Foreign Affairs Specialist

NOAA Fisheries

NOAA Fisheries

Silver Spring, MD, USA
Posted 6+ months ago

Summary

This position is located within the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce (IATC) with (6) vacancies located in Silver Spring, MD.

This position is also announced under vacancy number NMFS-IATC-23-12179252-ST, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

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Overview

  • Accepting applications
  • Open & closing dates

    Opening and closing dates 11/02/2023 to 11/15/2023

  • Salary

    $78,592 - $172,075 per year

  • Pay scale & grade

    ZA 3 - 4

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    Location

    6 vacancies in the following location:

  • Remote job

    No

  • Telework eligible

    Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

  • Travel Required

    25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.

  • Relocation expenses reimbursed

    No

  • Appointment type

    Permanent -

  • Work schedule

    Full-time -

  • Service

    Competitive

  • Promotion potential

    4 - If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you may be non-competitively promoted if you perform successfully and if recommended by management.

  • Job family (Series)

    0130 Foreign Affairs

  • Supervisory status

    No

  • Security clearance

    Not Required

  • Drug test

    No

  • Position sensitivity and risk

    Moderate Risk (MR)

  • Trust determination process

    Suitability/Fitness


  • Announcement number

    NMFS-IATC-23-12179253-DE

  • Control number

    758270200

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Duties

As a Foreign Affairs Specialist, you will perform the following duties:

  • Independently plan, coordinate, and provide input on related work to departmental formulation and direction of the foreign affairs of the United States bearing on international fisheries relations, including bycatch and conservation of protected living marine resources.
  • Negotiate and implement sustainable international management measures for living marine resources through regional fisheries management organizations, regional partnerships and protected species conservation organizations.
  • Exercise responsibility as an independent specialist to analyze information to comply with international fisheries management, protected species conservation and/or trade measures, including formulating and executing capacity building efforts as directed.
  • Perform complex analysis of information on sustainable fisheries management, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, bycatch of protected living marine resources and/or trade.
  • Implement trade monitoring programs to combat IUU fishing; facilitating trade, and achieving other policy objectives.
Note: These duties are described at the full performance level of the ZA-4; The ZA-3 is developmental leading to such performance.
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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 ZA-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12. This is a Low Risk position.
The ZA-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14. This is a Moderate Risk position.


NOTE:
* A one year probationary period may be required.
* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.
* This position is not in the bargaining unit.

Key Requirements:
  1. Must be a U.S. Citizen.
  2. More requirements are listed under Qualification and Other Information.
  3. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
  • Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
  • A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
  • 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.

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.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position requires applicants to meet the Basic Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of specialized experience OR substitution of education for experience OR combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with an application package. You MUST meet one of the following basic education requirements:

To qualify for the 0130 series:
A. Degree: major or equivalent, or a combination of courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, in international law and international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities; or 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics/quantitative methods.

-OR-

B. Combination of education and experience:
courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

-OR-

C. Experience:
four years of appropriate experience in one or more of the fields listed above in work associated with international organizations, problems, or other aspects of foreign affairs.

NOTE: Qualifying work experience may have been gained through residence, study, teaching, business or commercial activities, military service, newspaper work, military or civil government activities, missionary or international relief work, or other experience in foreign countries.

For positions at the ZA-4 and above, this experience must have included either
(a) responsibility for the direction and coordination of research, analysis, or other professional work in one or more of the fields listed in A above, or
(b) specialized professional work of a high level of difficulty and responsibility in one or more of these fields.

This high level experience must have been in such specialized activities as
(1) formulation of instructions and policy guidance for United States representatives in international organizations;
(2) transport and communication involving knowledge of economic, political, and technical aspects of international aviation, shipping, inland transport, or radio, telephone, and telegraph, etc.;
(3) cultural affairs involving formulation and operation of policy on large-scale international cultural exchange programs;
(4) occupied area affairs involving problems of occupation of conquered or liberated countries, regions, or zones; or
(5) other specialized international affairs such as analyzing public opinion and attitudes, evaluating specific conditions, trends, or forces in a foreign country, formulating policy on problems of petroleum resources or fisheries, etc., representing foreign interests, protecting American property or interests, arranging for conferences, or similar activities.

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 ZA-3 or GS-11:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:
Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-2 or GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Assisting in developing strategies for multilateral or bilateral fisheries management or trade agreements;
  • Coordinating with stakeholders to develop sustainable fisheries management, protected species conservation, or trade policies; and
  • Assisting with the analysis of information on illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, shark catch, other protected species bycatch, such as marine mammals, or trade practices.


-OR-

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION:
3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.


-OR-

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
A combination of education and experience as described above.
Note: Only graduate education in excess of two years is qualifying for combination.

To qualify at the ZA-4 or GS-13:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:
Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-3 or GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Analyzing information on illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, shark catch, bycatch of protected living marine resources, including marine mammals, or trade policies;
  • Participating in negotiating sustainable management measures or trade policies for international fisheries and protected species; and
  • Contributing to projects to build capacity of foreign partners to comply with international fisheries management or trade requirements.

Education

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.

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. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated visit: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation.

Additional information

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How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Vacancy Related Questions: As part of the online application process, you will need to respond to a series of questions designed to assess your possession of the following knowledge skills, abilities and/or competencies:

  • Compliance
  • External Awareness
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Technical Competence

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. Preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. 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.


NOTE: If it is determined that you have rated yourself higher than is supported in your description of experience and/or education as described in your resume/application, or that your resume or application is incomplete, you may be rated ineligible and/or not qualified.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12179253
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Required Documents

  • A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume
  • You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose, for each work experience at a minimum, your resume must include; job title(s) (including job series and grade, if federal); description of duties or work performed; education; starting and ending dates (month and year); and hours worked per week and/or full-time or part-time. If identifying as part-time you must state the number of hours per week. (NOTE: A full-time work schedule requires most employees to work 33-40 hours during the work week. A part-time schedule requires an employee to work less than full-time, but for a specific number of hours (usually 16-32 hours per administrative work week) on a prearranged scheduled tour of duty.)
  • SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action: If you are a current or former Federal employee, you must provide the most current Notification of Personnel Action (Form SF-50) that verifies career/career-conditional status, title, series and grade (do not submit an Award SF-50). Also provide the SF-50 that reflects the highest grade level held on a permanent basis or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher. Failure to do so will result in an ineligible rating.
  • Veteran's documentation: If you are requesting consideration under Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) or Veterans Readjustment Act (VRA) you must submit a copy of your Member 4 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) and/or any other required supporting documents (VA Letter). 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).
  • Documentation supporting eligibility for non-competitive appointment, (severely disabled, eligible veterans, certain military spouses, etc.)
  • 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.

OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS:

  • 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.

    • Performance Appraisal - Submit the most recent performance appraisal (dated within the last 3 years) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor. Do not submit a performance plan that does not include this information.
    • Awards - Copies of any award received within the last 3 years.
  • Applicants may submit these documents during the application process.

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.

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How to Apply

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Agency contact information

Kia Jenkins Kia Jenkins

Address
NOAA Office of Human Capital Services OHCS
1315 East West Hwy
SSMC4
Silver Spring, MD 20910
US
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