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Life Scientist/Environmental Engineer/Physical Scientist

Environmental Protection Agency
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is in Region 9, Land, Chemicals & Redevelopment Division, RCRA Branch, RCRA Site Remediation Section. About Region 9: Region 9

This is an office-centered position*--you must physically report to one of the duty stations stated in this announcement on a regular basis (location TBD after candidate selected).
*EPA offers work-from-home and work schedule flexibilities as described in the Benefits section.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open date: 07/16/2024
Closed date: 07/22/2024
Location
FEW vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
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.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$120,246 - $167,336 per year

Salary will be based on the duty location for which you are selected.

Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Promotion potential
13
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be required to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
EPA-Y9-DE-2024-0024
Control number
799965600

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Duties

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You will:

  • Design, prepare, oversee and/or review studies and/or technical documents to investigate the release of petroleum and/or hazardous contaminants to the environment, determine and oversee appropriate cleanup actions, and ensure long‐term effectiveness of cleanups.
  • Serve as the project management expert related to the clean‐up program and/or act as a designated subject‐matter expert related to technical complexities associated with site clean‐ up efforts.
  • Direct contractors and/or serve as the technical lead on contracting matters and/or oversee state partners in the performance of work to assess/evaluate and cleanup sites impacted by petroleum and/or hazardous contaminants.
  • Participate in, or lead, enforcement activities, including assisting in the identification of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs).
  • Lead/support community relations activities.

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

One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position.

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 will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter.

Participation in the medical monitoring program is required.

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.

You will be required to obtain (before coming on board) and maintain a valid driver’s license and must be able to operate a Government-owned or leased motor vehicle.

You will be required to meet ongoing specialized safety training requirements in order to meet field safety standards.

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 basic entry education requirements, you must have specialized experience and/or directly related education as described below:

To qualify for the GS-13 level, you must have 1 year of full-time* specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level defined as managing and/or leading the RCRA and/or LUST and/or TSCA cleanup process at controversial or difficult sites; leading the discussions on the findings/decisions related to the evaluation and remediation of sites contaminated by petroleum and/or hazardous contaminants with industry officials, community stakeholders, regulatory agencies, and/or the media.

Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: 

  • Ability to evaluate and utilize site cleanup techniques and technologies.
  • Knowledge of enforcement case development involving sites contaminated with petroleum and/or hazardous contaminants, including investigation/remediation, factfinding, tracking compliance with regulatory orders, and the execution of search warrants or access agreements.
  • Ability to establish goals and assess progress toward their achievement, and to adjust work operations and program objectives to meet targets.
  • Skill in meeting facilitation and oral communication.
  • Ability to utilize software programs to assist in data management and analysis, and for summarizing large amounts of information.
  • Knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental regulations.
  • Skill in written communication.
  • Knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), cost control procedures with regard to contractual assistance, and cost accounting record keeping and procedures.

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.

0401 - Life Science - You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR a combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major, as listed.

0819 - Engineering - 

All applicants must meet one of the following requirements to qualify for consideration for an engineering position:

  • Successful completion of a professional engineering degree at an accredited university or college

OR

  • Have a combination of college level education or training AND technical experience that has furnished you with (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering.  The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:
  1. Professional registration as an engineer.
  2. Evidence of passing the Engineer-in-Training written test.
  3. Successful documented completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences as described by OPM.
  4. Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field and at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

Please review the OPM page on specifics about required curriculum and for more information on qualifications, please visit GS-800: All Professional Engineering Positions qualifications.

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 on the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures
NOTE: To be entitled to selection priority, you must be rated well-qualified (i.e., you must fall into the Well Qualified category or higher--see the How You Will Be Evaluated section).

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.

We will review your resume and required documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. Your resume must address the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in the Qualifications section. If you meet basic qualification requirements, your application will be further evaluated based on your answers to the online assessment. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for the position. You are being evaluated under the category rating method which means, if you are determined to be qualified, you will be placed into the ‘Best Qualified’, ‘Well Qualified’, or ‘Qualified’ category. NOTE:  Applicants who are referred to the selecting official for consideration and are entitled to veterans’ preference in the hiring process must be selected, or decline further consideration, before applicants who are ineligible for veterans’ preference can be selected (to learn more, visit Veterans' Preference).

We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. We will evaluate your qualifications and eligibility and notify you if you meet minimum qualification requirements. If you are referred for consideration, you may be subject to additional assessments (e.g., technical writing sample or other work sample, job knowledge test, case scenario analysis, scientific data assessment, structured interview, etc.).

NOTE: We do not require a separate statement responding to the competencies, also referred to as Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). However, your resume should clearly show possession of these competencies.


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Environmental Protection Agency

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Agency contact information

Amani Clemons
Phone
513-569-7595
Email
clemons.amani@epa.gov
Address
Environmental Protection Agency
OMS/OHCO/RCD
1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW
WJC Bldg North, Mail Code 1448K
Washington, District of Columbia 20460
United States

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