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Environmental Protection Specialist

Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

You will serve as a senior professional on the Air Quality, Transportation Conformity, and Noise Team on policy matters in transportation-related air quality and noise issues.  You will provide technical guidance and policy interpretation on the development of national policies, procedures, and techniques for analyzing and mitigating transportation-related air quality and noise impacts and for providing advice and interpretation of FHWA policies, procedures, and regulations.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
11/28/2018 to 12/18/2018
Salary
$96,970 to - $148,967 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13 - 14
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington DC, DC
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Some travel is required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Relocation expenses are authorized for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
No
Drug test
No
Announcement number
FHWA.HEP-2019-0003
Control number
518027600

Duties

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As an Environmental Protection Specialist, you will:

  • Serve as FHWA’s lead professional staff and use expert knowledge in areas that involve and relate to the air quality aspects of transportation environmental-related matters of Title 23, U.S.C. and the transportation programs and provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA), especially the transportation conformity provisions.
  • Provide expertise and knowledge in the development of policy and guidance to ensure that adequate consideration is given to air quality and noise in transportation planning and project development processes, particularly as related to the determination of transportation conformity and meeting NEPA requirements.
  • Serve as senior expert for providing advice and guidance on a national scale and provides information and advice on practices in assessing and abating the air quality and noise impacts of transportation. 
  • Be responsible for the implementation and interpretation of FHWA environmental policies which contain basic FHWA policies and procedures for consideration of air quality and noise impacts in the transportation planning and development processes to ensure all Federal requirements are met.
  • Provide interface between the air quality and noise aspects of the Federal-aid highway program and the activities and programs of other agencies and relate the application of policies and procedures of other agencies to those of FHWA. 
  • Provide technical guidance and expertise in training activities in transportation planning, air quality and noise impacts, NEPA implementation, and transportation conformity areas.

The ideal candidate for this position is a senior level professional who can function independently and demonstrate leadership in team environments. The candidate should have experience in developing Agency-wide policies, possess strong analytical and communication skills, and have experience working on multi-disciplinary teams.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must meet specialized experience to qualify.
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
  • Review Required Documents Section as documents are required by closing date
  • Announcement also advertised U.S. Citizens: FHWA.HEP-2019-0004.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel.  A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • TIME-IN-GRADE: - Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience requirements for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the Grade 13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include:

  • Experience in working with noise or air quality modeling tools and techniques. 
  • Experience assisting policy and program development, implementation, and assessment in critical areas relating to transportation air quality or highway traffic noise programs.

To qualify for the Grade 14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include:

  • Experience in working with noise or air quality modeling tools and techniques.
  • Experience leading State-level policy and program development, implementation, and assessment in critical areas relating to transportation air quality or highway traffic noise programs, regulations, and policy.
  • Experience working on teams and/or committees to develop policy recommendations related to transportation or air quality programs, the CMAQ program, or the highway noise program.

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.


For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.

Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Additional information

Displaced employees may be eligible for ICTAP or CTAP priority consideration. For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.

EEO STATEMENT: The Department of Transportation (DOT) maintains a model federal work environment that is free of discrimination. DOT ensures equal employment opportunity for employees and applicants for employment, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, or protected activity.

PLEASE NOTE:  This vacancy may be used to fill similar positions within 90 days for this location.

How you will be evaluated

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

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/ application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level. 

If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be scored based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position.

Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. The answers you select in the on-line process must be substantiated in your application package.  If upon review, it is determined that your described work history, competencies, and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be updated or you may not be referred to the selecting official. Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers.  If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.  The Automated Staffing Office is ultimately responsible for determining your final rating.


To preview questions please click here.

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