualifications

Reassignment - Currently in the title and an employee of DEC

or

Reinstatement Eligible - Previously held the title on a permanent competitive basis or held a title as indicated under the transfer eligible section on a permanent competitive basis.

or

Transfer Eligible - One year of permanent competitive service at Salary Grade 11 or higher and either:

Eligible for transfer under Section 70.4: Must meet the open competitive minimum qualifications - listed below;

or

Eligible for transfer under Section 70.1: Permanent competitive service as a Fish and Wildlife Technician 2, Fish and Wildlife Technician 3, Biologist 1 (Aquatic), Biologist 1 (Ecology), Biologist 1 (Marine) or Biologist 1 (Wildlife).

55-b/55-c Candidates must meet the open competitive minimum qualifications below and include with their resume or application, a copy of the letter from Civil Service which indicates approval for the 55-b/55-c program.

Open competitive minimum qualifications (provided for 55b/c candidates and 70.4 transfer eligibles):

A bachelor's or higher degree including or supplemented by 18 semester credit hours in algal ecology, apex predators, aquaculture mariculture, aquatic community ecology, biology of algae, biological oceanography, biology of commercially valuable seaweeds, biology of fishes, biology of marine plankton, biology of marine plankton ecology, biology of marine plankton physiology, biology of marine plankton taxonomy, biology and conservation of marine birds, biology and conservation of sea turtles, chemical oceanography, coastal botany, coastal ecology, coastal estuarine process, coastal oceanography, conservation and management of marine resources, conservation biology and marine biodiversity, crustacean biology and management, diseases of marine organisms, ecology of fishes, ecology, utilization and management of marine fishes, effects of powerplants, dredging, marine construction, pollutants, climate, etc., on marine biota and/or ecology, environmental microbiology, environmental toxicology and public health, estuarine processes, estuarine wetlands biology, estuarine wetlands ecology, estuarine wetlands management, experimental marine biology, field or lab method in: fisheries, marine science, marine biology, fish biology (marine), fish disease and disorders, fish physiology, fisheries economics, fisheries management, fisheries oceanography, fisheries population dynamics, fisheries science, fisheries sociology, fishery biology, fishery biology seminars, geological oceanography, ichthyology, internship in marine science, invertebrate marine zoology, laboratory method in: fisheries, marine science, marine biology, larval ecology (marine), living marine resources management seminars, long island marine habitats, long island sound science and use, management of marine fisheries, marine algal ecology, marine aquaculture mariculture, marine aquatic community ecology, marine benthos, marine biochemistry, marine geochemistry, marine biology, marine birds, marine chemistry, marine conservation, marine ecology, marine environmental toxicology, marine fish ecology, marine geology, marine invertebrates biology, marine invertebrates ecology, marine invertebrates taxonomy, marine mammals, marine microbial ecology, marine microbiology, marine operations and research, marine botany, marine phycology, marine phytoplankton ecology, marine phytoplankton biology, marine phytoplankton taxonomy, marine phytoplankton physiology, marine plankton ecology, marine plant ecology, marine wetland plant ecology, marine plan identification, marine pollution, marine productivity, marine resource management, marine science internship, marine wetlands biology, marine wetlands ecology, marine wetlands management, molluscan biology, molluscan immunology and pathology, ocean chemistry, oceanographic problem solving, physical chemical biology of marine organisms, physical oceanography, physiological ecology of marine algae, physiological ecology of marine organisms, plankton and productivity in oceans, plankton ecology, primary productivity in the sea, principals of fishery science, research/field studies in marine science, quantitative fisheries stock assessment, seagrass ecosystems, sea turtles, tidal wetlands biology, tidal wetlands ecology, tidal wetlands management, tropical marine ecology, utilization of marine fisheries, waves, tides, beaches, zooplankton biology (marine), zooplankton ecology (marine), zooplankton physiology (marine), zooplankton taxonomy (marine).

Examples of Non-Qualifying Courses: botany, freshwater aquatic biology, genetics, hydrology, limnology, microbiology, physiology, zoology.

Note: Internship Max of 4 credit hours.

Additional Comments

Must have a valid driver’s license or demonstrate the ability to meet the transportation needs of the position.

Transportation needs of this position require use of a state vehicle and adhering to the Department’s Vehicle Policy. You must have and maintain a valid driver’s license for this position.

Must be able to negotiate difficult terrain.

Must be able to work in remote areas.

Must be able to work in adverse weather conditions.

Travel may be required.

Overtime may be required.

Overnight travel may be required.

Must be able to lift and move objects up to 40 pounds.

Telecommuting may be available up to 50% of work schedule, will be discussed at interview.

We offer a work-life balance and a generous benefits package, worth 65% of salary, including:

• Holiday & Paid Time Off
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
• Pension from New York State Employees’ Retirement System
• Shift & Geographic pay differentials
• Affordable Health Care options
• Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost
• NYS Deferred Compensation plan
• Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, and U.S. Savings Bonds
• And many more...

For new State employees appointed to graded positions, the annual salary is the hiring rate (beginning of the Salary Range) of the position. Promotion salaries are calculated by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, OSC Payroll rules and regulations and negotiated union contracts.

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Our work would not be possible without the diverse backgrounds, experiences, ideas, and abilities of our employees. DEC is committed to developing a workforce which represents the diverse population of New York State. DEC embraces a diverse and inclusive work environment by encouraging all individuals, including those with disabilities, to apply to open positions at the agency.

If you are a person with a disability and wish to request that a reasonable accommodation be provided for you to participate in a job interview, please email: [e-mail].

Please be advised, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation does not use E-Verify, and we are unable to provide sponsorship for employment visa statuses (i.e. H-1B, Self-Sponsorship, STEM OPT).