Environmental Engineer/Physical Scientist/Life Scientist

Summary This position is in Region 8, Water Division, Safe Drinking Water Branch, Partnerships and Data Section. About Region 8 : Region 8 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. Responsibilities At the entry level of this position, you will: Supports the Region’s Public Water Supply Supervision (PWSS) Program Expert and Section Supervisor. Serves as a regional support for the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Expert and rule manager for National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, including the Operator Certification Program, Capacity Development, and Cyber-security Actions. Serves as a Project Officer on SDWA grants, and other water management grants as assigned, to ensure that national PWSS Program and Grants Management objectives are achieved. Maintains databases to input, verify, and retrieve PWSS Program data and information for states and/or tribes. When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses. NOTE: Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level. You will spend less than 25% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements. One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section. You must be a U.S. citizen. Position has education requirements--see Qualifications/Education section. EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings. 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 must meet time in grade requirements no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement. This position requires the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). #LI-DNI Qualifications NOTE: You must meet qualification requirements, including any requirements described in the Education section, by the closing date of this announcement. In addition to the basic entry education requirements, you must have specialized experience and/or directly related education as described below: To qualify for the GS-11 level, you must have one of the following: 1 year of full-time specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level defined as providing technical expertise or oversight for a state or tribal program under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree; or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; the education must be directly related and provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position equivalent combination of education and experience NOTE: 1 year of full-time graduate education is the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study; if that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours is considered an academic year of graduate study. To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must have 1 year of full-time* specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level defined as providing broad technical expertise or oversight for a state or tribal program under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and is responsible for planning and carrying out the assignment; resolving most of the conflicts which arise; and coordinating the work with others. Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: Ability to assist the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Expert and Section Supervisor within the region for the oversight and implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Ability to analyze opportunities for program improvement and communicates these opportunities with the States and Tribes. Skill in developing and/or analyze proposals for new or revised drinking water protection regulations, treatment techniques, engineering practices, environmental systems. Ability to analyze programs to ensure that current technical and engineering practices are reflected in the program plans and implementation. Ability to advise on technical issues pertaining to the Safe Drinking Water Act. Knowledge of drinking water regulations, water quality parameters, and water treatment practices. Skill in maintaining and obtaining Public Water System (PWS) data to support regional program needs and external requests. 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. *If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Education 0401 Life Scientist You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR a combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major, as listed 0819 Environmental Engineer You must have one of the following: Successful completion of a professional engineering degree at an accredited university or college OR Combination of college level education or training AND technical experience that has furnished you with (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the 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: Professional registration as an engineer. Evidence of passing the Engineer-in-Training written test. Successful documented completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences as described by OPM. Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field and at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. 1301 Physical Scientist You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics; OR a combination of education and experience with education equivalent to one of the majors listed that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Please review the OPM page on specifics about required curriculum and for more information on qualifications, please visit GS-800: All Professional Engineering Positions qualifications. Additional Information Are you a Displaced Federal Employee? If so, please read the Required Documents section and visit the EPA website for additional information on the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures NOTE: To be entitled to selection priority, you must be rated well-qualified (i.e., you must have a score of 87 or higher--see the How You Will Be Evaluated section). 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. If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility. This position is in the bargaining unit.