Supervisory Life Scientist/Environmental Engineer/Physical Scientist

Duties

You will:

• Develop goals and objectives that integrate organization and program objectives. Establish, revise, or review policies, procedures, mission objectives, and organization design for the staff. This includes various preparedness, prevention and response programs, such as Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and Oil Pollution Act (OPA) emergency response under the National Contingency Plan.
• Direct, coordinate, and oversee work through subordinate supervisors. Advise staff regarding policies, procedures, and directives of higher level management or headquarters.
• Establish, develop, and maintain effective working relationships with other Division Managers including the Director, Deputy Directors, other Second-Level Supervisors, and high level officials outside of the Division and Region and in EPA Headquarters.

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

Qualifications

You need a degree or combination of education and experience as described below to qualify for this position.

Life Scientist, GS-0401: You must meet paragraph A or B to meet the basic educational requirement for this occupational series: A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or a related discipline appropriate to this position. -OR- B. Appropriate combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or a related discipline appropriate to this position.

Environmental Engineer, GS-0819: You must meet paragraph A or B to meet the basic educational requirement for this occupational series: A. Possess a degree in professional engineering from a school of engineering with at least one or more curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or possess a degree in professional engineering that included differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. -OR- B. Appropriate combination of education and experience--college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished: (1) a thorough knowledge of physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of 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) Current registration as a professional engineer by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico; or 2) Evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination or the written test required for professional registration, which is administered by the Boards of Engineering Examiners in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico; or 3) Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in paragraph A; or 4) Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or appropriate professional field (e.g., physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology) provided the applicant has 1 year professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

Physical Scientist, GS-1301: You must meet paragraph A or B to meet the basic educational requirement for this occupational series: A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in physical science, engineering, or mathematics. This coursework must have included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics. -OR- B. Appropriate combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

Additional Qualification Requirement: In addition to meeting at least one of the basic educational requirements listed above, you must have at least one year of specialized experience related to this position as described below.

To qualify for the GS-15 level, you need to have at least one year of full time experience equivalent to the GS-14 level defined as developing goals and objectives for preparedness, prevention and response programs, such as Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and Oil Pollution Act (OPA); advising staff on environmental policies; and establishing policies, procedures, mission objectives, and/or organization design for the staff.

Your answers to the on-line assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

• Skill developing program goals and objectives.
• Knowledge of policy and guidance related to the implementation of the rules and regulations under Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and Oil Pollution Act (OPA) emergency response under the National Contingency Plan.
• Knowledge of policy and guidance related to the implementation of the rules and regulations under Stafford Act response under National Response Framework,
• Homeland Security Preparedness.
• Knowledge of policy and guidance related to the implementation of the rules and regulations under Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) under Clean Water Act (CWA).
• Ability to plan, organize, and direct the functions of subordinate organizational units.
• Ability to mentor, motivate, and appraise staff.
• Ability to fulfill a leadership role in the multi-agency planning and preparedness process.
• Skill in providing leadership and strategic direction on a number of external, multi-agency teams.
• Skill in interpersonal relationships.
• Skill in oral communication.
• Skill in written communication.

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

As part of the application process, you are required to submit college transcripts or a list of courses as described in the Required Documents section of this announcement. However, if you are selected, you must provide official educational transcripts before you start work with EPA. More information on verification of education can be found here: http://www.epa.gov/careers/epa-job-vacancy-announcements-policies-and-procedures