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Physical Scientist

Environmental Protection Agency
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is in Region 10, Laboratory Services & Applied Science Division, Quality & Air Assessment Branch. About Region 10: Region 10

This is an office-centered position*--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis.
*EPA offers work-from-home and work schedule flexibilities as described in the Benefits section.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
07/09/2024 to 07/15/2024
Salary
$97,376 to - $150,535 per year

Salary will be based on the grade level for which you are selected.

Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Location
Seattle, WA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—NOTE: If you are an EPA employee who currently works at a remote work location (i.e., full-time telework), your approval for remote work does not transfer to this position.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be required to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
EPA-ZX-ODH-2024-0012
Control number
798830800

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Duties

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At the entry level of this position, you will:

  • Lead and coordinate the work of a multi-specialty air quality science team of supporting scientists and engineers conducting field investigations to identify and address gaps, optimizing movable air quality laboratory (MAQL) effectiveness, and gathers and analyze samples and data to write reports to communicate results to internal and external stakeholders.  EPA Region 10’s Mobile Air Quality Laboratory (MAQL) is equipped with state-of-the-science ambient air monitoring equipment including the following instrumentation: Aerodyne Research Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSMx), Aerodyne Research Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (B4-VOCUS CIMS), Ionicon PTR-4000, Vaisala Ceilometer, Cooper Xact625i, Magee AE33, Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (TSI SMPS), and Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS).
  • Serve as Region 10’s sole technical expert to provide technical advice and assistance for field assessments of air quality monitoring and meteorological sites operated by tribal and environmental justice communities throughout the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska.
  • Have lead responsibility for ensuring that air monitoring sites meet complex air data quality assurance requirements under the Clean Air Act regulations.

You will spend less than 25% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements.

When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses.  NOTE:  Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings.
  • You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.
  • Position has education requirements--see Qualifications/Education section.
  • You must be a U.S. citizen.

#LI-Onsite

If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.

This position is designated as Moderate Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.

Qualifications

NOTE:  You must meet qualification requirements, including any requirements described in the Education section, by the closing date of this announcement.

In addition to the educational requirements, we are looking for at least one year of specialized experience related to this position as described below:

To qualify for the GS-12 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as assisting in the conduction of field assessments of air/environmental quality monitoring and
meteorological sites operated by state, local, tribal agencies.

To qualify for the GS-13 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-12 level defined as conducting and analyzing the data received from air quality & meteorological measuring systems.
air quality measurement systems, laboratory methods and operations.

Your application package will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: 

  • Knowledge of the Clean Air Act (CAA), and/or other relevant environmental laws, documentation and reporting requirements.
  • Knowledge of various areas of atmospheric and other physical sciences.
  • Ability to use sophisticated computer applications to access data, prepare statistical analyses, and to develop graphical displays of the data.
  • Skill in oral communication.
  • Skill in written communication.

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.

*If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Education

You need a degree or combination of education and experience as described below to qualify for this position.

1301 - Physical Science - You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in 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 a combination of education and experience with education equivalent to one of the majors listed that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Additional information

Are you a Displaced Federal Employee? If so, please read the Required Documents section and visit the EPA website for additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures

EPA participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information:  EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA.  Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility.

Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed above.

This position is in the bargaining unit.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at EPA. Our excellence can only be fully realized by staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the Agency’s workplace and mission. We encourage applications from candidates with a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization. The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve. To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA.

How you will be evaluated

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

This position is being filled through the Office of Personnel Management’s government-wide direct-hire authority.  Under the provisions of the direct-hire authority, category rating, veterans’ preference, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply.  All eligible applicants will be forwarded to the selecting official for further consideration, and you may be subject to assessments during the selection process (e.g., technical writing sample or other work sample, job knowledge test, case scenario analysis, scientific data assessment, structured interview, etc.).  If you are selected, we will review your resume and required documents to ensure you meet the qualification requirements.


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