Wanted/Needed --The Right Stuff

Wed Jun 7 07:12:00 EDT 2000

Greetings,

USA JOBS has announced an opening for a special job --that of Program 
Analyst for the National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Region, 
Honolulu, Hawaii.  Because I dive with sea turtles (I've known the same 
individual animals since 1989-90) I have enormous interest in finding the 
right person for this position.

There are over 6 billion people on this planet and I'm trying to find the 
right one!

I have a request --and some comments.

I'm hoping the members of this list will read all of this and then, if you 
know of someone who would be REALLY GOOD in this Program Analyst job, I'd 
be appreciative if you forwarded my message to that person.  This is a job 
that will clearly affect sea turtles --and sea turtles need and DESERVE The 
Right Stuff!

(Frankly in Hawaii they're USED to it!)

The ad says that the job is:

"Full-time  Permanent"

That means someone full time and permanent will be hired to "facilitate the 
development and implementation of NMFS  fisheries conservation and 
management policies and programs in the central and western Pacific 
Ocean".

"central and western Pacific Ocean" is a BIG area.  Leatherbacks ply their 
way there.  Honu call it home.  J's Yamilet, (and Adelita before her) use 
that corridor getting to Japan.  Sea turtles LIVE there.  This job is very 
important to sea turtles during a critical TIME for sea turtles in the 
Pacific.

There's zero doubt that whoever the successful applicant is, he/she will 
play a crucial role in the future of sea turtle conservation in the central 
and western Pacific.

Call me selfish but we want someone knowledgeable and sympathetic towards 
sea turtles doing the development and implementation.  I really believe we 
need a sea turtle champion here.  I'm hoping this message reaches 
him/her/you.

I keep reading the major duties --especially those that directly affect sea 
turtles.  Perhaps you or someone you know is perfect for this assignment.

1.  Facilitate the development and implementation of NMFS fisheries 
conservation and management policies
     and programs in the central and western Pacific Ocean by reviewing 
proposed projects and fishery
     management.

2.  plans and develops recommendations to minimize adverse impacts to 
protected resources

3.  coordinates and oversees the recovery team activities and develops and 
implements recovery actions

4.  coordinates with the observer program relating to protective species 
interactions

     (Hah!  Considering NMFS laid off 12 of the 14 inspectors in Hawaii 
this shouldn't take TOO much
     coordination.  This is probably the easiest part of the job!)

5.  (And this is a big one in how it can affect sea turtles) participates 
in inter-agency groups and
     facilitates cooperation to provide for the conservation and recovery 
of protected species and their
     habitats.

Sounds like right out of Mission Impossible!

I scanned for the word "turtle" in the ad and it only came up once --in 
this sentence.

         A.  Selective Placement Factor: In addition to the above 
requirements,
         consideration will only be given to applicants with experience 
developing and
         implementing participation plans under Section 4 of the Endangered 
Species Act
         and related laws for the conservation and recovery of sea turtles. 

"and related laws for the conservation and recovery of sea turtles."  That 
means the implementation of the Recovery Plans for the US Pacific.  And 
that includes leatherbacks, greens, hawksbills, olives and even 
loggerheads.

It's obvious what's needed here.

A VISIONARY WITH STRONG HEAD AND HEART. Someone special with solid 
biological knowledge and training in sea turtles would be PERFECT for this 
job!

The ad posts requirements but it's written in GovSpeak.  So I'll provide 
the necessary translation.  As you read this, please see if you --or 
someone you respect a great deal-- has these qualifications.

"Qualifications Required:

         Quality Ranking Factors: (*=Critical):

         1) *Knowledge of the Marine Sanctuaries Act, Marine Mammal 
Protection Act,
         Endangered Species Act, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management
         Act, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species 
Treaty, and other
         natural resource statues and related regulations, programs, and 
practices;"

TRANSLATION:  This is the Number One most important thing we need.  We need 
someone with a strong working knowledge of a whole pile of regulations, 
statues, programs etc etc dealing with anything aquatic.  We're looking for 
an EXPERT.

         (2)
         *Ability to interpret, analyze, and apply pertinent laws and 
regulations to
         develop recommendations on fisheries management, protected 
species, and
         habitat conservation strategies;

TRANSLATION:  We're looking for someone REALLY SPECIAL (or with the 
potential and desire to be) who can take his/her working knowledge of the 
"regs" and apply them effectively to real life situations.  You'll be 
calling the shots in this part of the Pacific regarding fisheries, 
protected species and their habitats.

While NMFS won't tell you this, you'll be playing God because your 
decisions and actions will be far-reaching right through this millennium.

         (3)
         * Ability to assimilate information from
         many sources and use the information to identify potential issues, 
prepare
         reports, analyze and evaluate current programs, recommend policy 
changes, etc;

TRANSLATION:  This ain't a 9 to 5 job.

         (4)
         * Skill in interacting with Pacific Island cultures and with 
other
         governments, national/state/local offices, the scientific 
community, and other
         organizations such as public interest groups and the 
media.

TRANSLATION:  It would be great if you're already comfortable with the 
locals and culture in Hawaii and maybe even did a stint around some other 
Pacific islands.  But if you haven't and you quality in every other way all 
we're really looking for is the right MINDSET.

We need you to MATTER!

We need you to keep an open mind, genuinely respect other people's views, 
be prepared to do more listening than talking --and to genuinely like 
working with people.  As much as you might care about sea turtles, monk 
seals, whales, and fishes you have to appreciate humans first.  Yours will 
be a delicate dance.

Last a reminder:

Closing 
Date:  06/12/2000

Salary: $39178 per year - $61040 per 
year

Duty Location: 1 vacancy at HONOLULU, HI

The rest is at:

<http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/wfjic/jobs/IL2385.HTM>

Ursula Keuper-Bennett
----------------------------------------------------
               ^               Ursula Keuper-Bennett
              0 0              mailto: howzit at turtles.org
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"You don't move around among a different species for
most of your life without learning to read a lot of
their body language, especially since it's in such
large print."

           \       /     --Terry Pratchett
           /  \ /  \       (Lords and Ladies)
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         malama na honu 