Clarification from the agency

Recent graduates from a qualifying educational institution having completed an academic program within the preceding two years. Note: Veterans who were precluded by their military service obligation from applying for Pathways Recent Graduate jobs will have up to six years from date of graduation and two years from date of separation from the military to apply.

The EPA OIG is seeking recent graduates under the Pathways Program. This position is provided for recent graduates with a desire to work in the Office of the Inspector General and assignments are designed to complement the graduates educational field while meeting the expressed needs of the agency and organizations.

This position is located in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Inspector General (OIG), Office of Management (OM), Business Analysis and Results (BAR) Directorate, located in Washington, DC.

In this position, you will serve as a key member of the Budget Team within the Business Analysis and Results Directorate and will responsible for:

• Perform budget execution support duties within assigned organizations and programs.
• Participate in reviews, edits, and consolidations of the annual and multi-year budget estimates for assigned organizations or programs into a single budget request
• Verify relative costs and benefits of alternative program plans.
• Identify and analyze basic trends in the receipt, obligation, or expenditure of funds.
• Generate a variety of routine and special reports covering the current status and projections of funds, expenses, and obligations.

Conditions of employment

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required. 
• Background Investigation Required.
• Must meet education requirements. 
• Position has portable work and selectee may be eligible to telework.
• Must meet Pathways Recent Graduate program requirements.

This is an appointment under the EPA OIG Recent Graduate program. You must have graduated within the past two years, from a qualifying educational institution or certificate program.  The program duration is one year. Upon successful completion of the program and at the agency's discretion, the appointee may be converted to a permanent position in the competitive service. Appointee must sign a Participant Agreement. Recent Graduates will enter a formal training program with a mentor and execute an Individual Development Plan outlining training requirements and program expectations. The entire duration of the Recent Graduate Appointment constitutes a trial period.

This is a Public Trust Position. Employment in this position requires a background investigation. If you are selected and cannot obtain a favorable security determination within a reasonable period of time due to disclosed or undisclosed background issues, the tentative employment offer may be withdrawn.

Selectees will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment", (OF-306), prior to being appointed to determine their suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. False statements or responses on your resume or questionnaire can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service. 

If you are a male 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.

The selectee will be required to complete a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the I-9 Form. We will compare information provided on the I-9 Form to records available from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The system confirms employee’s identity and eligibility to work in the United States. Learn more about e-verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements to participate in this program: 

• You must have a final cumulative Grade Point Average of at least a 2.0.
• Current Students may apply up to 90 days prior to their graduation date. 
• Recent graduates who have completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution.
• Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree, due to military service obligation, have as much as six years after degree completion to apply.
• May submit unofficial transcript(s). Official transcript(s) will be required, if applicant is
  selected for a position.

For the GS-07 grade level, applicants must have one of the following:

1.  1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement (SAA) from an accredited college or university that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

In order to be creditable under the provision, superior academic achievement (SAA) must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled. SAA is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. 

Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses. Applicants must have a grade-point average of:

• 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR
• 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.
• These honor societies are listed by the Association of College Honor Societies.

-OR-

       2. Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade of GS-5 or equivalent band level of responsibility in the Federal Service which includes experience. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: 

1) Assist in conducting costs analysis relating to budgeting and funding;
2) Assist in identifying, analyzing, and resolving budgetary problems;
3) Assist in monitoring and tracking obligations/expenditures; and
4) Compiling statistical data for reporting, studies, and presentations.

-OR-

An appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above.

For the GS-09 grade level,  applicants must have one of the following:

1. Completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., if related, from an accredited college or university that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

-OR-

       2. Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade of GS-7 or equivalent band level of responsibility in the Federal Service which includes experience. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the       candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. 

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: 

1) Conducting costs analysis relating to budgeting and funding;
2) Identifying, analyzing, and resolving budgetary problems;
3) Monitoring and tracking obligations/expenditures;
4) Compiling statistical data for reporting, studies, and presentations; and
5) Presenting findings and summarize narrative budget justification information.

-OR-

 An appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. After the vacancy closes, we will review your application package to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your responses to the questionnaire, resume and supporting documentation will then be reviewed. You will be placed in one of the three pre-defined categories. Your responses to the questionnaire will serve as the basis for your initial rating in one of three pre-defined categories: "best", "better", and "good". Within each category, those eligible through veterans preference will be listed at the top of the category. Your resume must support your answers to the questionnaire, or your category may be changed. The candidates in the highest category will be certified for referral to the selecting official and may be invited to an interview.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a category rating of BETTER. 

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, salary, duties performed for each position, and if the position is/was in the Federal government,
you should provide the position series and grade level/pay band.