Research Marine Biologist

**Duties**:
**As a Research Marine Biologist, you will perform the following duties**:

- Serve as a Research Scientist, Principal Investigator, and Senior Researcher preparing, supporting, coordinating, resourcing, and directing the implementation of a research program or projects involving coastal water quality and marine pollution. Manage and conduct research projects designed to better understand environmental responses to pollution and linkages to coastal environmental stressors across National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) trust resources. Improve products and services that support coastal water quality and pollution management in sensitive coastal marine habitats in relation to human and natural factors. Analyze, manage, and document data and findings.
- Lead planning, prioritization, and tracking of scientific projects, and participate in scientific projects. Review projects for compliance to established practices, identify projects and their requirements as needed for high-priority programs, and identify new program requirements through the assimilation of scientific data needed to meet mission objectives and goals. Identify and validate significant problem areas requiring action while prioritizing assigned projects including project documentation, execution reporting, project tracking, project accounting, technical support procurement, project/program coordination, and other related activities.

NOTE: These duties are described at the Full Performance Level of the ZP-4, the ZP-3 is developmental leading to such performance.

**Requirements**:
**Conditions of Employment**:
**This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel Systems (CAPS). This system replace the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.**

The ZP-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12.
The ZP-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14.

**Salary ranges will vary based on the location**:
Charleston, SC: 72,553-158,860
Silver Spring, MD: 82,764-181,216

**Key Requirements**:

- Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
- Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
- More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
- Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (ww.sss.gov)
- **This position is not in the bargaining unit.**

**POSITION REQUIREMENTS**: Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license to operate a government vehicle in completion of assigned tasks. This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle.
**Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?**

**Qualifications**:

**To qualify for the 0401 Series**:
**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.
- **AND**

**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-3 or GS-11 level**:
**SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE**:In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements above, applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-2 or GS-9 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

- Conducting end-to-end research on coastal water quality and pollution studies to develop new understandings of environmental responses to pollution and linkages to coastal environmental stressors (natural and man-made); and
- Utilizing new science to assist in the development of products that support coastal water quality and pollution management.

**OR**

**SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Master's or equivalent graduate degree.**

**OR**

**COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE**: A combination of education and professional experience. Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. (Note: Only graduate le