Duties

Summary

This position is in Office of Water (OW). If selected, you must work at the location stated in this announcement. About OW: OW Website .

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

You will:

• Lead the Water Reuse Team in the immediate office of the Assistant Administrator for Water and lead an informal team of experts across the agency. Determine staffing plans for the team, develop program operating plans, oversee program operations, lead staff, and produce high-quality deliverables.
• Lead, oversee, and manage the necessary resources commensurate with EPA's leadership role on water reuse, including implementation of the Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP). Oversee the use of extramural and contract funds and the preparation of statements of work under contract work assignments or task orders as well as assistance agreements. coordinates with technical experts across the agency, Federal Government, State and local governments and private sector on water reuse, water quality, safe water, resilience, and research related to water reuse. Brief and advise senior leadership at EPA that may include the Administrator and the Chief Financial Officer regarding water reuse.
• Serve as the national spokesperson on the policy, practice, technology, and science related to water reuse, and represent the EPA and the federal government in key leadership forums. Expand and build key relationships across government agencies.
• Respond effectively and constructively to competing interests involved in controversial issues of national and international significance. Represent the agency, the federal government, and the United States at meetings including with other nations and presents United States positions in international forums.
• Oversee the management and coordination of a public-facing information and communications Online Platform for the WRAP which provides real-time updates to the WRAP Actions and Leader and Partner implementation milestones. Work with the communications lead for the Assistant Administrator of Water on the design and development of highly effective communication and outreach tools that demonstrate WRAP partnerships, performance, and progress.

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

Travel Required

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

Supervisory status
No

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.
• Position has education requirements--see Qualifications/Education section.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.

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.

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.

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 experience leading water reuse efforts by providing advice, direction, solutions, and project oversight; experience with the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and water reuse policies, programs or initiatives; and experience implementing new and existing approaches to water reuse.

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

• Ability to lead teams to provide policy/technical/engineering/scientific reviews and make recommendations.
• Skill in conducting probing, innovative analyses involving variables that impact the effective development, interpretation, or implementation of important public water reuse projects.
• Ability to develop, explain, and defend approaches to water reuse policy problems to Agency senior political and career executive leadership, and the water use/reuse partnership and community.
• Ability to design, extend, refine, and implement new and existing approaches to water reuse.
• Ability to determine and manage the resources needed to effectively implement a policy or program.
• Ability to communicate orally.
• Skill in building key relationships with others across the water use community.
• Skill in asserting influence across agencies at the top-level political and senior career executives.
• Ability to collaborate with other nations to share technology, research, and information.
• Ability to communicate in writing.
• Skill in designing and developing effective communication and outreach tools that demonstrate performance and progress.

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:

0401 - General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Series:

A. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. -OR-

B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

0800 - Engineering Series:

A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's 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:

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.

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.

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.

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 bachelor's 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 all-inclusive.)

1301 - General Physical Science Series:

A. 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-

B. 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

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.

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

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.

This position is in the bargaining unit.

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 and an applicable score assigned.

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 Knowledge, 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
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)

Trust determination process

Required Documents

Documents to be submitted online:

NOTE: You should redact your social security number, date of birth, and other personal information.

--Resume clearly stating your experience related to this position as described in the Duties and Qualifications sections. Your experience description needs to be clear/specific (we may not make assumptions regarding your experience).

--Responses to online assessment questionnaire (must complete online--it is not a document you upload).

--College transcripts - must submit unofficial transcripts or list of courses that includes school attended, school address, course titles, grades earned, completion dates, department, and quarter/semester hours earned. NOTE: Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; if you are selected, you must provide official transcripts before you start work.

--Veterans: DD-214 Member 4 copy (or other copy indicating character of service), VA letter stating overall/combined disability rating (%), and SF-15, if applicable (see page 2 of SF-15 for documents that can be submitted in lieu of 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 (certification is any written document from the armed forces certifying 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). NOTE: If you are a veteran with a disability and want to be considered for employment through the Schedule A noncompetitive process, you must provide documentation as indicated in the noncompetitive appointment bullet below.

--Displaced Federal employees under ICTAP/CTAP: copy of your most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, tenure, and duty station.

--Current and Former Federal Employees: You must submit Notification(s) of Personnel Action (SF-50) that includes Position Title, Grade or Level, and Duty Station. The SF-50(s) must prove you are eligible to apply for the position and have met time-in grade:
• ELIGIBILITY - You must provide SF-50(s) demonstrating you meet the criteria in the Clarification from the Agency section at the top right of this announcement. (The most common eligibility requirements are Competitive Status [Block 24/Tenure and Block 34/Position Occupied on the SF-50] and In the Commuting Area [Block 39/Duty Station on the SF-50].)
• TIME-IN-GRADE - If you are applying for a higher grade, you must provide SF-50(s) demonstrating you have completed a minimum of 52 weeks in a position at the next lower grade. The next lower grade is identified in the Qualifications section of this announcement. (Some SF-50 examples that can prove you've met time-in-grade include promotions, within-grade increases, and SF-50s dated a year apart within the same grade/job.)

--Current Federal Employees: You must submit your most recent completed annual performance appraisal, dated within the last 18 months (if it is not dated within the last 18 months, or you have not received a performance appraisal, you must upload a signed/dated explanation why). NOTE: You only need to upload the page that shows overall rating and manager/supervisor's signature, not the entire document. DURING COVID-19: If your hard copy performance appraisal is not available due to current telework requirements/recommendations, you must check your eOPF. If you are unable to access eOPF, contact your servicing HR office for assistance. If the performance appraisal is not in eOPF, you must upload a signed/dated explanation clarifying why documentation is not available due to telework.

--If you are applying for a noncompetitive appointment, you must submit additional documents to prove your eligibility:
• Schedule A - To be considered for employment through the Schedule A noncompetitive process for people with severe physical disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, and intellectual disabilities, provide documentation stating you are eligible for employment under the Schedule A hiring authority, 5 CFR 213.3102(u). Documentation must be on letterhead and include a signature and can be obtained from a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist; or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. For more information, visit
Schedule A Hiring Authority
and
Sample Letters
.
• Other - Provide documentation that supports your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment.
To learn more about noncompetitive appointments, visit
Special Appointment Authorities
.

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.