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Conditions of Employment
- You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.
- If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required.
- Position has education requirements--see Qualifications/Education section.
- EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings.
- You may be required to travel less than 25% of each month.
- You must be a U.S. citizen.
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.
The current duty station for this position is Arlington, VA. There are plans for this position to permanently move to a new duty station, Washington, DC. Anyone selected for this position will be expected to start work or move to the Washington, DC office location when requested.
If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
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. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.
Qualifications
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-09 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-07 level defined as conducting statistical/scientific evaluations of laboratory research data; or applying scientific concepts in analyzing, compiling or computing data as it relates to chemicals;- OR master’s or equivalent graduate degree; or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in the academic discipline as described below- OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
To qualify for the GS-11 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-09 level defined as analyzing or evaluating chemical information to produce reviews with a focus on the impacts of human health or the environment;- OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in the academic discipline as described below- OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
To qualify for the GS-12 level, you need to have at least one year of full time experience equivalent to the GS-11 defined as analyzing or evaluating chemical information to produce reviews with a focus on the impacts of human health or the environment; and writing scientific or technical reports and decision documents to support regulatory decisions.
Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: 1) Skill in using standard data gathering and analysis techniques to support the development of pesticide information; 2) Skill in oral communication; 3) Knowledge of the uses and benefits of a variety of pesticides; 4) Skill in written communication; 5) Skill in reviewing and analyzing technical documentation; 6) Ability to work with an interdisciplinary team; 7) Knowledge of laws and regulations related to pesticide registration.
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.
If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.
Education
You need a degree or combination of education and experience as described below to qualify for this position.
Biologist: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in one of the following: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR a combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major, as listed.
Entomologist: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in entomology; or a related discipline of the biological or physical sciences that included at least 16 semester hours in entomology; OR a combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major, as listed.
Toxicologist: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in toxicology, or an appropriate discipline of the biological, medical, or veterinary sciences that included at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, biochemistry, or physiology, and 12 semester hours in toxicology.
Industrial Hygienist: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in industrial hygiene, occupational health sciences, occupational and environmental health, toxicology, safety sciences, or related sciences; or a branch of engineering, physical science, or life science that included 12 semester hours in chemistry, including organic chemistry, and 18 additional semester hours of courses in any combination of chemistry, physics, engineering, health physics, environmental health, biostatistics, biology, physiology, toxicology, epidemiology, or industrial hygiene; or certification from the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH). NOTE: Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable.
Chemist: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in one of the following: physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics; OR a combination of education and experience with education equivalent to one of the majors listed that included the described coursework.
For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.
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.
To preview questions please click here.
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Background checks and security clearance
