Clarification from the agency

UNITED STATES CITIZENS MAY APPLY (no prior federal experience is required).

This position is located in the Environmental Infrastructure Oversight Directorate of the Office of Special Evaluation and Review, within the Environmental Protection Agency Office of the Inspector General. This position will assists in planning and execution of evaluations looking at state, regional, or nation-wide programs.

Responsibilities

In a semi-developmental capacity, assignments are designed to prepare the candidate to perform various assignments independently. At the GS-09 level, the candidate will perform the following:

• Assist with aspects of evaluations of various programs to identify areas where significant improvement in economy, efficiency, and effectiveness can be made in agency statutes, regulations, guidance, policies, procedures, or practices.
• Gather and analyze data in support of assignments, prepare written products, make oral presentations, and apply conventional evaluation techniques to complete relatively uncomplicated portions of evaluations.
• Research and gather reference materials to gain an understanding of the areas under review, as well as applicable laws, regulations, and industry best practices.
• Participate in meetings with program personnel and OIG managers. Assist with or participate in meetings with management officials to present findings, explain the significance of conclusions, justify recommendations and answer questions on the evaluation planning and methodology. Work to establish customer/client agreement on evaluation design.
• Participate in workgroups to improve the management and work processes of the organization (i.e., agency and OIG) on an as needed basis.

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.
• Salary will be set based upon the grade level and duty location at which the selection is made.

Must be a U.S. Citizen.

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a reasonable period of time due to disclosed or undisclosed background issues, the tentative employment offer may be withdrawn.

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.                      

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

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.

You are applying under Delegated Examining and if selected under this authority, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period, even if you are a transfer from another federal agency. 

Depending on your status, this position may require serving a 1-year probationary period.

Qualifications

All applicants must meet one of the following requirements to be determined eligible to work in this series:

Social Science Series, 0101

Basic Requirements

Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

-or-

Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

-or-

Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

In addition to meeting one of the above series basic qualification requirements, applicants must also possess a minimum of 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience to at least the next lower grade level or equivalent band level of responsibility in the Federal service OR meet the additional education described OR a combination of education and experience.  Specialized experience is experience that has 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.    

For the GS-09 grade level: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level or equivalent band in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience could include:

1) Assisting project mangers in the design and appropriateness of audits and evaluations of environmental programs;

2) Participate in teams to make observations, gather data, and accomplish work activities;

3) Ensuring compliance with environmental standards or regulations; AND

4) Contributing to writing drafts, final reports, or other environmental documents.

-or-

2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree

-or- 

An appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Individuals with behavioral or social science or related disciplines appropriate to the position such as public policy, public administration, environmental science, environmental engineering, public health science, or related degrees are strongly encouraged to apply.

Evidence of the above specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience or based on job titles alone. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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. 

Applicants must meet the qualifications for this position within thirty (30) days of the closing date of this announcement. 

How you will be evaluated

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

Your answers to the on-line assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

1. Knowledge of analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to assess program development or execution for improving organizational effectiveness and efficiency.
2. Knowledge of a variety of data collection techniques to obtain information from a variety of sources and draw conclusions.
3. Ability to develop a variety of written reports and guidance in a variety of formats (e.g., narrative, graphs, charts, etc.) using a variety of software packages (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SPSS, SAS equivalent statistical package, etc.).
4. Ability to gather, compile and analyze from various sources of information/problems and present findings and recommendations.
5. Ability to verbally communicate various types of information to a variety of audiences to convey factual information, provide guidance, obtain consensus, and/or persuade others to adopt recommendations.

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 qualified", "well qualified", and "qualified". 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 WELL QUALIFIED. 

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.