Environmental Protection Specialist

Summary

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of the Assistant Administrator (OAA), with 1 vacancy in Silver Spring, MD.

As a Environmental Protection Specialist, you will perform the following duties:

• Serve as a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) technical advisor, authority, and expert in the area of environmental compliance. Provide guidance regarding compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), implementing regulations, and agency policies, procedures and analytical requirements.
• Develop policy recommendations and strategies to resolve complex problems involving scientific research on coastal and ocean resource management. Conduct resource and management studies and formulate solutions related to environmental programs.
• Analyze existing National Marine Fisheries Service regulatory programs and existing operations to address environmental compliance requirements. Provide expert advice, guidance, and recommendations to National Marine Fisheries Service leadership to ensure activities comply with legal requirements.
• Recommend and direct National Environmental Policy Act program improvements to increase program efficiency and effectiveness. Maintain high standards resulting in National Environmental Policy Act documentation that is clear, concise, timely, and legally defensible.

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 ZA-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14.

Key Requirements:

• Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
• Proof of ICTAP/CTAP eligibility required.
• 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 (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..gov
• Qualification requirements must be met by closing date of the announcement.
• If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Additional Considerations:

• One year probationary period may be required.
• Payment of Relocation Expenses (PCS) is not authorized.
• This position requires Moderate Risk 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.

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 then 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. 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.

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:///

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, Ameri Corps) and other organizations e.g., professional;

philanthropic, religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical…