Foreign Affairs Specialist

SUMMARY This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), with one vacancy in Silver Spring, MD. This position is also announced under vacancy number NMFS-26-13022951-ST, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both. MAJOR DUTIES As a Foreign Affairs Specialist, you will perform the following duties: 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. Implement seafood trade monitoring programs: Antarctic Marine Living Resources Program, the Highly Migratory Species International Trade Program, the Seafood Import Monitoring Program, the Tuna Tracking and Verification Program, and Certification of Admissibility requirements. Negotiate and implement sustainable international management measures for living marine resources through regional fisheries management organizations, regional partnerships and protected species conservation organizations. Respond to stakeholder requests for assistance with program requirements and compliance. Exercise responsibility as an independent specialist to analyze information to comply with international fisheries management, protected species conservation and trade measures, including formulating and executing capacity building efforts as directed. Perform analysis of information on sustainable fisheries management, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, bycatch of protected living marine resources and trade. Implement trade monitoring programs to combat IUU fishing. Facilitate trade and achieve 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. This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band. The ZA-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12. The ZA-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14. 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.), name of accredited institution, 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. Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation. REQUIREMENTS Applicants must be U.S. Citizens. 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 ( Qualification requirements must be met by closing date of the announcement. One year probationary period may be required. Payment of relocation expenses (PCS) is not authorized. Payment of relocation incentives OR recruitment incentives may be authorized. Note: Relocation incentives are for current federal employees only. This position requires Low Risk Security Clearance at the ZA-3 level and a Moderate Risk Security Clearance at the ZP-4 level. 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. *Note: A one year probationary period will be required unless you are a current Department of Commerce (including NOAA) employee and are in the same line of work and with no more than a 30 day break in service. 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. EVALUATIONS You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire and/or evaluation through a manual assessment process, and your responses to any additional assessments (i.e. USAHire) required for this position. Your qualifications will be also be evaluated using a Job Knowledge Test. The Job Knowledge Test is designed to assess technical and professional expertise directly relevant to the requirements of this announcement. This assessment measures the specialized knowledge and skills accumulated over time, which are critical for successful performance in this position. The best-qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. CATEGORY RATING: Category rating will be used in the ranking and selection process for this position. Within each category, those entitled to Veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. The quality categories are Gold, Silver, and Bronze. 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. Your responses to the application questions and/or assessment method will determine your placement in the appropriate quality category described above. Your responses must be substantiated by your resume and supporting documents. If you do not respond to the application questions you may be rated ineligible. Candidates placed in the "Gold" category will be identified first for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Compliance, External Awareness, Influencing/Negotiating, and Strategic Thinking If referred, all relevant documents submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review. To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT Salary ranges will vary based on the location. Please visit: OPM Salary Charts for specific salary information related to a specific location. OTHER INFORMATION NOAA participates in e-Verify, 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. The Federal Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. #J-18808-Ljbffr