Clarification from the agency

Open to the public

Videos

As an Environmental Scientist, you will perform the following duties:

• Serve as the technical expert and principal science advisor in coordinating complex response and assessment activities during response to emergency events, to include through on-site participation as a team member or team leader. Develop plans for evaluating natural resource injuries resulting from hazardous material releases, including selecting sampling and analytical protocols. Actively coordinate scientific response activities and provide recognized leadership based on previous response experience with government agencies, academics, industry, and community representatives, as appropriate. Provide access to expert scientific and technical guidance in experimental design, data management, data analysis, and reporting for oil and hazardous materials spill response.
• Oversee activities related to pollution threats in marine environments. Integrate project needs with larger Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) and Emergency Response Division (ERD) programs, and provide expert advice on new project directions. Provide expertise to design planning and execution of response and assessment. Maintain professional competence within the field of pollutant response and assessment. Attend and provide presentations at professional meetings, symposia, and conferences of national and international significance, serving as an agency leader and program expert in technical and policy matters.
• Provide programmatic guidance on the development and use of databases and models the division uses for response. Represent ERD and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on emerging areas of interest, risk and development (e.g. specialized regional, national or international preparedness and response projects, new research, outreach to specialized communities, dignitaries and congress). Lead work groups developing new guidance, technology, techniques and protocols.
• Provide expert interpretation of scientific information and represent NOAA/ERD at meetings on technical and policy issues relevant to assessment and response to pollutants in marine environments. The employee will serve at regional or national levels as the incident dictates and may serve as the NOAA team lead during hazardous materials spill responses. The employee may also represent a cross-NOAA leadership and coordination role during disaster and emergency response.

Note: The duties above are described at the full performance level of GS-14; the GS-13 is developmental leading to such performance.

Conditions of employment

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel Systems (CAPS). This system replace the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.

The ZP-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14

Key Requirements:

1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
2. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
3. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
4. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
5. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
6. This position is in the bargaining unit, this position is covered by (1429)

• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience OR substitution of education for experience OR combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements:
To qualify for the 0401 series:
EDUCATION:
A. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

AND

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.

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.

To qualify at the GS-13 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

• Evaluating the effects of environmental pollution on marine resources or participating in emergency response mitigation efforts for pollution events; and
• Disseminating scientific and technical information, or information on disaster response policy, or on hazardous substances spills, to collaborating stakeholders.

To qualify at the GS-14 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

• Coordinating teams or workgroups involved in the environmental pollution or disaster response field;
• Communicating potentially controversial scientific, technical data or policy information in formal settings (e.g. briefings, presentations, conferences, committees, etc.); and
• Coordinating emergency management, environmental protection, or pollution response outreach.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is performed primarily in an office setting. When conducting response or research in the field, work from aircraft, ships, and shore may be required. The employee may be asked to be on-call and be available for immediate contact via government provided cell phone and/or laptop computer, unless on authorized leave. The employee is expected to be prepared and able to respond and travel almost immediately upon request for emergency response. The employee will be required to drive either government vehicles or rental cars, potentially at night and under adverse weather conditions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: While the work is primarily sedentary, occasional fieldwork will be required. Field activities may require considerable physical stamina, some discomfort, and moderate personal risk. As part of response and assessment teams; the employee will be required to function under potentially rigorous environmental conditions with minimal support facilities; walking over rough, uneven, sandy or rocky surfaces; use of a daypack with lightweight field gear; working efficiently and safely while using personal protective equipment under potential extremes of temperature and in environments containing potentially dangerous wildlife and hazardous chemicals. Long days (14-16 hrs) during disaster responses are not unusual. The training and use of personal protective equipment and procedures will be required (i.e., CPR/AED, life jackets, emergency locators, PPE, etc.), some of which will require time in a swimming pool or water body with trained instructors.

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, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position.

Veteran's Preference does not apply to direct hire recruitment procedures.

Any selections made under this notice will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Therefore, Current Federal employees would be given new appointments to the civil service and may have to serve a new probationary period under CFR 315.802 (b).

NOTE: A one year probationary period will be required under the Direct Hire Authority unless you are a current Department of Commerce employee and are in the same line of work and with no more than a 30 day break in service.

NOTE: If it is determined that you have rated yourself higher than is supported in your description of experience and/or education as described in your resume/application, or that your resume or application is incomplete, you may be rated ineligible and/or not qualified.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12141398