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Read more about Biological Science Technician, ZT-0404-2 (DE/CR) at https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/569451100

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Duties Summary
This position is located within the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Science Operations Division with two vacancies located in Honolulu, HI.

This position is also announced under vacancy number NMFS-PIC-2020-0034 , which is open to Status candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

Responsibilities
IMPORTANT APPLICATION DEADLINE: This is an open continuous announcement. The first referral of candidates from this announcement will be made from applications received by 11:59 PM ET, June 15th. All applications received by this date will be eligible for referral provided candidates meet all eligibility and qualification requirements and provided the responses to the assessment questions place the candidate in the best qualified group of candidates referred. Subsequent cut off dates are October 8th, 2020, February 8th, 2021, and June 7th, 2021.

As a Biological Science Technician, you will perform the following duties:

Assist with technician support for data collection and research surveys via at-sea research vessels and shore-based field research, supporting ecosystem sciences, fisheries research and monitoring, and protected species.

Provide assistance with general maintenance, storage, and inventory of project-specific equipment used in the laboratory or field.

Participate in the staging and de-staging of research cruises and field operation supplies and equipment.

Perform laboratory processing of samples, generation of descriptive products of data, and support organization and archive of samples.

Conduct standardized quality control auditing procedures to ensure data accuracy and develop summarized results for various PIFSC internal and external reporting requirements.

Travel Required
25% or less – Up to 25% of domestic and foreign travel may be required.

Conditions of Employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply.
Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.

Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).

Qualifications requirements must be met by closing date of announcement.

Must be suitable for Federal employment.

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.

The ZT-2 is equivalent to the GS-05/06/07/08; however is only being advertised equivalent to the GS-05 grade level.

NOTE:
* A one year probationary period may be required.

* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

* This position is not in the bargaining unit.

* This position requires a Low Risk Security Clearance.

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.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT: Incumbent must be able to operate a Federal motor vehicle to stage and de-stage equipment and supplies for research cruises.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT: Incumbent may require scientific dive certification, small boat coxswain certification, or other specialized requirements for meeting survey needs.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT: Incumbent must be able to work regularly at-sea (up to 120 days per year, intermittent or consecutive) on deck or in scientific spaces for up to 12 hours per day and lift up to 50 lbs. unassisted.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT: Incumbent must be able to perform prolonged walking and standing in a variety of seagoing conditions and weather, climbing ladders, embarking and disembarking small boats from larger ships, and donning survival suits or protective equipment.

Applicants must meet ALL application requirements, to include a complete online resume, by 11:59 p.m. EASTERN TIME (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

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.

EDUCATION: There is no positive education requirement for this position.

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 ZT-2 or GS-05:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZT-1 or GS-04 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

Participating in laboratory, at-sea, or field operations focused on marine living resources; and
Assisting with the maintenance and storage of scientific equipment.
OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor’s degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, animal husbandry, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics. At least 6 semester hours of courses must have been directly related to the position.

OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: The successful completion of a full course of study of at least 12 months in a school for clinical laboratory technicians.

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. Note: Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours or 2 full years of academic study) of a course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree is credible toward meeting the specialized experience requirements.

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 ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management’s Career Transition Resources website at: 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 participates in e-Verify. E-Verify is 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.

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, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of the three pre-defined categories. The categories are “gold”, “silver” and “bronze”. However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the “gold” category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans’ preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. For more information on Category Rating, please go to Category Rating.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

Ability to assist with biological technical support for researching cruises.

Ability to assist in the use of technical equipment for research operations.

Ability to stage and de-stage research cruises and field operation supplies and equipment.

Knowledge of fish, corals, marine mammals, and plankton species of the Central and Western Pacific Archipelagic ecosystems.

Ability to use Microsoft Excel, Oracle and SQL to provide data and research results.

Due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3), during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.

Drug test required
No

Required Documents
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Required Documents
Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume must indicate your citizenship and if you are registered for Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/59. Your resume must include information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including: job title, duration of employment (mm/dd/yy – mm/dd/yy), hours per week, duties and accomplishments, salary, and your education. For work in the Federal service, please include the grade level for the position/s. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire.
If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans’ preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service or other valid proof of eligibility (i.e., statement of service that shows service dates AND character of service). If you are claiming 10-point veterans’ preference, you must also submit an SF-15, “Application for 10-Point Veterans’ Preference” plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans’ preference see http://www.opm.gov/staffingPortal/Vetguide.asp#VeteransEmploymentAct1998.
Active Duty Service Members– You must submit a statement of discharge/certification of release or an official written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions no later than 120 days from the date the announcement closes. Enlisted Record Briefs and military identification do NOT qualify as official documentation. If the appropriate information is not submitted to confirm the discharge status, dates of service, etc., you will not be considered for this job opportunity under Veteran Preference procedures. To gain access to your DD-214 online please visit http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation if applicable (see other information).
Education. If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. 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. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education’s website. 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.
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.