Duties

Summary

This position is in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Existing Chemicals Risk Assessment Division, Risk Assessment Branch 5. If selected, you must work at the location stated in this announcement. About the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-office-chemical-safety-and-pollution-prevention-ocspp

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

You will:

• Plan, organize, and manage the activities of the Assessment Branch that produces human health and environmental hazard, dose-response, and risk assessments;
• Exercise supervisory personnel management responsibilities;
• Participate as a technical expert in representation, planning and implementation of team-based projects;
• Serve as an expert consultant on various workgroups, panels or committees;

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

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required.
• You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.
• Position has education requirements--see Qualifications/Education section.
• EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings.
• You may be required to travel less than 25% of each month.

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.

You must meet time in grade requirements no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement.

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.

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.

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 planning, organizing and directing a scientific team that evaluates and/or validates effects that chemicals have on humans and/or the environment; OR designing, directing, implementing and reporting on a scientific program that evaluates and/or validates effects chemicals have on humans and/or the environment.

Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: 1) Skill in leading a scientific program by planning, monitoring and evaluating a range of activities; 2) Ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties; 3) Knowledge of regulations related to hazard, dose-response, and risk assessments of existing chemicals; 4) Skill in analysis and interpretation of new and existing chemicals; 5) Ability to communicate scientific and technical information to a diverse audience.

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.

Biologist: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in one of the following: 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.

Toxicologist: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in toxicology, or an appropriate discipline of the biological, medical, or veterinary sciences that included at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, biochemistry, or physiology, and 12 semester hours in toxicology.

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 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.

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 or higher 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 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.

Chemist: You must have a bachelor's or higher 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.

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

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.

This position is not 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
Not Required

Drug test required
No

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. IF EDUCATION WAS COMPLETED AT A FOREIGN INSTITUTION: You must submit an equivalency evaluation with your application as described here: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures .

-- Displaced Federal employees under 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.

-- Notification(s) of Personnel Action (SF-50) - You are required to submit SF-50(s) 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 that you meet the criteria in the Clarification from the Agency section at the top right of this announcement. (The most common eligibility requirements are Permanent employees [Block 24/Tenure on SF-50], Competitive Status [Block 24/Tenure and Block 34/Position Occupied on SF-50], In the Office of [Block 22/Name and Location of Position's Organization 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 examples of SF-50s 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.)

-- Performance appraisal - You are required to 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 the overall rating and manager/supervisor's signature, not the entire document. NOTE DURING COVID-19 WORK FLEXIBILITIES: 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 your eOPF, contact the HR Specialist listed in this announcement for assistance before the announcement closes. If your performance appraisal document is not in your eOPF, you must upload a signed/dated explanation clarifying why the documentation is not available due to telework.

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.