Supervisory Research Fish Biologist

National-Oceanic-; Anchorage (AK); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Alaska seeks qualified researchers to support the Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division. The position involves preparing and delivering scientific input for marine resource assessments and coordinating teams focused on population dynamics for annual reviews.

Applicants must meet the basic education requirements and possess specialized experience described by OPM standards, including leadership of research efforts and

Qualifications

• Degree with major study in biology, zoology, or biological oceanography and at least 30 semester hours in biological/aquatic sciences plus 15 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences.
• Course work must include at least 15 semester hours of zoology beyond introductory biology or zoology and at least 6 semester hours in fishery biology or related subjects, and at least 15 semester hours in chemistry, physics, mathematics, or statistics.

Responsibilities

• Provide timely scientific advice to internal and external stakeholders on marine resource assessments.
• Organize biologists to research commercial groundfish or crab population dynamics for annual assessment.
• Coordinate tasks related to oversight of a program or personnel, including setting priorities and developing goals.

Job description

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division (RACE) with one vacancy in Kodiak, AK; Juneau, AK; or Anchorage, AK.

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 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 0482 (Research) series: Research position:

Applicants must show that they have a degree with 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 freshwater 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.

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 level:

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:

• Providing timely scientific advice to internal and external stakeholders on marine resource assessments;
• Organizing biologists to research commercial groundfish or crab population dynamics for annual assessment; and
• Coordinating tasks relating to the oversight of a program or personnel, such as assigning work, setting priorities, providing feedback on work assignments, developing and implementing program or project goals, policies and procedures, etc.