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Physical Scientist

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Environment Branch for Renewable Energy
This job announcement has closed

Summary

DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Government-Wide Direct-Hire Authority for this occupation and is open to all U.S. Citizens. Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified Veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/16/2022 to 05/31/2022
Salary
$74,950 - $116,788 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Sterling, VA
Location Negotiable After Selection, United States
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. A recruitment or relocation incentive may be provided at the discretion of management.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
BOEM--MMEE-22-DB-063 (DH)
Control number
654684300

Duties

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This position is located within the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Environment Branch for Renewable Energy. This position is for one vacancy and will either be filled in Sterling, Virginia or filled virtually.

At the full performance level (GS-12) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Prepare and review programmatic and project-specific environmental impact analyses related to potential impacts on physical resources (e.g., air quality and onshore, coastal and marine water quality) from proposed offshore renewable energy activities and facilities.
2. Ensure BOEM's compliance with requirements of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, the Water Quality Standards Regulation, and State Implementation Plans (SIPs) of the Atlantic states and assess applicants' compliance with applicable laws and regulations and propose changes to policy.
3. Prepare air and water quality impact level determinations for offshore renewable energy activities and facilities.
4. Coordinate with multiple parties and stakeholders, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Headquarters and Regional Offices, and state and local air and water pollution control agencies.
5. Work independently and also as member of an inter-disciplinary environmental team to prepare NEPA and other environmental documents.
6. Identify areas where information must be developed by either agency research or contract studies. In the case of contract studies, be responsible for preparing preliminary study specifications, reviewing study progress, and may serve as Contracting Officer's Representative and on Technical Evaluation Proposal Evaluation Committees.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and .

Salary Information
GS-11: $74,950.00 to $97,430.00 per annum.
GS-12: $89,834.00 to $116,788.00 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/.
  6. You will be required to file a financial disclosure form.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position you must meet both the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND (2) Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying.(1) Basic Educational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, applicants must meet the Education Requirements described below:

  1. Degree: 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

  2. Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
SUBMISSION OF TRANSCRIPTS IS REQUIRED.

(2) Specialized Experience
To qualify for the GS-11, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 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 in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:
1) analyzing documents related to physical resources; and
2) having familiarity with the Clean Water Act or the Clean Air Act; and
3) assisting in the preparation or review of scientific and technical analyses or reports related to physical resources.


MUST MEET ALL.

Applicants may substitute education for specialized experience at the GS-11 level if they meet the below criteria:
Ph. D. or equivalent doctoral degree or
Three (3) full of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or
LL.M., if related

-OR-
C. Combination of Education and Experience:: Only education in excess of the first two years of progressively higher level graduate education toward a Ph.D. or the equivalent doctorate degree may be used toward this combination (example: 2.5 years in a Ph.D. program (50%) plus 6 months of specialized experience (50%)=100%).SUBMISSION OF TRANSCRIPTS IS REQUIRED IF SUBSTITUTING EDUCATION.

To qualify for the GS-12, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 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 in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:
1) analyzing documents related to physical resources; and
2) preparing documents to ensure compliance with the Clean Air Act or Clean Water Act; and
3) planning, coordinating, implementing, or evaluating of research related to physical resources.


MUST MEET ALL.

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

How you will be evaluated

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

For this announcement, all applicants will be reviewed to determine if they meet the basic qualifications for this position, specifically the educational and specialized experience requirements. Applicants will not be rated or ranked. All applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official. All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated by a resume. If, upon review, it is determined that your resume and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be removed from consideration.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

Project Management: Skill in effectively and independently managing complex and/or controversial projects including scheduling and prioritizing multiple tasks and providing guidance and instructions to a team of multi-disciplinary scientists.

Technical Competence: Knowledge of environmental laws (NEPA, FAST-41, and Council on Environmental Quality) and judgment to identify, analyze and resolve complex and controversial problems, particularly as they relate to issues grounded in Federal regulation such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.

Regulations and Guidance: Knowledge of environmental laws and implementing regulations, including NEPA, CAA, CWA, the Water Quality Standards Regulation, and State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and Council on Environmental Quality, Department, and Bureau regulations, associated with environmental review of offshore renewable energy activities.

If you are a status applicant (current career or career-conditional Federal employee or former permanent Federal employee with reinstatement eligibility in the competitive service), or are eligible under a special appointing authority and you are selected under this vacancy, you may be subject to serving a new one-year probationary period.

To preview the assessment questionnaire click: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11501441

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

The Department of the Interior protects and manages the Nation's natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors its trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities.

The Department of the Interior (DOI) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.

Agency contact information

Daniel Bevels
Phone
703-787-1512
Email
daniel.bevels@bsee.gov
Address
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
45600 Woodland Road
Sterling, VA 20166
US

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