This Senior Executive Service (SES) position is in Region 2, Laboratory Services and Applied Science Division. About Region 2.
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.
Summary
This Senior Executive Service (SES) position is in Region 2, Laboratory Services and Applied Science Division. About Region 2.
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.
Occasional travel - You may be required to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will be paid by EPA according to applicable rules. You can read more about these expenses on this web site: www.relocatefeds.gov
This position is located in the Laboratory Services and Applied Science Division, Region 2, (Edison, NJ). The Director is responsible for providing laboratory analytical support for regional programs. The position directs, coordinates, and oversees the Quality Assurance Program for the region, including the media divisions, states, tribes, contractors, and applicable local governments and programs. The Director is responsible for the planning, coordination, and execution of field and analytical activities, in support of the region’s media and enforcement programs. The Director oversees and coordinates the development of a rigorous training curriculum with the region’s states, tribes, local governments, media programs, and other countries.
Specific duties may include, but are not limited to:
- Directing and monitoring the work of the division to ensure that it meets the goals and adheres to the policies of the Region's and Agency's requirements.
- Working cooperatively with media and enforcement programs to evaluate the analytical and field service needs of those programs.
- Making decisions related to the administrative work of the division in order to make recommendations to the Regional Administrator.
- Coordinating with internal and external partners to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate decisions to the public as well as those partners.
- Establishing controls and benchmarks to evaluate the work and accomplishments of the programs that are under the purview of the division.
- Directing the day-to-day operations of the program.
- Performing supervisory personnel duties for a large group of subordinate supervisors and staff.
As an Agency senior leader, the incumbent will view policy and personnel decisions through both an Environmental Justice (EJ) and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) lens to support the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, grants, and policies regardless of race, color, national origin, or income. This includes consideration of the effect of their work on communities with environmental justice concerns. Engagement with impacted communities in decisions, integrating equity and justice and compliance with all civil rights requirements, will be taken into policy considerations and program implementation to ensure that EPA achieves its mission for all communities.
You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.
Pre-employment drug testing is required and random testing thereafter.
If you are selected, you must complete a 1-year SES probationary period, if not previously completed.
The Ethics in Government Act, P.L. 95-521, requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a financial disclosure statement, OGE-278, prior to assuming the SES position, annually, and upon termination of employment.
This position is designated as High 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 and maintain a top-secret security clearance.
#LI-Onsite
Qualifications
The work of this position is classified in the Program Management, 0340 series where the qualifications include both general management skills and characteristics that are applicable to all SES positions and technical or program responsibilities specific to this position. Applicants must have substantive general experience which provides a good basic or general knowledge of the principles of organization, management and administration; and substantive specialized (operating administrative or managerial) experience in a type of work or a combination of functions directly related to this position.
All applicants must have one year of specialized experience at a level close to the work of this job that demonstrates the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform in this role. Typically this experience can be found in work within this field or a field that is closely related.
As a basic requirement for entry into the Senior Executive Service, applicants must also provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Executive Core Qualifications and Technical Qualifications listed below.
A. Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) - Mandatory for competitive applicants - Failure to address these factors individually within a limit of ten (10) pages total will result in your application being disqualified, unless you are a noncompetitive eligible applicant.
ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE. Involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE. Involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN. Involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN. Involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS. Involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.
Your responses should be clear and concise and show a level of accomplishment and a degree of responsibility. Leadership competencies for each ECQ can be found in OPM's Guide to SES Qualifications.
B. Technical Qualifications (TQs) - Mandatory for all applicants - Failure to address these factors individually within a limit of two (2) pages per factor will result in your application being disqualified.
TQ 1: Demonstrated experience with implementing federal government requirements, policies, and current issues related to one or more environmental statutes.
TQ 2: Demonstrated experience leading the activities of a dynamic organization with a complex portfolio of work, and a diverse, multidisciplinary staff.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
Veterans’ preference is not applicable to the Senior Executive Service.
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.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Join EPA in protecting human health and the environment and enjoy many work life quality options! Working for the EPA offers you a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, 26 days of paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. To learn more about us, visit Life and Careers at EPA.
PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS (PSLF): As a federal employee, you may be eligible for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The PSLF program forgives the remaining balance on federal Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer, including EPA. Learn more: pslf.gov
This position has portable work. If selected for this position, you may be authorized to telework after meeting eligibility requirements if approved by the supervisor/manager. Telework is available based on agency policy.
A relocation or recruitment incentive may be offered to the selected candidate if applicable criteria are met. If you are selected and accept a relocation or recruitment incentive, you must sign/date a written service agreement in which you commit to complete a specified period of employment with the agency (for a relocation incentive, specified period of employment must be at the new duty station). NOTE: A relocation incentive is not full reimbursement of all relocation expenses.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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. If you meet basic qualification requirements, your application will be evaluated based on your narrative statements addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQs). It will then be forwarded to a three-member Rating Panel consisting of SES members for further review. The Rating Panel will decide which Best Qualified applicants will be issued to the Selecting Official by the Human Resources Office.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Join EPA in protecting human health and the environment and enjoy many work life quality options! Working for the EPA offers you a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, 26 days of paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. To learn more about us, visit Life and Careers at EPA.
PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS (PSLF): As a federal employee, you may be eligible for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The PSLF program forgives the remaining balance on federal Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer, including EPA. Learn more: pslf.gov
This position has portable work. If selected for this position, you may be authorized to telework after meeting eligibility requirements if approved by the supervisor/manager. Telework is available based on agency policy.
A relocation or recruitment incentive may be offered to the selected candidate if applicable criteria are met. If you are selected and accept a relocation or recruitment incentive, you must sign/date a written service agreement in which you commit to complete a specified period of employment with the agency (for a relocation incentive, specified period of employment must be at the new duty station). NOTE: A relocation incentive is not full reimbursement of all relocation expenses.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
NOTE: You should ensure your social security number, date of birth, and any other personal information are redacted.
-- Resume - Required for all applicants - State your experience related to this position as described in the Duties section and Qualifications section. In describing your experience, be clear and specific. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience.
-- Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) - Required for competitive applicants - Address in a narrative statement each of the five factors individually within a limit of ten (10) pages total. Exceeding this limit will result in disqualification of your application.
Competitive applicants are those who do not meet the requirements listed below for noncompetitive eligibility.
Noncompetitive applicants are not required to submit a narrative statement addressing the ECQs, but are encouraged to do so.
Address in your narrative the ECQs listed in the Qualifications section of this announcement. Your examples should use the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) model to emphasize your level of responsibilities, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives and level of contacts.
See information on the proper preparation of narrative statements and the CCAR model in OPM's Guide to SES Qualifications.
-- Technical Qualifications (TQs) - Required for all applicants - Address in a narrative statement each listed factor individually within a limit of two (2) pages per factor. Exceeding this limit will result in disqualification of your application.
Address in your narrative the TQs listed in the Qualifications section of this announcement. Your examples should use the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) model to emphasize your level of responsibilities, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives and level of contacts.
See information on the proper preparation of narrative statements and the CCAR model in OPM's Guide to SES Qualifications.
-- Proof of SES noncompetitive eligibility - Required for noncompetitive applicants - If you are currently serving under a Career SES appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the SES, or have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program approved by OPM, submit one of the following:
Certificate of completion from an OPM-approved SES Candidate Development Program (CDP). This applies only if your ECQs have been approved by an OPM Qualifications Review Board through the SES CDP.
SF-50 showing your status as a:
current Career SES appointee,
former Career SES appointee with career SES reinstatement eligibility, or
current or reinstatement eligible Career SES-equivalent executive who is/was employed in a Federal government agency that has an interchange agreement with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) allowing for movement between the agency’s SES-equivalent personnel system and the SES.
You are strongly encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application for this position.
You must provide specific examples of your education, experience, training and awards in the manner and order instructed below which are applicable to each Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) and Technical Qualification (TQ). Response to the five ECQs and TQs is mandatory. Failure to address the ECQs and TQs will result in your application being disqualified.
To begin the application process, click the Apply button to the top right on this screen, follow the prompts to log-in/register, submit all required documents, and complete the assessment questionnaire. To be considered, you must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the day the announcement closes.
As referenced in the Required Documents section, all required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS document portfolio feature.
It is recommended that you review your application materials after they have been uploaded to your application to ensure they conform to the requirements stated in the announcement.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your application, please contact the HR Specialist listed on the announcement.
If you cannot apply online, you must contact the HR Specialist listed below for assistance no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement. You must provide complete application materials by the day the announcement closes.
EPA welcomes applications from persons with disabilities. Through the reasonable accommodation process, we provide persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment that persons without disabilities enjoy. A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done. An accommodation removes workplace barriers and enables an applicant with a disability to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process, be considered for a position, and, if hired, perform the essential functions of their job.
The EPA National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators will provide assistance to you, the Human Resources Office, and/or the hiring official as needed. For more information, refer to EPA’s Reasonable Accommodation website. Below is more detailed information about how to request a reasonable accommodation during the application, selection, and hiring process:
• If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process (submitting the application or completing the application process), contact the Human Resources Office listed below no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement, and the Human Resources Office will work directly with you.
• If you are referred to the hiring official for consideration and need an accommodation during the selection process, including the interview, notify the person who contacted you from the hiring official’s office. If you do not hear back within three days about your reasonable accommodation request for the selection process, please notify EPA’s National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators via email at disabilityaccommodations@epa.gov.
• If you are selected and need an accommodation during the hiring process up to orientation, notify the HR Specialist who made the job offer to you.
Please note: Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. EPA
Mail Drop: C639-02
109 T.W. Alexander Drive, P.O. Box 12055
RTP, North Carolina 27711
United States
Next steps
It is your responsibility to check your USAJOBS account for application status information. You can track the progress of your application via your USAJOBS account by clicking the Track This Application link. Your USAJOBS application status will appear in your profile if your application was received successfully; if your submission was not received, the application status will show as unavailable. After the announcement closes, the Human Resources Office will conduct a review of your application package. If your application is complete and you meet basic qualification requirements, it will be forwarded to a three-member Rating Panel consisting of SES members for further review of your narrative statements addressing the required ECQs and TQs. The Rating Panel will decide which Best Qualified applicants will be referred to the Selecting Official by the Human Resources Office. Interviews are arranged through the Selecting Official. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement. Your application status will change in USAJOBS when updates are available for each step of the process.
NOTE: We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
NOTE: You should ensure your social security number, date of birth, and any other personal information are redacted.
-- Resume - Required for all applicants - State your experience related to this position as described in the Duties section and Qualifications section. In describing your experience, be clear and specific. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience.
-- Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) - Required for competitive applicants - Address in a narrative statement each of the five factors individually within a limit of ten (10) pages total. Exceeding this limit will result in disqualification of your application.
Competitive applicants are those who do not meet the requirements listed below for noncompetitive eligibility.
Noncompetitive applicants are not required to submit a narrative statement addressing the ECQs, but are encouraged to do so.
Address in your narrative the ECQs listed in the Qualifications section of this announcement. Your examples should use the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) model to emphasize your level of responsibilities, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives and level of contacts.
See information on the proper preparation of narrative statements and the CCAR model in OPM's Guide to SES Qualifications.
-- Technical Qualifications (TQs) - Required for all applicants - Address in a narrative statement each listed factor individually within a limit of two (2) pages per factor. Exceeding this limit will result in disqualification of your application.
Address in your narrative the TQs listed in the Qualifications section of this announcement. Your examples should use the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) model to emphasize your level of responsibilities, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives and level of contacts.
See information on the proper preparation of narrative statements and the CCAR model in OPM's Guide to SES Qualifications.
-- Proof of SES noncompetitive eligibility - Required for noncompetitive applicants - If you are currently serving under a Career SES appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the SES, or have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program approved by OPM, submit one of the following:
Certificate of completion from an OPM-approved SES Candidate Development Program (CDP). This applies only if your ECQs have been approved by an OPM Qualifications Review Board through the SES CDP.
SF-50 showing your status as a:
current Career SES appointee,
former Career SES appointee with career SES reinstatement eligibility, or
current or reinstatement eligible Career SES-equivalent executive who is/was employed in a Federal government agency that has an interchange agreement with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) allowing for movement between the agency’s SES-equivalent personnel system and the SES.
You are strongly encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application for this position.
You must provide specific examples of your education, experience, training and awards in the manner and order instructed below which are applicable to each Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) and Technical Qualification (TQ). Response to the five ECQs and TQs is mandatory. Failure to address the ECQs and TQs will result in your application being disqualified.
To begin the application process, click the Apply button to the top right on this screen, follow the prompts to log-in/register, submit all required documents, and complete the assessment questionnaire. To be considered, you must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the day the announcement closes.
As referenced in the Required Documents section, all required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS document portfolio feature.
It is recommended that you review your application materials after they have been uploaded to your application to ensure they conform to the requirements stated in the announcement.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your application, please contact the HR Specialist listed on the announcement.
If you cannot apply online, you must contact the HR Specialist listed below for assistance no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement. You must provide complete application materials by the day the announcement closes.
EPA welcomes applications from persons with disabilities. Through the reasonable accommodation process, we provide persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment that persons without disabilities enjoy. A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done. An accommodation removes workplace barriers and enables an applicant with a disability to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process, be considered for a position, and, if hired, perform the essential functions of their job.
The EPA National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators will provide assistance to you, the Human Resources Office, and/or the hiring official as needed. For more information, refer to EPA’s Reasonable Accommodation website. Below is more detailed information about how to request a reasonable accommodation during the application, selection, and hiring process:
• If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process (submitting the application or completing the application process), contact the Human Resources Office listed below no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement, and the Human Resources Office will work directly with you.
• If you are referred to the hiring official for consideration and need an accommodation during the selection process, including the interview, notify the person who contacted you from the hiring official’s office. If you do not hear back within three days about your reasonable accommodation request for the selection process, please notify EPA’s National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators via email at disabilityaccommodations@epa.gov.
• If you are selected and need an accommodation during the hiring process up to orientation, notify the HR Specialist who made the job offer to you.
Please note: Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. EPA
Mail Drop: C639-02
109 T.W. Alexander Drive, P.O. Box 12055
RTP, North Carolina 27711
United States
Next steps
It is your responsibility to check your USAJOBS account for application status information. You can track the progress of your application via your USAJOBS account by clicking the Track This Application link. Your USAJOBS application status will appear in your profile if your application was received successfully; if your submission was not received, the application status will show as unavailable. After the announcement closes, the Human Resources Office will conduct a review of your application package. If your application is complete and you meet basic qualification requirements, it will be forwarded to a three-member Rating Panel consisting of SES members for further review of your narrative statements addressing the required ECQs and TQs. The Rating Panel will decide which Best Qualified applicants will be referred to the Selecting Official by the Human Resources Office. Interviews are arranged through the Selecting Official. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement. Your application status will change in USAJOBS when updates are available for each step of the process.
NOTE: We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
