Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Social Scientist

Environmental Protection Agency
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Office of Inspector General is an independent office within the EPA that helps the agency protect the environment in a more efficient & cost effective manner. We perform audits, evaluations, & investigations of the EPA to promote economy, efficiency, and to prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse. We strive to provide solutions to problems that ultimately result in making America a cleaner and healthier place.

Overview

Help
Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
03/10/2023 to 03/21/2023
Salary
$71,099 to - $109,908 per year

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

Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Locations
Few vacancies in the following locations:
San Francisco, CA
Denver, CO
District of Columbia, DC
Atlanta, GA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel maybe required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
NCS/High Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
OIG-OSRE-I-2023-0001
Control number
712165100

Duties

Help

This position is located in the Office of Special Review and Evaluation, within the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General. The Office of Special Review and Evaluation focuses on oversight of programs, offices, and centers; evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness in meeting legal, regulatory, congressional, and public requirements and expectations, as well as how the EPA implements, executes, and enforces new and existing requirements and the extent to which stakeholders can rely on those requirements; and focuses on oversight of environmental infrastructure investments and activities. This position will perform the planning and execution of evaluations looking at state, regional, or nation-wide EPA programs.

Responsibilities

The ideal candidate will perform the following duties:

• Evaluate 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. Apply conventional and novel evaluation techniques to complete portions of evaluations.
• Assist project managers and team leaders in the development, review, and modification of evaluation objectives, work plans, scope, methodology, and timeframes to ensure evaluation needs are achieved.
• Lead meetings with program personnel and OIG managers. During meetings, answer questions and establish agreement on the evaluation design, present findings, explain the significance of conclusions, and justify recommendations.
• Lead efforts to write draft and final reports. Assist project managers and team leaders in the overall coordination and communication of findings and recommendations in oral presentations, written reports, and other written documents.
• Gather and analyze evidence in support of assignments, for example, by collecting and analyzing evidence through interviews, observations, reference materials, and document reviews.

Requirements

Help

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.

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.

Upon appointment, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450. You will need to provide the information annually.  

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

Qualifications

"Must meet education requirements" from the above KEY REQUIREMENTS and "In addition to the basic education requirement" from the statement below.

In addition to the mandatory education requirement, all applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.

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:

GS-12:

1) Assisting project managers in the design and execution of evaluations, performance audits, and/or reviews of programs, policies, and procedures;
2) Making observations, gathering data, and accomplishing work activities with a integrated team;
3) Analyzing data and evidence gathered though interviews, background research, observations, and document reviews to develop findings and recommendations; AND
4) Communicating findings and recommendations to management in oral presentations, written reports, and other written documents.

GS-13:

1) Leading efforts to design and execute evaluations, performance audits, and/or reviews of programs, policies, and procedures;
2) Making observations, gathering data, and accomplishing work activities with a integrated team;
3) Leading a team of evaluators by coordinating all aspects of the evaluation, including: planning; fieldwork (e.g. interviewing and data gathering); analysis; and communicating findings and recommendations in oral presentations and written reports and, ensuring that reports comply with evaluation standards; AND
4) Representing the EPA OIG during meetings and conferences with EPA regional offices, other Federal Agencies, state and local governments, Congress, the regulated community, and outside interest groups.

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. 

Education

Mandatory Education Requirement.

All applicants must meet one of the following requirements to qualify: 

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.

You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable during the application process. Official transcripts will be required upon appointment. 

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement. 

All education claimed by applicants will be verified.

Additional information

EPA OIG provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed in this vacancy announcement.

Payment of relocation expenses is NOT authorized.

All the information you provide will be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education as shown on your application, by checking reference and through other means, such as the interview process. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempts to conceal information may be grounds for not hiring you or for firing you after you begin work.  

Additional selections may be made through this vacancy 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 information and data from various sources 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. Your resume must support your responses to the self-assessment questions or your score may be lowered. The best-qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited to an interview. 

ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 90.

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.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.