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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 a resume and required documents (see How to Apply section).
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.
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.
You must meet time in grade requirements no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement.
Qualifications
You must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in one of the following:
Engineering (800 Series) You must meet either paragraph A or B.
A. Engineering degree from a school of engineering with at least one or more curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus AND courses (advanced beyond first year physics and 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 and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and 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 AND experience--college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished: 1) a thorough knowledge of physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: 1) Professional registration; 2) Written test--Evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer in Training exam or the written test required for professional registration; 3) Specified academic courses--Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and 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; or 4) Related curriculum--Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or appropriate professional field provided applicant has 1-year professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.
Physical Scientist (1301 Series)
You must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in one of the following: 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 with education equivalent to one of the majors listed that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science.
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.
Education
You need a degree or combination of education and experience as described below to qualify for this position.
In addition to the educational requirements, we are looking for at least one year of specialized experience related to this position as described below:
To qualify for the GS-14 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-13 level defined as supporting EPA and State NPDES permitting authorities in the development and implementation of the NPDES permitting programs; leading the development and implementation of programs and policies related to surface water protection; and, training Federal and State Agency personnel on NPDES permits.
Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:
1. Knowledge of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
2. Knowledge of the principles, theories, and practices relating to physical sciences and/or environmental engineering.
3. Ability to apply new analytical development, methodologies and research findings to broad water quality and environmental program issues pertaining to the national NPDES program.
4. Ability to resolve complex programs and project issues.
5. Skill in written communications.
6. Ability to communicate to a wide range of audiences from experts to the general public.
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 and an applicable score assigned.
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 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). However, your resume should clearly show possession of these competencies.
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