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Environmental Health Scientist

Department of Health and Human Services
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
ATSDR-OA-OD-OFFICE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH HAZARD ASSESSMENT

Summary

As a global leader in public health & health promotion, CDC is the agency Americans trust with their lives. In addition to our everyday work, each CDC employee has a role in supporting public health emergency management, whether through temporary assignments to emergency responses or sustaining other CDC programs and activities while colleagues respond. Join our team to use your talent, training, & passion to help CDC continue as the world's premier public health organization. Visit www.cdc.gov

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/10/2026 to 04/20/2026
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$127,829 - $182,316 per year

The salary will be adjusted to meet the locality pay of the duty location upon selection.

Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Locations
Denver, CO
1 vacancy
Atlanta, GA
1 vacancy
Lenexa, KS
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel 10% domestic for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
HHS-CDC-MP-26-12925262
Control number
864126200

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Duties

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As a Environmental Health Scientist you will:

  • Initiate and maintain scientific and technical liaison with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), other Federal, State, tribal, local and territorial agencies.
  • Lead expert analysis of environmental data associated with hazardous waste sites.
  • Provide scientific expertise required to assess site-specific public health impacts of identified hazardous substances and to develop appropriate responses for requests.
  • Provide technical advice, expertise, and recommendations regarding potential human health impacts resulting from exposure or potential exposure to hazardous substances.
  • Responsible for the development of public health assessments and/or consultations for complex and/or politically sensitive sites.
  • Attend, lead, and participate in public meetings to represent ATSDR and to clarify and defend ATDR's public health positions related to Public Health Assessments and Health Consultations.
  • Mentor new or junior staff.
  • Supervise a small contingent of position in a regional office.
  • Plan work to be accomplished by subordinates, set and adjust short-term priorities, and prepare schedules for completion of work, when necessary.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Due to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) process enhancement to use Shared Certificates throughout the Agency, some of the requirements below may differ:

  • US Citizenship required.
  • Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov).
  • May be subject to a Background/Security Investigation. Security clearance level may differ from the position announced when certificates are shared.
  • CDC participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
  • Direct deposit is required.
  • One-year probationary period may be required.
  • This position may be subject to a Collective Bargaining Agreement.
  • Time in grade (TIG) must be met within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.
  • This position has 20% supervisory duties, candidates must also have demonstrated or shown the potential to develop the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities. Applicants should describe any previous experience or responsibilities which could be used in relation to the supervisory requirements of this position.

Qualifications

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Basic Qualifications: Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree: major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (external link) at the time the degree was obtained.

Minimum Qualifications:

To qualify at the GS-GS-14 grade level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-13 grade level, which must include the following experience: leading a small team, providing technical guidance, and evaluating staff performance.; overseeing and/or conducting complex scientific evaluations of exposure to environmental contamination; establishing and maintaining scientific and technical collaborations with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, other federal, tribal, state, and local agencies.

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.

Education

Copy of your transcripts or equivalent documentation is required for positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying based on education or a combination of education and experience. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

College or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For more information, visit https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

May be required to work other than normal duty hours, to include evenings, weekends and/or holidays.

Government employees in series other than 0601 (e.g. 0415 - Toxicologist) can apply to the announcement.

The Federal government, as the largest employer in the Nation, can and should show the way towards achieving drug-free workplaces through programs designed to offer drug users a helping hand, and at the same time demonstrating to drug users and potential drug users that drugs will not be tolerated in the Federal workplace if declared a drug-testing position. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by Federal employees is inconsistent not only with the law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, but also with the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service. Current or Former Political Appointees: Submit SF-50.

Re-employed Annuitants, retired from federal civilian service, may be considered to fill vacancies.

Incentives:

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.

The utilization of shared certificates for additional selections within the same geographical area can be made from multiple Centers of the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as a(n) CTAP/ICTAP eligible see http://opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85.0 or above on the rating criteria for this position.

Reemployment Priority List (RPL): To receive selection priority for this position, individuals on the RPL must meet the qualification requirements, complete all required assessments and be rated as qualified. RPL candidates are ranked using Category Rating procedures.

Your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards within the last 3 years in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process.

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires two additional assessments:

SME Resume Review - Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume will be completed Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you meet the required specialized experience referenced in this announcement. If, after reviewing your resume, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position and may not move forward to the next phase of the hiring process.

Structured Interview - Upon determination the required specialized experience has been met, you may be invited to participate in a structured interview led by panel members to measure critical general competencies required to perform the job.

The Structured Interview includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in the below critical competencies:

  • Data Analysis
  • Project Management
  • Public Health
  • Stakeholder Management


You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the interview.

If you are found to be among the top-qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a major operating component of the Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation's leading science-based, data-driven, service organization that protects the public's health. For more than 75 years, we have put science into action to help children stay healthy so they can grow and learn; to help families, businesses, and communities fight disease and stay strong; and to protect the public's health.

In addition, CDC also has a critical preparedness and response mission: we protect the American people from health threats, research emerging diseases, and mobilize public health programs with domestic and international partners. CDC's 24/7 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) unites highly trained experts, well established processes, and state-of-the-art technology to coordinate resources and information as CDC responds to emergencies worldwide.

Every CDC employee has a role in supporting public health emergency management, whether through temporary assignments to emergency responses or sustaining other CDC programs and activities while colleagues respond.

CDC offers exciting and dynamic opportunities in Public Health with global impact. Examine how you can use your talent, training, and passion to help CDC continue as the world's premier public health organization. Please visit www.cdc.gov for more information.

Agency contact information

CDC HELPDESK
Phone
(770) 488-1725
Email
HRCS@CDC.GOV
Address
ATSDR-OA-OD-OFFICE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH HAZARD ASSESSMENT
4770 Buford Highway, NE
Atlanta, GA 30341
US

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