Duties

Summary

This position is in Office of Water (OW), Ocean & Coastal Management Branch (OCMB).

If selected, you must work at the location stated in this announcement. About OW: OW Website .

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

You will:

• Exercise supervisory personnel management responsibilities over staff members including making work assignments; developing performance standards and evaluating employee performance; recommending appointments, promotions, and reassignments; assuring safety practices are followed; approving time off work; resolving grievances; and supporting diversity action plans.
• Lead and manage the programmatic work of the Branch including developing short and long term strategic planning to support the mission; executing policy, programmatic and technical workplans; using data and other information to guide development, implementation, and management of technical work; directing progress against budgets and spending actions; ensuring overall program plans are carried out effectively.
• Serve as national program manager for vessel water discharge requirements and manage national rulemakings on assigned programs; oversee the development and implementation of tools, resources, and national policy decisions in assigned programs, including coastal wetlands, coral reefs, and costal acidification; oversee development of policies and data analyses to inform coastal climate program implementation.
• Serves in a leadership role to coordinate, collaborate, and negotiate extensively with other EPA offices and the Regions, and other federal agencies; Represent the EPA and coordinate, collaborate, and negotiate extensively in a variety of settings, as well as with other federal agencies, Office of Management and Budget, Navy, Coast Guard, Congress, National Academy of Science, states, tribes, territories, and stakeholders on actions within areas of responsibilities and emerging issues related to ocean and coastal aquatic resource protection and restoration.

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
Yes

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• 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.

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.

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

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 this GS-15 position, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-14 level; experience leading a team or a program consisting of regulation/policy development or implementation, conducting planning and budget development, and working collaboratively with stakeholders and internal team members to accomplish organizational goals.

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

• Skill in supervising employees.
• Skill in managing multiple priorities and assigning tasks.
• Ability to develop and manage short-term and long-term workplans.
• Ability to apply analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to assess program development and performance.
• Ability to direct projects involving technical/scientific information.
• Knowledge of program-related policies, laws, regulations, and/or procedures.
• Knowledge of rulemaking process and procedures.
• Knowledge of climate change impacts and adaptation.
• Skill in advising a variety of audiences on complex technical and regulatory issues.
• Skill in collaborating and negotiating effectively to meet program objectives.

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.

General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Series, 0401

Individual Occupational Requirements

Basic Requirements

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

or

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

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Ecology Series, 0408

Individual Occupational Requirements

Basic Requirements

Degree: biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences.

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General Physical Science Series, 1301

Individual Occupational Requirements

Basic Requirements:

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

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 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 .

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 has portable work. If selected for this position, you may be authorized to telework after meeting eligibility requirements if approved by the supervisor/manager. Telework is available based on agency policy and/or applicable collective bargaining agreement which may not allow for full-time telework. NOTE: The agency is currently utilizing maximum telework flexibilities due to COVID. Once normal operations resume, you will be required to report to the location stated in this announcement.

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.

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.

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
High Risk (HR)

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

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 .
--Veterans' Preference Documents:
Separated veterans claiming 5-point preference:

• - DD-214 Member 4 copy (or other copy indicating character of service) or other official document/statement from the Armed Forces showing separation, discharge, or release from active duty; document must show separation is under honorable conditions (Honorable or General Discharge)

Separated veterans claiming 10-point preference based on compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more:

• - DD-214 Member 4 copy (or other copy indicating character of service); document must show separation is under honorable conditions (Honorable or General Discharge); and
• - VA letter stating overall/combined disability rating (percentage); and
• - SF-15 (use current version: SF-15 Form ) (see page 2 for documents that can be submitted in lieu of the DD-214 and VA letter)

Other separated veterans claiming 10-point preference OR spouses, widows/widowers, or mothers claiming 10-point derived preference:

• - SF-15 (use current version: SF-15 Form ); and
• - Other required documentation indicated on the SF-15

Active duty service members:

• - 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 (Honorable or General Discharge) 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.