Supervisory Life Scientist/Environmental Engineer/Physical Scientist

About the role

This position is in Region 5, Superfund and Emergency Management Division, Operations Management Branch, Field Services Section. About this organization: Region 5 This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis.

What you will do

• Plan, organize, and direct the organizational unit to ensure compliant, customer-focused delivery of program commitments with improved quality, timeliness, and efficiency.
• Provide comprehensive supervisory personnel management to ensure an equitable, compliant, and high performing workforce that reliably accomplishes the mission.
• Represent the Agency and cultivate high-level partnerships to enhance collaboration, ensure policy clarity, and support informed decisions across the organizational unit, branch/office, division, and agency.
• Serve as the second-level supervisor's technical advisor for Superfund support services to ensure compliant, safe, and efficient operations with defensible data and mission ready capabilities.
• One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position.

Requirements

• #LI-DNI You must meet time-in-grade requirements no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement.
• 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 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 competencies and meet the agency's goal of providing new leaders with the tools needed for success.
• 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.

Education

Life Scientist: 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.

Environmental Engineer: You must have one of the following: Successful completion of a professional engineering degree at an accredited university or college OR 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 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 Accreditation.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualification requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses (if applicable) to all assessments required for this position.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: *** If you are eligible for consideration, you will be invited, via the email address listed in your USAJOBS profile, to complete a work interaction and function test where you will be instructed to provide responses to work situation scenarios; it will take approximately one hour to complete this assessment.

Your responses will be rated based on the degree to which your answers match the competencies required for successful performance in this position.

If you pass the first assessment, one or more subject matter experts will systematically review your resume to assess the degree to which your background matches the competencies required for successful performance in this position (see the Qualifications section for a list of the critical competencies being evaluated).

Based on the assessment ratings, a score will be calculated to determine if you are among the best qualified candidates. NOTE: Cheating (including the use of a consultant or an AI tool to assist you) on any assessment may result in your removal from consideration for this job.

If you are referred for consideration, you may be subject to additional assessments by the selecting official (e.g., technical writing sample or other work sample, job knowledge test, case scenario analysis, scientific data assessment, structured interview, etc.).

Documents you must provide

• ALL APPLICANTS Resume clearly stating your experience related to this position as described in the Duties and Qualifications sections--include specific dates (MM/DD/YY - MM/DD/YY) so we can determine that you have the required amount of experience (if applicable).
• Your experience description needs to be clear/specific (we may not make assumptions regarding your experience).
• Include a list of awards you have received if you would like them to be considered.
• If your resume includes federal experience, indicate the grade or pay band (e.g., GS-13) for each federal job.
• Resume must not exceed 2 pages.
• If you do not submit a resume that is 2 pages or less, you will be ineligible for further consideration.
• See How to Apply section for more information.
• College transcripts - unofficial or official transcripts or a list of courses that includes school(s) attended, school address, course title, grades earned, completion dates, department, and quarter/semester hours earned.
• NOTE: Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if you are selected, you must provide official transcripts before you start work.
• IF EDUCATION WAS COMPLETED AT A FOREIGN INSTITUTION: You must submit an equivalency evaluation with your application as described here: Accreditation Notification(s) of Personnel Action (SF-50) that includes Position Title, Grade or Level, and Duty Station and proves the following: ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY - SF-50(s) must prove you meet the criteria in the Clarification from the agency section.
• The most common eligibility requirements are Permanent Employees (proof is reflected in block 24/Tenure on the SF-50), Competitive Status (proof is reflected in blocks 24/Tenure and 34/Position Occupied on the SF-50), In the Office of (proof is reflected in block 22/Name and Location of Position's Organization on the SF-50), and In the Commuting Area (proof is reflected in block 39/Duty Station on the SF-50.
• NOTE: Eligibility is based on your current position of record (if you are on a temporary promotion, the temporary promotion position is your position of record).
• TIME-IN-GRADE - If you are applying for a higher grade, SF-50(s) must prove you have completed 52 weeks at the next lower grade (next lower grade is identified in the Qualifications section); acceptable SF-50s are two SF-50s at the next lower grade dated at least a year apart OR a within-grade increase at the next lower grade (if you have completed 52 weeks at the next lower grade but have not yet received an additional SF-50 since you entered the grade, submit your appointment/initial SF-50 and an explanation).
• If you are not applying for a higher grade, SF-50 must prove you have been at the grade to which you are applying (or a higher grade).
• 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).
• Your submitted performance appraisal must show the overall rating and manager/supervisor's signature that certifies the rating at the time it was given.
• DISPLACED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLE Most recent performance appraisal Proof of eligibility Most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, tenure, and duty station

Benefits

Benefits will not change for current permanent EPA employees. If you are selected for this position, situational telework may be approved by your supervisor if you meet eligibility requirements, as allowable by agency policy and/or applicable collective bargaining agreement. EPA policy only allows telework to be approved situationally.

Situational telework is for work or assignments of specific limited duration on an occasional, emergency, or ad hoc basis. NOTE: If you are an EPA employee who currently works at a remote work location (i.e., full-time telework), your approval for remote work does not transfer to this position, subject to Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act.

What to expect next

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 application package 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.

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): CTAP/ICTAP 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).

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.

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: If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process (submitting the application or completing the application process), contact the Human Resources Office listed below no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement, and the Human Resources Office will work directly with you.

If you are referred to the hiring official for consideration and need an accommodation during the selection process, including the interview, notify the person who contacted you from the hiring official's office.

If you do not hear back within three days about your reasonable accommodation request for the selection process, please notify EPA's National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators via email at ***. If you are selected and need an accommodation during the hiring process up to orientation, notify the HR Specialist who made the job offer to you.

Please note: Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.