You will: 

At the entry level of this position, you will:

- Serve as the Air Division’s technical resource on regulatory initiatives and other projects related to ambient air monitoring and atmospheric science. 

- Perform data analyses and technical review for regulatory actions such as air quality attainment designations, State Implementation Plan approvals, and requests made pursuant to EPA’s Exceptional Events Rule.  

- Coordinate with EPA Headquarters and state/local/tribal agencies on the interpretation and implementation of ambient air quality monitoring regulations. 

When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses.

You will spend less than 25% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements.

Conditions of employment

• If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required.
• Position has educational/degree requirements (see Qualifications section).
• EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings.
• You must submit resume and required documents (see How to Apply section).

This position is designated as Moderate Risk and requires a background investigation.  Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation.

If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter.

If you are selected, you must complete a one year probationary period.

You must be a U.S. citizen.

Qualifications

You need a degree or combination of experience as described below to qualify for this position.

Physical Scientist (1301): A bachelor’s degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics OR a combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Environmental Engineer (0819):

A. Degree: professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential & integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics & chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields & circuits; (f) nature & properties of materials (relating particle & aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

OR

B. Combination of education & experience--college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, & (2) a good understanding, both theoretical & practical, of the engineering sciences & techniques & their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:

Professional registration -- Current registration as a professional engineer by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.

Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination, or the written test required for professional registration, which is administered by the Boards of Engineering Examiners in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, & Puerto Rico. Applicants who have passed the EIT examination & have completed all the requirements for either (a) a bachelor's degree in engineering technology (BET) from an accredited college of university that included 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, & engineering sciences, or (b) a BET from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) may be rated eligible for certain engineering positions at GS-5. Eligibility is limited to positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of the engineering technology program. Applicants for positions that involve highly technical research, development, or similar functions requiring an advanced level of competence in basic science must meet the basic requirements in paragraph A. Because of the diversity in kind & quality of BET programs, graduates of other BET programs are required to complete at least 1 year of additional education or highly technical work experience of such nature as to provide reasonable assurance of the possession of the knowledge, skills, & abilities required for professional engineering competence. The adequacy of this background must be demonstrated by passing the EIT examination.

Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, & engineering sciences & in engineering that included the courses specified in the basic requirements. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in paragraph A.

Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field, e.g., physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.)

Note: An applicant who meets the basic requirements as specified in A or B above may qualify for positions in any branch of engineering unless selective factors indicate otherwise, or unless he/she qualifies under the provisions of B.2 related to the EIT examination or BET degree.

As part of the application process, you are required to submit college transcripts or a list of courses as described in the Required Documents section of this announcement.  However, if you are selected, you must provide official educational transcripts before you start work with EPA.  More information on verification of education can be found here:  EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and required documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.  Your resume must address the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in the Qualifications section.  If you meet basic qualification requirements, your application will be further evaluated based on your answers to the online assessment.  Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for the position.  You are being evaluated under the category rating method which means, if you are determined to be qualified, you will be placed into the ‘Best Qualified’, ‘Well Qualified’, or ‘Qualified’ category.

We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire.  If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.  We will evaluate your qualifications and eligibility and notify you if you meet minimum qualification requirements.  If you are referred for consideration, you may be subject to additional assessments.

NOTE:  We do not require a separate statement responding to the competencies, also referred to as Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).  However, your resume should clearly show possession of these competencies.