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Physical Scientist (Environmental)

Department of the Air Force
Air Force Materiel Command
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The PALACE Acquire Program offers you a permanent position upon completion of your formal training plan. As a Palace Acquire Intern you will experience both personal and professional growth while dealing effectively and ethically with change, complexity, and problem solving. The program offers a 3-year formal training plan with yearly salary increases. Promotions and salary increases are based upon your successful performance and supervisory approval.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
10/01/2022 to 09/30/2023
Salary
$44,740 to - $81,805 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Locations
Gunter AFB, AL
Few vacancies
Edwards AFB, CA
Few vacancies
Los Angeles, CA
Few vacancies
Vandenberg AFB, CA
Few vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
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
Secret
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
K-23-DHA-11643506-BJM
Control number
676522100

Duties

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  • Performs continuing work assignments involving environmental physical science. Participates in and provides support to a variety of complex projects carried out by higher level staff; and carries out smaller projects involving moderate levels of complexity and consequences.
  • Responsible for carrying out assigned, well defined, moderate-sized projects or assigned portions of more complex projects, (in-house and by contract), to comply with all applicable Federal, state, and local environmental laws and policies.
  • Coordinates curricula and training for assigned program areas at the installation. Support quality improvement and promotes the environmental awareness program.
  • Provides advisory services on problems and issues relating to well defined, moderate-sized projects in assigned program areas.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.
  • U.S. Citizenship is required
  • Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov
  • Total salary varies depending on location of position
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) expenses may or may not be authorized. PCS expenses if authorized will be paid IAW JTR and Air Force Regulations
  • Recruitment incentives may be authorized
  • Position may be subject to random drug testing
  • Employee must maintain current certifications
  • A security clearance may be required
  • Disclosure of Political Appointments
  • Mobility - you may be required to relocate during or after completion of your training
  • You will be required to serve a one year probationary period
  • Must meet suitability for Federal employment
  • Grade Point Average - 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0
  • Total salary varies depending on location of position

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the general experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Professional and Scientific Positions https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PROF

BASIC REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT:

  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
  1. Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

Any individual who was awarded a degree by an institution of higher education from a public or other non-profit institution not more than 2 years before the date of appointment meets the basic eligibility requirement to apply for the DHA Recent Graduates Program;
OR
Any individual who has completed a period of obligated service in a uniformed service of more
than 4 years and was awarded a degree by an institution of higher education from a public or other non-profit institution not more than 4 years before the date of appointment meets the basic eligibility requirement to apply for the DHA Recent Graduates Program.

Education:
GS-07: 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement

GS-09: Master's or equivalent graduate degree; 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Have a combination of experience and education that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

Specialized Experience:
GS-07: Applicants must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-5 level that equipped you with the professional knowledge of designing, inspecting, and reclamation of surface disturbed lands; writing environmental analyses of impacts of oil and gas development; and experience with word processing software, and spreadsheets or databases.

GS-09: Applicants must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-7 level that equipped you with the professional knowledge of designing, inspecting, and reclamation of surface disturbed lands; writing environmental analyses of impacts of oil and gas development; participation on interdisciplinary teams; and experience word processing software, GIS, and spreadsheets or databases.

Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11. (When crediting education that requires specific course work, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.)

Federal time-in-grade (TIG) requirement for general schedule (GS) positions: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in­-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-07 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-09 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

1. Professional knowledge of environmental physical science principles, practices, techniques, and procedures to carry out tasks and provide support using established procedures and methods in assigned.

2. Knowledge to perform a variety of technical tasks in support of projects assigned to higher level scientists or engineers using established technology to investigate unsanitary or questionable conditions in assigned.

3. Knowledge of applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and other guidance to use in applying to assigned tasks in the areas of restoration, compliance, conservation, pollution prevention, and/or integration principles and practices.

4. Ability to establish effective working relationships with others.

5. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, clearly, concisely, and with technical accuracy.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

IF USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY: You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

Additional information

For Direct Hire (DHA) Positions:
This is a Direct Hire Public Notice, under this recruitment procedure applications will be accepted for each location/ installation identified in this Public Notice and selections are made for vacancies as they occur. There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time you submit your application.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP eligible click here. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated in the "Highly Qualified" or "Best Qualified" Category on the rating criteria for this vacancy. You must submit a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location.

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

Selective Service: Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service. For additional information, click here.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.

If you are unable to apply online, view the following link for information regarding Alternate Application. The Vacancy ID is 11643506

If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.

Tax Law Impact for PCS:
On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 - the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017" suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. The law made taxable certain reimbursements and other payments, including driving mileage, airfare and lodging expenses, en-route travel to the new duty station, and temporary storage of those items. The Federal Travel Regulation Bulletin (FTR) 18-05 issued by General Services Administration (GSA) has authorized agencies to use the Withholding Tax Allowance (WTA) and Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) to pay for "substantially all" of the increased tax liability resulting from the "2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" for certain eligible individuals. For additional information on WTA/RITA allowances and eligibilities please click here. Subsequently, FTR Bulletin 20-04 issued by GSA, provides further information regarding NDAA FY2020, Public Law 116-92, and the expansion of eligibility beyond "transferred" for WTA/RITA allowances. For additional information, please click here.

How you will be evaluated

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

For DHA Positions:
These positions are being filled under Direct-Hire Authority for the DoD for Post-Secondary Students and Recent Graduates. The Secretary of the Air Force has delegated authority by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to directly appoint qualified students and recent graduates directly into competitive service positions; positions may be professional or administrative occupations and located Air Force-Wide. Positions may be filled as permanent/term with a full-time/part-time work schedule. Pay will vary by geographic location.
*** The term "Current post-secondary student" means a person who is currently enrolled and in good academic standing at a full-time program at an institution of higher education; and is progressing toward a baccalaureate or graduate degree; and has completed at least 1 year of the program.
*** The term "recent graduate" means a person awarded a degree by an institution of higher education not more than 2 years before the date of the appointment of such person, except in the case of a person who has completed a period of obligated service in a uniform service of more than 4 years.

Your latest resume will be used to determine your qualifications.

Your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Your responses to the questionnaire may be compared to the documents you submit. The documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "insufficient information" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

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