Duties

Summary

This position is in Region 3, Office of the Regional Administrator R3, Lab Services and Applied Science Division, Laboratory Services Branch, in Fort Meade, MD. If selected, you must work at the location stated in this announcement. About: Region 3 .

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

You will:

- Plan, organize, and direct the activities of the Laboratory Services Branch.

- Exercise supervisory personnel management responsibilities.

- Represent the Laboratory Services Branch and Agency with a variety of functional area organizations.

You will spend 25-50% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements.

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required.
• EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings.
• You must submit a resume and required documents (see How to Apply section).
• You may be required to travel 1 to 5 days each month.
• Pre-employment drug testing is required and random testing thereafter.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.

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.

If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter.

Participation in the medical monitoring program is required.

You will be required to obtain and maintain a top-secret security clearance.

If you are selected, you must complete (or have already completed) a 1-year supervisory or managerial probationary period.

Upon acceptance of an initial appointment to a supervisory or managerial position with the EPA, you agree to complete all elements of the EPA Successful Leaders Program. This development program is designed to enhance leadership skills and abilities and meet the Agency's goal of providing new leaders with the skills and tools you need to be successful.

If you are selected, you must complete a one year probationary period.

Pre-employment physical is required and periodic physicals thereafter.

Qualifications

In addition to the educational requirements, we are looking for 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 providing leadership, oversight or technical expertise of environmental analysis and sampling in a laboratory setting; coaching, mentoring or leading others; establishing and monitoring performance measures to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and progress of a team.

Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: 1) Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and practices of environmental analysis and sampling in a laboratory setting; 2) Knowledge of guidance related to the implementation of the rules and regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, ISO Quality Standards and National Environmental Laboratory Program (NELAP); 3) Ability to plan, organize, and direct the functions of subordinate organizational units; 4) Ability to mentor, motivate, and appraise staff; 5) Skill in oral communication; and 6) 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.

If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures .

Education

A bachelor's degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in:

Environmental Engineer: All applicants must meet one of the following requirements to qualify for consideration for an engineering position:

Successful completion of a professional engineering degree at an accredited university or college OR
Have a 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 degree 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.
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.

Physical Scientist: You must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in one of the following: 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 -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Chemist: You must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in one of the following: physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics; OR a combination of education and experience with education equivalent to one of the majors listed that included the described coursework.

Additional information

This position is not in the bargaining unit.

Are you a Displaced Federal Employee? If so, please read the Required Documents section and visit the EPA website for additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

EPA participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures .

Position has portable work and selectee may be authorized to telework after meeting eligibility requirements if approved by the supervisor/manager.

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.

Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed above.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

We will review your resume and required documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. Your resume must address the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in the Qualifications section. If you meet basic qualification requirements, your application will be further evaluated based on your answers to the online assessment. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for the position. You are being evaluated under the category rating method which means, if you are determined to be qualified, you will be placed into the ‘Best Qualified', ‘Well Qualified', or ‘Qualified' category.

We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. We will evaluate your qualifications and eligibility and notify you if you meet minimum qualification requirements. If you are referred for consideration, you may be subject to additional assessments.

NOTE: We do not require a separate statement responding to the competencies, also referred to as Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). However, your resume should clearly show possession of these competencies.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

Documents to be submitted online:

--Resume clearly stating your experience related to this position as described in the Duties section and Qualifications section. In describing your experience, you need to be clear and specific. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience.
--Responses to the online assessment questionnaire (you must complete this online - it is not a document you need to upload).
--College transcripts - required to submit either unofficial transcripts or a list of courses that includes school(s) attended, school address, course title, grades earned, completion dates, department, and quarter or semester hours earned. NOTE: Official educational transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if you are selected, you must provide official transcripts before you start work with EPA.
--Veterans' Preference Documents - DD-214 Member 4 copy (or other copy indicating character of service), VA letter stating overall/combined disability rating (percentage), and SF-15, if applicable; active duty service members: submit certification from the armed forces documenting active duty dates, expected discharge/release date, campaign medals/badges, and character of service (a certification is any written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged/released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after you submit the certification).
--Displaced Federal employees under ICTAP/CTAP: copy of your most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and your most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, tenure, and duty station.

Additional information can be found on our website: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures .

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.