Summary This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce (IATC) with 29 vacancies in Kingman, AZ, Long Beach, CA, Seattle, WA, Hollywood, FL, Gloucester, MA, Hampton, VA, Indianapolis, IN, Pascagoula, MS, and Seffner, FL. Responsibilities This position is also announced under vacancy number NMFS IATC-25-12618241-DE, which is open to all US Citizens or Nationals. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both. Because of the level of interest anticipated for these positions, you will be asked to select up to three duty locations for which you wish to receive consideration. You are encouraged to choose carefully and please select only those locations where you would be willing to accept a position. You may wish to consider such things as the cost of living in the duty location(s) you select. You will be referred for only those locations you choose and for which you are within reach for consideration. If you are selected you may or may not receive offers for all locations you choose. This is an open continuous announcement. The open period is 12 months. Applications will be reviewed on the established cut-off dates: December 6, 2024; January 21, 2025; March 7, 2025; April 21, 2025; June 5, 2025; July 21, 2025; September 4, 2025; and October 20, 2025. NOTE: The period of eligibility for applications is through each cut-off date. The agency will issue a list of eligible applicants at each cut-off date to hiring officials within the period of eligibility. Applicants will not need to reapply to be considered. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', or 'not qualified'. If this occurs, you are eligible to reapply to a future cut-off date. If you have previously declined an offer, in order to be considered for future cutoff dates, your application must be updated. As a Consumer Safety Officer, you will perform the following duties: Conduct audits of seafood processing facilities and vessels to evaluate conformity with regulations, program policy, and industry standards for ensuring safe, healthy and quality seafood products in manufacturing processes. Perform inspections of raw and processed seafood products to evaluate the safety, quality, and health of the products in accordance with regulations, grade standards, program policy, and item descriptions or specifications. Support implementation of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) process in facility audits and inspections to identify violations, recommend corrective actions, and develop HACCP and quality management programs in processing plants and vessels in compliance with regulations and program policy. Note: The duties described above are at the ZP-2 level and the ZP-1 is the developmental grade level leading to such performance. The full performance level for this position is a ZP-3. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: Incumbent must possess a valid driver's license to travel to seafood processing locations, and/or transport samples for inspection, on a regular and recurring basis. Must be able to lift 50 pounds or more. Must possess and utilize sensory abilities (sight, smell, taste) which are capable of detecting and identifying abnormalities (defects) in product characteristics. Incumbent may be required to travel 25% or greater both domestically and internationally to perform inspections and audit services. This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle. This position has physical requirements. This position requires the submission of a Financial Disclosure Form, OGE-450. Requirements Conditions of 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 ZP-1 is equivalent to the GS-05. The ZP-2 is equivalent the the GS-07/09. NOTE: * A one year probationary period may be required. * Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized. * Payment of relocation incentives OR recruitment incentives may be authorized. Note: Relocation incentives are for current federal employees only. * This position is not in the bargaining unit. Key Requirements: Applicants must be U.S. Citizens. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov) Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position? 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. 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. 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 has a positive 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 your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements: A. Education: A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in quality assurance or a related degree that included at least 30 semester hours in one or a combination of the following: consumer laws, biological sciences, food science, chemistry, pharmacy, physical sciences, food technology, nutrition, medical science, engineering, epidemiology, veterinary medical science, legal investigations, law enforcement, or related scientific fields that provided knowledge directly related to consumer safety officer work. The 30 semester hours may include up to 8 semester hours in statistics, or course work that included the principles, theory, or practical application of computers or computer programming. OR B. Combination of education and experience: courses consisting of at least 30 semester hours in the fields of study described in paragraph A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. 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 ZP-01 (GS-05) grade level: At this level, applicants that meet basic education requirements for the series are considered qualified for the position for grades GS-01 through GS-05 and ZP-01 for professional and scientific positions is two grade intervals with max equivalent grade of GS-05 at the ZP-01 level. To qualify at the ZP-2 (GS-07) level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-1 or GS-05 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Participating in performing food inspections; and Assisting in the review of records of food processing facilities inspections. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: One year of graduate-level education. OR SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT (S.A.A): S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership: Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 2.9 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2years of the curriculum. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies listed below. Agencies considering eligibility based on any society not included in the following list must ensure that the honor society meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision. OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. 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 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 CTAP and 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. Non-Competitive Reinstatement to a Higher Grade/Band than Previously Held MUST submit the following documents: 1. SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action: you must provide the most current Notification of Personnel Action (Form SF-50) that verifies career/career-conditional status, title, series, and highest grade level held on a permanent basis for your previous position. (do not submit an Award SF-50) AND, the SF-50 that verifies your separation date; AND. 2. Performance Appraisal - most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. Do not submit a performance plan that does not include this information. 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. The Department of the Commerce (DOC) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.