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Environmental Protection Specialist

Department of the Interior
Office of the Secretary of the Interior
Assistant Secretary-Policy, Management and Budget/Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Department of the Interior is devoted to protecting and preserving the natural resources of this great nation, including National Parks, Landmarks, and the well-being of communities, including those of Native American, Alaska Natives and affiliated Islanders.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/17/2023 to 05/30/2023
Salary
$98,496 to - $172,075 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13 - 14
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Anchorage, AK
Sacramento, CA
Denver, CO
Washington
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—OS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for site visits, meetings, training, and conferences.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Multiple
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
OS-6011-23-BW-145(MP)
Control number
726480500

Duties

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This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary-Policy, Management and Budget (PMB), Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance (OEPC) in Washington, DC. The Office oversees the Department's compliance with environmental statutes, handles crosscutting environmental matters for the Department, and provides environmental and policy advice to the Assistant Secretary PMB and other members of the Secretariat.

THIS IS A TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT NTE 1 year. The selectee will be given a temporary promotion if eligible or be placed on a lateral detail if already serving at the advertised grade level on a permanent basis. This assignment may be terminated early or extended based on management's needs. If temporarily promoted, the temporary promotion will not exceed four (4) years. The temporary promotion may be made permanent without further competition.

Applicants do not need their supervisor's approval to apply for this opportunity. However, supervisory approval will be required before this opportunity may be made effective.

At the full performance level GS-14 the major duties of this position include but are not limited to the following:
1. Advisory and program management includes reviewing documents that impact the mission of the Department, natural resources, established goals, and objectives; and developing a program of work and scope for any new policies or initiatives.
2. Recommends Division information management and technology strategies and applications relevant to program of work. Maintains the information technology (IT) compliance requirements.
3. Leads analysis, evaluation, and recommended courses of action regarding environmental review of projects and other environmentally related proposals both within the Department and those submitted to the Department from other Federal agencies, State, or local governments, assessing how they affect the Department's jurisdiction, goals, and objectives within established timetables.
4. Develops and coordinates project proposals, contracting statements of work, development of business rules and standards, and systems development needs.
5. Develops recommended Departmental positions and prepares decision memos and briefing information for the Office and/or other Secretarial officials.
6. Reviews project input and ensures the Department meets timetable commitments and speaks with "one voice" by facilitating and mediating between bureaus and other agencies to reach an agreed upon recommendation and elevating issues for resolution when necessary.

Salary Information:
Your pay will be set for the location in which you live.
First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective 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/.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

To qualify for this position you must meet the Specialized Experience for the grade to which you are applying.

To qualify for the GS-13, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade 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 typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

  1. Implementing and interpreting Federal environmental laws, regulations, policies, and procedures related to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to review and evaluate complex and sensitive environmental issues, programs, and proposed projects.
  2. Providing policy guidance pertaining to Federal environmental issues and resolving problems in agency/organization environmental programs.
  3. Collaborating with staff and management on environmental issues and policy development or interpretation and advising management on technical and/or policy guidance pertaining to environmental issues, including NEPA, other environmental analysis and review processes, and monitoring and reporting on their implementation.
  4. Solving problems that relate to environmental programs and in monitoring environmental compliance for Federal, State and/or local governments or organizations.
To qualify for the GS-14, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade 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 typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:
  1. Developing, implementing, and interpreting Federal environmental laws, regulations, policies, and procedures related to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to review and evaluate complex and sensitive environmental issues, programs, and proposed projects.
  2. Providing policy guidance pertaining to Federal environmental issues and resolving problems of major significance to agency/organization environmental programs.
  3. Collaborating with staff and management on environmental issues and policy development and advising senior level officials on technical and/or policy guidance pertaining to environmental issues, including NEPA, other environmental analysis and review processes, and monitoring and reporting on their implementation.
  4. Solving problems that relate to environmental programs and in implementing environmental compliance programs for Federal, State and/or local governments or organizations.
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.asp

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

Merit Promotion candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

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.
A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work with the U.S. Department of the Interior. The preliminary background check consists of a search of Office of Personnel Management and Department of Defense background investigation files and an FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check; it may take up to 3 weeks to complete. If selected for this position, you will be extended a tentative offer of employment pending a satisfactory background check. Current Federal employees or individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check; these will be handled on a case-by-case basis in coordination with the Bureau security office.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

Your answers to the on-line assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:
Technical Competence - Knowledge of environmental laws, regulations, policies, and procedures including NEPA, and those relevant to natural resources management, social science, and environmental reviews, such as the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Federal Power Act, and various authorities of the Corps of Engineers.
Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
Project Management - Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance.
Analytical - Ability to collect, analyze and interpret information or data. Written Communication - Communicating in writing, including developing, writing, and implementing NEPA policy or business practices/standards, developing NEPA procedures and guidance, and developing, writing, reviewing, and coordinating documents.

DUE WEIGHT
Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process.

If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

To preview the assessment questionnaire click: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11974727

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