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Environmental Protection Specialist

Department of Homeland Security
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is announced by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of the Chief Readiness Support Officer (CRSO). CRSO is responsible for unified headquarters consolidation strategy and policy for DHS and conducts strategic planning analysis, and development in support of the DHS strategic consolidation plan.

This position is temporarily located in Springfield, VA. 

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
08/08/2023 to 08/14/2023
Salary
$94,199 to - $145,617 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Location
Few vacancies in the following location:
Springfield, VA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - This position may require travel up to 10% of the duty time.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - 40 hours/week
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13 - If filled at the GS-12 grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted without further competition when the supervisor determines that the duties of the higher grade level are being performed and all regulatory requirements have been met.
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
DHS-CRSO-2023-0033
Control number
741924200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Federal employees serving on career or career-conditional appointments; Former federal employees with reinstatement eligibility; Individuals with disabilities, peace corps, former overseas employees, military spouses, 30% disabled veterans, and those eligible under other special hiring authorities; Persons eligible under Interchange Agreements; Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) within the local commuting area of Springfield, VA.

Duties

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You must be within the commuting area of the duty location to be considered. The commuting area is defined as the geographic area surrounding a duty location that encompasses the localities in which people live or work and can reasonably be expected to travel back and forth daily to their usual employment.

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Sustainability & Environmental Programs (SEP). SEP's mission is to provide policy, guidance, training, technical support, and Department oversight through coordination with DHS Components and consultation with the public. 

Serving as an Environmental Protection Specialist makes you a valuable member of the Department's team and mission. The primary purpose of these positions is to manage environmental protection and compliance activities to support the advancement of the Department's climate change initiatives. Typical assignments include:

  • Providing technical and program management services in support of integrating resilience, energy and sustainability and environmental considerations into program decision making throughout DHS and evaluates program effectiveness to facilitate compliance with laws, regulations, and executive orders.
  • Formulating policy, guidance, and oversight to facilitate compliance with applicable environmental energy laws, regulations, executive orders, and policies applicable to Federal Facilities in various environmental regulatory and energy regulatory areas.
  • Supporting senior analysts and engineers in the initiation, formulation and implementation of department-wide environmental, resilience, energy and sustainability policies and procedures to accomplish effective and innovative strategies in the assigned program area.
  • Examining and appraising all aspects of the Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EPHP) and Resilience, Energy and Sustainability Management (RESM) programs within DHS for conformance with Federal laws, regulations, Executive Orders, and DHS policy and procedures.
  • Advising the EPHP or RESM Program Directors of findings and recommendations.
  • Supporting DHS's climate adaptation and mitigation, energy efficiency and water conservation activities, sustainability management, and resilience planning in partnership with DHS components.
  • Coordinating and preparing periodic summaries and annual progress reports of sustainability and environmental programs for higher authority.
  • Coordinating with appropriate subject matter experts throughout the Department and interagency space to develop tools and communications materials which advance effective implementation and a common understanding of the sustainability and environmental actions throughout DHS.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation.
  • This position requires you to have access, safeguard, and store classified national security information on a regular basis. You must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
  • This is not a bargaining unit position.
  • This position is eligible for telework based on agency policy.
  • You will be required to complete an OGE 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, within 30 days of starting your federal employment and annually thereafter as long as you occupy a position that requires financial disclosure reporting.
  • Current and former federal employees within the General Schedule (GS) must meet the time-in-grade requirements outlined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

Please limit your résumé to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Please visit www.fletc.gov/site-page/employment-faqs website for further guidance regarding this page limit.

The qualification requirements listed below must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

To qualify for the GS-12 level:

You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, OR equivalent public or private sector experience. For this position, specialized experience is defined as: 1. Performing analytical duties to evaluate environmental and sustainability program effectiveness associated with the sampling, data collection, planning, evaluation, reviewing environmental technical reports, policies, and procedures; 2. Using analytical techniques to establish environmental protection procedures; AND 3. Writing reports to articulate recommended corrective/mitigation action or procedures for environmental compliance.

Time-in-Grade: Current and former GS federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11 grade level in the federal service. The time-in-grade requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

To qualify for the GS-13 level:

You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS- 12 grade level, OR equivalent public or private sector experience. For this position, specialized experience is defined as: 1. Analyzing environmental programs for compliance with Federal laws and regulations; 2. Identifying, developing, and implementing required environmental training programs; 3. Experience in compliance with Executive Orders affecting environmental programs; AND 4. Coordinating complex environmental projects involving air and water quality, management of hazardous and solid waste, recycling, underground and aboveground storage tanks, oil and hazardous substances, pesticide management, drinking water, and other environmental regulatory requirements.

Time-in-Grade: Current and former GS federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12 grade level in the federal service. The time-in-grade requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps and AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, and 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.

The Office of Personnel Management must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

If this position is filled at the GS-12 grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted without further competition when the supervisor determines that the duties of the higher grade level are being performed and all regulatory requirements have been met.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. (Note: Veteran’s preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View information on VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.)

Career Transition Assistance Program or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP/ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government as a civilian, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. Information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility may be found on OPM’s Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well-qualified under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Please limit your résumé to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Additional information

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation for Secret as a condition of placement into this position. This will include a credit check after a tentative job offer is given, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. Continued employment is contingent upon favorable adjudication of periodic reinvestigations.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Physical Demands: The work is sedentary; however, there are many short deadlines which may require working under stress.

Work Environment: The work typically is performed in an adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated office.

Re-employed annuitants’ annual salaries will be reduced by the amount of their retirement annuity and by further cost of living increases. FERS retirees receiving a FERS annuity supplement must also be aware that, like social security benefits, their FERS annuity supplement is subject to an earnings test and may be reduced if the salary earned is more than the social security exempt amount of earnings. Additional information is available on OPM’s website or by contacting OPM.

Additional selections may be made from this announcement within the same geographical area.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Any Offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance and U.S. Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, we will use multiple assessments to determine the degree to which your experience, education, and training demonstrate the following competencies needed to perform this job:

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3). If you are determined to be best-qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

1. Mastery of Federal, State, and local Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation laws, regulations, and guidelines, including the National Environmental Protection Act, sufficient to provide authoritative guidance in planning and executing agency policies and programs.

2. Expert knowledge of research, analysis, and evaluation of information-sufficient to coordinate Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation strategic planning and compliance management.

3. Expert knowledge of project management skills required to complete environmentally sound projects and documents on time and within budget.

4. Expert knowledge of and skill in communications and public relations techniques sufficient to effectively represent the agency at conferences, meetings, and consultations with Departmental officials, employee groups, unions, special interest groups, regulatory officials, concerning program objectives, compliance status, policies and special problems and issues.

The first assessment will consist of skilled-based questions designed to evaluate the degree to which you possess the skills needed to perform the duties of the positions being filled.  These questions are scored, and you must score at least 85 out of 100 points in order to be invited to participate in the second assessment.    

The second assessment is the Performance Assessment Network System (PANS) which is a predictive assessment that measures your cognitive ability and soft skills.  This assessment may take more than an hour and a half to complete; portions are timed; and may include videos. If you feel you have a disability that warrants additional time, please follow the instructions to request a reasonable accommodation (RA) prior to beginning the external assessment. Once you start the assessment you will no longer be able to make such a request. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration even if you have a pending RA request.  

PLEASE NOTE: Scores obtained after completing the Performance Assessment Network System (PANS) are valid for 6 months.  You will not be prompted to complete the PANS assessment if you have previously completed it within the last 6 months.

For more information click: https://www.fletc.gov/frequently-asked-questions-faq-pans


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