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This position is in the Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Air Methods and Characterization Division, Ambient Air Branch.
About: The Office of Research and Development (ORD).
This is an office-centered position*--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis.
*Work-from-home flexibilities may be authorized as described in the Benefits section.
Learn more about this agency11/16/2023 to 11/27/2023
$86,293 - $133,395 per year
Salary will be based on the grade level for which you are selected.
GS 12 - 13
1 vacancy in the following location:
No
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Occasional travel - You may be required to travel for this position.
No
Permanent
Full-time
Competitive
13
No
No
EPA-NF-ODH-2024-0004
761150500
You will:
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. NOTE: Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level.
You will spend less than 25% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements.
One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position.
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.
If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
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.
#LI-Onsite
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 Research GS-12 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as applying preconcentration or thermal desorption-gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) analyzing techniques to conduct research (i.e., formulating hypotheses, developing research plans, adapting existing methods/techniques) of hazardous air pollutants and/or air toxics; and communicating research results;
- OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in the academic discipline as described below;
- OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
To qualify for the GS-13 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-12 level defined as conducting independent research or managing contracted research on whole air or sorbent-based diffusive and active sample collection of hazardous air pollutants and/or air toxics followed by preconcentration or thermal desorption-gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) analytical techniques; and communicating research results in peer-reviewed publications.
Your application package will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: 1) Knowledge of and experience in monitoring VOCs at trace concentrations in ambient air using a variety of methodologies, techniques, and analyses including mass-spectrometry; 2) Skill in sampling and analyzing VOCs on target compound lists; 3) Skill in managing, analyzing, and interpreting scientific data; 4) Skill in written communication; 5) Ability to lead and train a team of researchers; 6) Skill in oral communication; 7) Ability to design, coordinate, and lead laboratory/field studies adhering to robust protocols and standards; 7) Ability to manage contracts including preparing procurement requests and monitoring technical performance.
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.
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:
Physical Scientist: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in 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.
For information about accreditation requirements, visit 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 in the Overview section.
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.
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.
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. At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization. The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve. To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA.
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 in the bargaining unit.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
This position is being filled through the Office of Personnel Management’s government-wide direct-hire authority. Under the provisions of the direct-hire authority, category rating, veterans’ preference, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply. All eligible applicants will be forwarded to the selecting official for further consideration, and you may be subject to assessments during the selection process (e.g., technical writing sample or other work sample, job knowledge test, case scenario analysis, scientific data assessment, structured interview, etc.). If you are selected, we will review your resume and required documents to ensure you meet the qualification requirements.
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.
--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 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.
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.
You are strongly encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application for this position.
To begin the application process, click the Apply button to the top right on this screen, follow the prompts to log-in/register, submit all required documents, and complete the assessment questionnaire. To be considered, you must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the day the announcement closes.
All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS document portfolio feature.
If you cannot apply online, you must contact the Human Resources Office listed below for assistance no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement. You must provide complete application materials by the day the announcement closes.
For detailed instructions to assist you in ensuring your application package is received, go to EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
EPA welcomes applications from persons with disabilities. Through the reasonable accommodation process, we provide persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment that persons without disabilities enjoy. A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done. An accommodation removes workplace barriers and enables an applicant with a disability to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process, be considered for a position, and, if hired, perform the essential functions of their job.
The EPA National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators will provide assistance to you, the Human Resources Office, and/or the hiring official as needed. For more information, refer to EPA’s Reasonable Accommodation website. Below is more detailed information about how to request a reasonable accommodation during the application, selection, and hiring process:
Please note: Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
You can track the progress of your application via your USAJOBS account by clicking the Track This Application link. Through your USAJOBS account, you will be notified of the status of your application at four touch-points (some of these notifications may be combined): (1) when your application is received; (2) when we conduct an eligibility and qualification review of your application package; (3) when applications are referred (or not) to the hiring manager; (4) when a selection is made (or not) for the position or the job is canceled. It is your responsibility to check your USAJOBS account for this application status information. In addition, you will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the human resources office posting this announcement.
NOTE: We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/761150500. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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