at Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago, Illinois, United States
Job Description
Summary This position is in Region 5, Lab Services & Applied Science Division. About Region 5. This is an office-centered position*—you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis. *EPA offers work-from-home and work schedule flexibilities as described in the Benefits section. Responsibilities You will: Plan, organize, and direct the activities of the organizational unit. Exercise supervisory personnel management responsibilities. Represent the organizational unit and Agency with a variety of functional area organizations. You will spend less than 25% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must submit a resume and required documents—see How to Apply section. EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings. Position has education requirements—see Qualifications/Education section. 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 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. 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. You must meet time in grade requirements no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement. #LI-DNI Qualifications NOTE: You must meet qualification requirements, including any requirements described in the Education section, by the closing date of this announcement. 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 providing leadership, oversight or technical expertise for an environmental protection program of limited scope in analytical laboratory support and quality assurance; coaching, mentoring or leading others. Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: Knowledge of concepts, principles, and practices of chemical and physical laboratory-analysis of drinking water and other media. Knowledge of guidance related to the implementation of the rules and regulations, and other guidance applicable to the organizational unit. Ability to lead staff by evaluating work performance and giving advice, counsel, and instruction. Skill in oral communication. Skill in written communication. 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. 0401 – General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Series: You must have a bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in 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. 0800 – Engineering Series: You must have one of the following: 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. 1301 – General Physical Science Series: 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. Additional Information Are you a Displaced Federal Employee? If so, please read the Required Documents section and visit the EPA website for additional information on the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures NOTE: To be entitled to selection priority, you must be rated well-qualified (i.e., you must have a score of 87 or higher—see the How You Will Be Evaluated section). 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. This position is not in the bargaining unit. If
