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NATURAL RESOURCE SPECIALIST

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Reclamation
Lower Colorado Basin Region, Phoenix Area Office, Environmental Resource Management Division.

Summary

Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a NATURAL RESOURCE SPECIALIST. You can make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment.

Duty Location: Lower Colorado Basin Region, Phoenix Area Office located in Glendale, AZ.
Full time telework/remote work not available; if selected you will be expected to report to the office in Glendale, AZ.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/08/2026 to 04/22/2026
Salary
$78,117 - $121,720 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Glendale, AZ
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—As determined by the agency policy. Full time telework or remote work is not available.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel occasionally (some overnight stays) for this position to attend meetings, conferences, training, site visits, etc.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
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
BOR-LCB-26-MP-12928952-RW
Control number
864286500

Duties

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The primary duties of this position are:

  • Leads and/or participates as a member of interdisciplinary teams for the purpose of ensuring compliance for Phoenix Area Office (PXAO) actions with the requirements of environmental compliance laws (e.g. NEPA, Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act) and associated regulations, policies and guidance.
  • Serves as a technical subject matter expert on policy, laws, regulations, Executive Orders, and directives related to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
  • Advises stakeholders and Federal, State, local, and tribal partner agencies on Federal responsibilities and the requirements of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and regulations, policies, and/or guidance related to the implementation of NEPA.
  • Ensures the appropriate NEPA classification of a proposed project, i.e., Categorical Exclusion (CE), Environmental Assessment (EA), and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
  • Integrates NEPA and environmental compliance requirements into PXAO programs and activities affecting land and water resources.
  • Coordinates with Federal agencies, Indian tribes, State agencies, and local entities on NEPA compliance activities, environmental reviews, and related regulatory requirements.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
You must be suitable for federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
You must submit a resume and supporting documentation (see Required Documents).
You must submit a performance appraisal if you are a current or former federal employee (see Required Documents).
You must submit eligibility documents for veterans consideration (see Required Documents).
You must meet any minimum education and/or experience requirements (see Qualifications).
You must submit transcript(s) to verify education requirements (see Qualifications/Education).
You must maintain a valid State Driver's License at all times as the position requires operation of government vehicles on government and public roads. Failure to maintain a valid State Driver's License at all times will result in removal from the position.
Applicants must meet all qualification requirements, including time in grade requirements and any selective factors, by the closing date of the announcement.

Continue to the Additional Information section for the Condition of Employment For Probationary Period.

Who May Apply:

  • Bureau of Reclamation Employees (Competitive)
  • Bureau of Reclamation Employees (Non-Competitive)
  • Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)
  • Department of the Interior Employees (Competitive)
  • Department of the Interior Employees (Non-Competitive)
  • Federal Employees (Competitive Transfer)
  • Federal Employees (Non-Competitive Transfer)
  • Former Federal Employees (Competitive Reinstatement)
  • Former Federal Employees (Non-Competitive Reinstatement)
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA)
  • Military Spouses
  • Miscellaneous Appointing Authorities
  • Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)

Qualifications

You must meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade restrictions and any selective factors, by the closing date of this announcement. There is no education substitution for Time in Grade requirements.

BASIC INDVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT (IOR) - GS-0401: In order to qualify for this position, you must possess both the Basic Education Requirement and Minimum Qualification.

Basic Education Requirement:

A. Completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. NOTE: To be found qualified under this option, you must submit transcripts (official or unofficial) to verify your education.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: a combination of education and experience that consisted of courses equivalent to a major (24 semester hours) in fields such as those shown in response A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The quality of the combination of education and experience is sufficient to demonstrate that I possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major in the appropriate field. NOTE: To qualify under this option, you must submit transcripts to verify your education and include proof of your experience in the text of your resume.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT: To qualify for the position (in addition to meeting the basic IOR requirement above), your resume must clearly describe specialized experience that demonstrates the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities as follows:

To qualify at the GS-11 grade level, your resume must demonstrate at least one year of full-time specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-09 grade level or pay band in the Federal Service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized Experience must demonstrate all the following: Conducting detailed NEPA analysis; participating on teams for NEPA projects; developing and participating in public involvement efforts for NEPA projects; preparing Categorical Exclusion Checklists, Environmental Assessments, Findings of No Significant Impact, Environmental Impact Statements, Records of Decisions, or other documentation on environmental issues.
OR
Your transcripts must reflect you have completed
of three years of progressively higher-level graduate education at an accredited college or university leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in related field appropriate to this position.
OR
An equivalent combination of professional experience and graduate level education beyond the second year which together equals 100% of the requirements. (When combining education with experience, first determine the total qualifying education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then determine the experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; finally, add the two percentages. (The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level.)

To qualify at the GS-12 grade level, your resume must demonstrate at least one year of full-time specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-11 grade level or pay band in the Federal Service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized Experience must demonstrate all the following: Personally preparing, overseeing the preparation of, and/or reviewing documents required for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) including Categorical Exclusions, Environmental Assessments, and Environmental Impact Statements; reviewing NEPA documents (Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements) prepared by other agencies and parties; serving as subject matter expert to management on requirements of environmental compliance and planning; leading and/or participating on teams in the development of Environmental Impact Statements.

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, the HR Office must be able to determine that you meet the education and specialized experience requirement - this information must be clearly supported in the resume.

Your resume must clearly reflect ALL of the experience listed above - if it does not, your application will be marked as not qualified.

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.

Time-In-Grade: Current career or career-conditional employees of the Federal government, or former career or career-conditional employees, who have a break in service of less than one year, are required to meet the time-in-grade restriction of one year of Federal experience at the next lower-grade, with few exceptions outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b).

Selective Placement Factor: This position requires a current, valid Driver's License. Failure to provide proof of such license will cause you to be rated ineligible for this position.

Physical Demands: Work is generally performed in an office setting with trips to the field, meeting attendance, and training. On rare occasions, field or site visits may involve moderate risks or discomfort due to outdoor weather conditions. Occasional field surveys and site visits may involve considerable walking over varied terrain. Required to carry light documents in the office and personal field gear for surveys and site visits. Sedentary, moderately stressful work.

Promotion Potential:
If you are selected at the lower grade, promotions may be made at a later date without further competition. However, identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote you at some future date. Such promotions will depend upon administrative approval, the continuing need for an actual assignment and the demonstrated performance of higher-level duties. Full performance level is GS-12.

You must meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including time-in-grade restrictions and any selective placement factors if applicable, by 04/22/2026.

Education

This vacancy announcement allows substituting education for experience at the GS-11 grade level only. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not-qualified for the position.

This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. Non-submission will result in being rated not-qualified for the position.

You will be required to provide official college transcripts to verify educational qualifications, if selected. An official transcript must be sent directly from the University's Registrar's office and must be provided from the institution awarding the degree. Academic transcripts certified by notary publics are NOT official. Official transcripts must be submitted prior to reporting to work as a condition of employment. Failure to submit official transcripts may be grounds for dismissal or rescission of the job offer.

Accreditation: Only education from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education is acceptable to meet education requirements or to substitute for experience, if applicable. For additional info, refer to the Office of Personnel Management and U.S. Department of Education.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For additional info, refer to the U.S. Network for Education Information.

Additional information

Condition of Employment For Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-Year Probationary Period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your Probationary Period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Telework: Reclamation has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and you may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval. Full time telework or remote work is not available for this position.

Relocation Expenses: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) expenses may be authorized, as applicable, with the exception of the Guaranteed Home Sale Provision. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), signed into law December 2017, suspends the moving expense deduction and the exclusion from income of qualified employer reimbursements of moving expenses that was allowed under previous tax laws. Employer reimbursements for moving costs are now generally taxed at the same rate as ordinary income.

E-Verify: DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including applicant rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/

Background Investigation: This position is designated as a MODERATE RISK Public Trust position. It requires a fully completed and favorably adjudicated Public Trust Suitability Background Investigation (T2S or T2RS or equivalent) that is current (within the last 5 years). This is a condition of employment.

Selective Service Registration: Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify registration with the Selective Service System or that the applicant is exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Go to: https://www.sss.gov

Valid State Driver's License: As a condition of employment, this position requires a valid State Driver's License at all times as the position requires operation of government vehicles on government and public roads.

Non-Bargaining: This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

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.

Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide to the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Technical Competence
In order 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 successful completion of additional assessment(s), including a including a structured subject matter expert resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

The application questionnaire can be previewed here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12928952

Your answers will be verified against information provided in your resume. Your resume must clearly support the responses to all the questions by addressing experience, education, and/or training relevant to this position. You must make a fair and accurate assessment of your qualifications. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than what is apparent in the description of your experience, competencies, skills, and/or education/training (or that your resume/application is incomplete), you could be rated ineligible or your score could be lowered.

For evaluating the quality of candidates for referral to the selecting official, a three-phased process will be used.

Phase 1:
Applicant resumes will be reviewed by Human Resources to ensure they meet the basic qualification requirements (see definition of specialized experience). If applicants meet basic qualifications, they will continue on to the second phase.

Phase 2: Candidates who pass the first phase will have their resumes forwarded to a Subject Matter Expert who will review and score them based on the competencies listed above.

Phase 3: Candidates will be given a final score which combines the scores from the first and second phases. Those candidates who score as best qualified will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies with the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s). Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. You may choose to opt in of having your information shared with other agencies when applying for this position. If an agency requests a copy of a certificate you are on, you will be notified.

Bureau of Reclamation

The Bureau of Reclamation is a contemporary water management agency best known for constructing dams, powerplants, and canals in the 17 western United States, having constructed more than 600 dams and reservoirs. We are the largest wholesaler of water and the second-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States.

Our mission is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. We place great emphasis on fulfilling our water delivery obligations, water conservation, water recycling and reuse, and developing partnerships with our customers, states, and Native American Tribes. We also find ways to bring together various interests to address the competing needs for limited water resources.

Our core values are professional excellence, safety, and respect. We are results-oriented. We share a personal commitment to protecting the safety of each other, contractors, customers, as well as the people and communities served by our projects. We embrace a culture of respectfor people through our ethical behavior and with clear, effective communication.

Agency contact information

Russell Woods
Email
russell_woods@ios.doi.gov
Address
Lower Colorado Basin
Bureau of Reclamation
6150 West Thunderbird Rd
Glendale, AZ 85306-4001
US

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https://www.usbr.gov

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