Clarification from the agency

Federal employees (serving on a career/career-conditional appointment or covered under OPM's Interchange Agreement); Reinstatement/Transfer Eligible, 30% Disabled Vets, VRAs, Severely Handicapped; Preference eligible veterans or veterans separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three or more years of continuous active service.

Videos

The TCF career fields represent those technical fields where VA-specific knowledge and experience is desirable for success in the field. Individuals selected follow a formal training plan for two years during which they are trained, coached, and supervised by a preceptor. Preceptors are selected annually, through an extensive application process, for their technical expertise, their commitment to training and the suitability of their facility as a training location. *Selectees will be required to sign Mobility, Training, and Continued Service Agreements.

This is a developmental position leading to a GS-11, performing assignments intended to broaden skills and provide practical experience leading to progressively more complex assignments performed under progressively less supervision. The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.


Duties included but not limited to:

• The trainee applies working knowledge and a general understanding of environmental laws and regulation to assure compliance with applicable laws and regulation (e.g., for air emissions, wastewater discharge, solid and hazardous waste, fuel and oil storage, and spill prevention, among other areas)
• The trainee obtains and evaluates environmental data and supports GEMS program planning and implementation activities.
• The trainee collects and evaluates environmental data and compliance using appropriate analytical methods and techniques.
• The trainee recommends necessary changes, control measures, best practices, etc.
• The trainee assists with hazardous waste and residual shipping
• The trainee prepares and conducts briefings and writes reports and letters.
• The trainee supports environmental sustainability initiatives

Work schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not available
Position Description Title/PD#: Environmental Protection Specialist (TCF)/PD99441-S and PD99442-S

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Training-Service Agreement and Mobility Agreement required
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may 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.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/27/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5, For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.


You may qualify based on education and/or experience as described below:

GS-7

Specialized Experience GS-07: To be creditable for this position at the GS-07 level, applicants must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level of GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience for this position includes but is not limited to….Knowledge of the principles, practices, and methods of work relating to environmental protection programs. Knowledge of environmental laws and regulations. Knowledge of one or more environmental fields (biology, ecology, chemistry, hydrology, environmental law, or statistics). Knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations governing air emissions, hazardous materials, non-hazardous and hazardous waste, oil spills, water quality, and the storage of regulated substances. (E.G., petroleum products, chemicals, and wastes).

OR,

GS-7 Education: Applicants may substitute specialized experience with education. To be creditable through education at the GS-07 level, applicants must have 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement.

OR,

GS-7 Combination: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification for this position at the GS-07 level. Only graduate education more than the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for this position at the GS-09 level.

GS-9

Specialized Experience GS-09: To be creditable for this position at the GS-09 level, applicants must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level of GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience for this position includes but is not limited to….Knowledge of the principles, practices, and methods of work relating to environmental protection programs. Knowledge of environmental laws and regulations. Knowledge of one or more environmental fields (biology, ecology, chemistry, hydrology, environmental law, or statistics). Knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations governing air emissions, hazardous materials, non-hazardous and hazardous waste, oil spills, water quality, and the storage of regulated substances. (E.G., petroleum products, chemicals, and wastes). Knowledge in collecting environmental data, verifying results, and discuss technical aspects of he work with scientists, engineers, and other environmental experts.

OR,

GS-9 Education: Applicants may substitute specialized experience with education. To be creditable through education at the GS-09 level, applicants must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.

OR,

GS-9 Combination: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification for this position at the GS-09 level. Only graduate education more than the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for this position at the GS-09 level.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Chemistry
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Project Management
• Reading Comprehension

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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Physical Requirements: The work may require some physical effort (e.g., walking, standing, carrying light items such as manuals or briefcases, or driving or traveling by motor vehicle).

How you will be evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.