Supervisory Natural Resource Management Specialist/Fish Biologist/Physical Scientist/Data...

Careerwebsite; Silver Spring, Northern (MD, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

NOAA Fisheries in Silver Spring, MD seeks a senior supervisor to direct the Science Information Division, advancing data governance, cloud integration, and data-driven decision making. The role focuses on leading teams, aligning priorities, and ensuring high-quality data assets across the enterprise.

The incumbent will oversee policy development for open data, promote FAIR principles, and coordinate cross-agency collaboration to accelerate analytics and cloud initiatives while maintaining

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to ZP-4/GS-14.
• Develop program priorities and align goals across the division.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to implement data governance practices.
• Lead projects or teams and provide performance feedback.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Division Director for the Science Information Division within NOAA Fisheries.
• Oversee resources and data governance planning across the division and enterprise.
• Shape open data policies to ensure data quality, interoperability, and security.
• Supervise staff, manage recruitment, and apply supervisory authority.

Skills

Data governance

Stakeholder collaboration

Leadership

Cloud computing

Data analytics

Education

Bachelors in biological sciences

Job description

Summary

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Science and Technology (OST), with one vacancy in Silver Spring, MD.

Learn more about this agency

Duties

As a Supervisory Natural Resource Management Specialist/ Supervisory Fish Biologist/Supervisory Physical Scientist/ Supervisory Data Scientist, you will perform the following duties:

• Serve as the Division Director for the Science Information Division in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries' Office of Science and Technology. Prioritize division activities. Oversee resources, leading enterprises data governance planning and execution, and advocating for data governance initiatives.
• Apply mastery and expertise in data science, quality management, and visualization techniques to provide actionable insights and streamline processes. Steer enterprise Cloud Excellence to successfully mesh modern cloud infrastructure with Open Science-Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) principles. Accelerate the delivery of scalable big data, advanced analytics, and seamless, transparent cross-agency collaboration.
• Shape a strong open data culture and establish/maintain policies, standards, and best practices that ensure the quality, interoperability, consistency, security, and availability of NOAA Fisheries data assets.
• Support leadership, supervision, and guidance for aligning priorities within the division and across the agency to support responsible implementation of enterprise solutions to meet organizational goals and objectives. Set annual, multi-year, or other long range work plans and schedules for work through exercise of delegated managerial authority. Supervise staff by providing management and technical oversight. Serve as a hiring manager, applying recruitment, retention and development strategies to build a qualified team.

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.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). 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.
• Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
• 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 the closing date of the announcement.

Additional Considerations

• One year probationary period may be required.
• Payment of relocation expenses (PCS) is not authorized.
• A one year supervisory probationary period may be required (probationary period can be served concurrently).
• This position requires Secret Security Clearance.
• Background investigation will be required. Continued employment is subject to applicant's successful completion of security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.

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).

NOTE: A one year probationary period will be required under the Direct Hire Authority unless you are a current Department of Commerce (including NOAA) employee; and are in the same line of work; have previously completed a probationary period; and with no more than a 30 day break in service.

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 the 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.

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 may be filled with series 0401 (General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences) / 0482 (Fish Biology) / 1301(General Physical Science) / 1560 (Data Science). Each series requires applicants to meet a Basic Education Requirement in addition to at least one full year (52 weeks) 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:

To qualify for the 0401 series:

Education:

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.

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.

To qualify for the 1301 series:

Education:

A. Degree: Physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: Education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

To qualify for the 1560 series:

Education:

A. Degree: Mathematics, statistics, computer science, data science or field directly related to the position. The degree must be in a major field of study (at least at the baccalaureate level) that is appropriate for the position.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major field of study (30 semester hours) as shown in paragraph A above, plus additional education or appropriate experience.

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: Applicants must 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:

• Developing program priorities to accomplish goals and objectives;
• Collaborating with stakeholders to implement data governance practices; and
• Leading projects or teams, including assigning work, setting priorities, and providing feedback on work assignments.

Education

Substitution of education for specialized experience is not applicable to this vacancy.

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.

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

During the application process you will have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Salary for selectee's pay may be set at any point within the pay band except for intervals 4 and 5 (197,200-197,200) which is reserved for supervisory performance or for current supervisors within CAPS who already have a salary within intervals 4 and 5.

ICTAP and CTAP Candidates:

Eligible for selection priority if it is determined that the applicant is well qualified. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

1. 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;
2. 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;
3. Copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

1. 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).
2. Copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
3. Copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

NOAA participates in e-Verify, an Internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.

The Federal Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

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.

Benefits

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.