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Environmental Protection Specialist

Department of the Interior
Office of the Secretary of the Interior
Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Department of the Interior is devoted to protecting and preserving the natural resources of this great nation, including National Parks, Landmarks, and the well-being of communities, including those of Native American, Alaska Natives and affiliated Islanders.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/08/2023 to 12/01/2023
Salary
$64,957 to - $102,166 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 11
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
OS-6011-24-RU-003(MP)
Control number
759612700

Duties

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This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, NEPA and Environmental Coordination Division, Environmental Review and Stakeholder Engagement Branch, Washington, DC.

This is a developmental position with potential to the full performance GS-12 level. As a developmental Environmental Protection Specialist, the employee receives tailored instruction, guidance, training and supervision designed to equip the incumbent with the knowledge and skills necessary for successful performance and to provide opportunities for the incumbent to gain progressively responsible experience for advancement in this position.

At the full performance level (GS-12) the major duties of this position include but are not limited to the following:
1. Advises and provides project management to support National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes and the advancement of diverse stakeholder engagement in environmental reviews and permitting processes.
2. Advises on and recommends the development of policies, guidance, and tools related to NEPA and the advancement of environmental justice and stakeholder engagement.
3. Advises on, and coordinates with other offices, as well as liaise with internal and external partners, to implement and integrate consideration of equitable outcomes in the Department's implementation of environmental programs, policies, and procedures.
4. Recommends, obtains, conducts, correlates and/or maintains environmental data relating to decision making and impacts, environmental justice implementation, and stakeholder engagement.
5. Serves as Contracting Officer Representative on environmental review related contracts and proposals, including stakeholder engagement, data systems, and procedures. Assists with grants, cooperative, and interagency agreements.

OS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Salary Information:
GS-09: $64,957 to $84,441 per annum
GS-11: $78,592 to $102,166 per annum
First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level.

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  1. You must be a U.S. Citizen.
  2. You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination.
  3. You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
  4. You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.
  5. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements:
To qualify for the position, you must meet either A, B, -or- C below for the grade to which you are applying.

GS-09:
A. Specialized Experience

To qualify for the GS-09, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

1. Implementing and interpreting Federal environmental laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to review and evaluate complex and sensitive environmental issues, programs, and proposed projects;
2. Assisting in general policy guidance pertaining to Federal environmental issues and assist in identifying problems in agency/organization environmental programs;
3. Using data visualization, Microsoft 365 programs, and both written and verbal communication to assist in the conveyance of information to a wide variety of audiences.
4. Assisting in program management projects, operations, and/or administration of environmental programs to ensure performance standards are being met. MUST MEET ALL

-OR-
B. Education: A Master's degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or a L.L.B. or J.D., if related. Such education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

-OR-
C. Combination: Have a qualifying combination of specialized experience and education that equals 100% of the requirement for the GS-09 level.

GS-11:
A. Specialized Experience

To qualify for the GS-11, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

1. Implementing and interpreting Federal environmental laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to review and evaluate complex and sensitive environmental issues, programs, and proposed projects;
2. Providing general policy guidance pertaining to Federal environmental issues and assist in identifying problems in agency/organization environmental programs;
3. Using data visualization, Microsoft 365 programs, and both written and verbal communication to assist in the conveyance of information to a wide variety of audiences.
4. Participates in program management projects, operations, and/or administration of environmental programs to ensure performance standards are being met; MUST MEET ALL

-OR-
B. Education: A Ph.D. degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or a LL.M. if related. Such education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

-OR-
C. Combination: Have a qualifying combination of specialized experience and education that equals 100% of the requirement for the GS-11 level.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Merit Promotion candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.

Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

Additional information

Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.

The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report. In addition, DOI employees, GS-15 and above, who work in the Office of the Secretary; along with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) employees (at ALL grade levels), are further restricted concerning their interests in Federal lands and resources administered or controlled by the Department of the Interior. This includes holding stock in energy corporations which lease Federal lands (e.g.: oil, gas, coal, alternative energy resources, etc.). If you have any such investments you should contact the DOI, BOEM or BSEE Ethics Office before accepting employment. DOI employees are held to the highest level of integrity. Employees must be objective and impartial in the performance of their work. All potential issues (e.g.: work-related interactions with friends, family members, or previous employers) must be disclosed at the time of application or during the interview process.

NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.
A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work with the U.S. Department of the Interior. The preliminary background check consists of a search of Office of Personnel Management and Department of Defense background investigation files and an FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check; it may take up to 3 weeks to complete. If selected for this position, you will be extended a tentative offer of employment pending a satisfactory background check. Current Federal employees or individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check; these will be handled on a case-by-case basis in coordination with the Bureau security office.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

Your answers to the on-line assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:
Analytical - ability to collect, analyze and interpret information or data
Regulations and Guidance - knowledge of principles, laws, regulations, policies, practices and guidelines
Problem Solving - identifies and analyzes problems; uses sound reasoning to arrive at conclusions; finds alternative solutions to complex problems; distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical judgments
Teamwork - encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identify; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
Writing - Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.

DUE WEIGHT
Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process.

If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

To preview the assessment questionnaire click: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12182622

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