Duties

Summary

This position is in Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), Office of Civil Enforcement, Air Enforcement Division (AED). If selected, you must work at the location stated in this announcement. About Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) OECA

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

At the entry level of this position, you will:

• Review and evaluate alternative and sometimes conflicting engineering/scientific techniques of an advanced nature for their effectiveness and efficiency and suggest technical requirements necessary to support the advanced analytical objectives. Identifies discrepancies or inadequacies in scientific and technical reports.
• Maintain current knowledge of advanced science and technology as it directly relates to the assigned program. Evaluate standards or criteria for adequacy in light of emerging scientific knowledge, technologies and changing needs, and recommends new standards as appropriate.
• Provide technical consultation to the enforcement officials, general counsel, regional offices, and state officials and Department of Justice DOJ, serving as an authoritative source of scientific and technical expertise in the program area. Provides general technical consultation and guidance within and outside the agency.
• Conduct inspections and investigations of regulated facilities for compliance with applicable regulations, permit, or other federal requirements, according to Agency policy and procedures. Review data and information for complex, single- or multi-media field sampling and analytical activities. Perform pre- and post-inspection duties such as gathering and evaluating information and analyzing facility records for compliance.

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.

One or more positions may be filled.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be required to travel up to 25 percent or less of each month.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required.
• You will be required to lift items weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Position has education requirements--see Qualifications/Education section.
• You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.
• EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.

If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.

This position is designated as Moderate 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.

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-12 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as experience in providing national direction, leadership, and consistency in case selection, case development, litigation and resolution of civil judicial and administrative enforcement actions pursuant to its statutory authorities.

Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

Skill in resolving problems and recommends solutions concerning priority of operational needs, coordination, investigation and planning.

Ability to explain, interpret, and promulgate agency decisions an determinations.

Knowledge of advanced engineering, technical or scientific concepts in the program area that enables the engineer/scientist to provide expert advice.

Ability to evaluate the limits of present and emerging technologies to determine the long-term research and development needs of the agency.

Skill to serve as an expert witness in court cases in judicial proceedings on the technical and scientific basis of Federal regulations and on scientific technical data.

Knowledge of methods and techniques used to develop standards and regulations and of the reasonableness and acceptability of standards and regulations when challenged in court.

Skill in preparing reports documenting inspection findings, site observations and evidence collected.

Ability to conceive, conduct, direct, and advise on results of engineering/scientific studies, investigations and inspections regarding, the status of compliance efforts.

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

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

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

All Professional Engineering Positions, 0800 (Series 0819, 0893)

Basic Requirements:
A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a
degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2)
include 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. Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or
technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and
mathematical sciences underlying 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:

1. Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern
(EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any
State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of
qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by
means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are
eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of
their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State
Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated
eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.

2. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of
Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration

by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of
Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

3. Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of
courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the
courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be
fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as
described in paragraph A.

4. Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's
degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics,
chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may
be accepted in lieu of a degree in engineering, provided the applicant has
had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional
engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an
established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering
competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g.,
in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not allinclusive.)

General Physical Science Series, 1301

Basic Requirements:
1. Degree: 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
2. Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above
that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus
appropriate experience or additional education.

For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures .

Additional information

This position is 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 .

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.

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

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
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)

Trust determination process

Required Documents

Documents to be submitted online:

NOTE: You should ensure your social security number, date of birth, and any other personal information are redacted.

--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 (see page 2 of the SF-15 for documents that can be submitted in lieu of the DD-214 and VA letter); 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.

To learn more about submitting documentation, visit Uploading Documents to USAJOBS .

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.