Summary
This Senior-Level (SL) position is in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. About OCSPP.
This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to one of the duty stations stated in this announcement on a regular basis (location to be determined after candidate selected). Partial work-from-home flexibilities may be authorized.
Clarification from the agency
U.S. Citizens
Duties
The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), within the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), is responsible for the implementation of several important environmental statutes with broad crossmedia impacts, including the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). OPPT must evaluate new and existing industrial chemicals, and both require and promote risk reduction and responsible risk management practices through the life cycle of chemicals to facilitate and encourage the use of scientifically valid test methods and strategies that reduce or replace the use of vertebrate animals while providing information of equivalent or better scientific quality and relevance that will support regulatory decisions under TSCA. Critical to the Agency’s ability to carry out its statutory mandates is the need to create greater efficiencies in implementing TSCA amendments, and other policies, processes, and program implementation.
The Senior Science Advisor provides the executive level leadership needed to ensure a sound regulatory science infrastructure of policies and approaches for the evaluation of the human health and ecological risks posed by the manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce and use of thousands of existing chemicals that are or have been part of American life for at least a century. Specific responsibilities of the position include:
- Providing expert technical advice and guidance to staff and senior management concerning hazard and exposure assessment, human health and ecological risk evaluation, and science policy issues involving existing chemicals under TSCA.
- Performing a proactive role in identifying and resolving internal science policy and risk assessment questions to facilitate development and timely completion of human health and ecological risk assessments for existing chemicals.
- Managing and coordinating complex high-level projects that cut across OPPT divisions and Agency lines that are of national and international importance and serve to implement TSCA.
- Providing leadership in integrating aggregate and cumulative risk assessment into TSCA existing chemicals decision making to ensure OPPT fulfills its obligations to reduce and replace the use of vertebrate animals in the testing of chemicals.
- Providing support for testimony in legal and congressional hearings, and as necessary, serving as an expert witness in litigation/hearings to support the Agency position for regulatory and enforcement actions involving existing chemicals.
- Conducting briefings for OCSPP and OPPT senior managers and other high level Agency officials about human health and ecological science policy issues that will be used to inform regulatory options for existing chemicals.
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen.
- 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.
If you are selected, you must complete a one-year probationary period.
The Ethics in Government Act, P.L. 95-521 requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a financial disclosure statement, OGE-278, prior to assuming the SL position, annually, and upon termination of employment.
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.
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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 SL position, you need to have at least one year of full time experience equivalent to the GS-15 level defined as performing work that involves evaluating risks to human health and the environment posed by chemicals and naturally occurring substances.
You will be evaluated on the mandatory Technical Qualifications listed below. Your responses should be clear and concise and show a level of accomplishment and a degree of responsibility.
Technical Qualifications (TQs) - Mandatory for all applicants - Failure to address these factors individually within a limit of two (2) pages per factor will result in your application being disqualified.
TQ 1 - Demonstrated experience managing, directing, developing and providing guidance and policy direction for human health and/or ecological risk assessment policies and initiatives related to the development and use of traditional and advanced toxicology testing techniques, including new approach methodologies (NAMs), chemical exposure estimation methods, species and dose-response extrapolation, and probabilistic risk estimation.
TQ 2 - Demonstrated experience applying advanced risk assessment methodologies to current domestic and international risk assessment issues related to chemical regulation.
TQ 3 - Demonstrated experience directing and providing guidance and policies to inter- and intra-office teams in the development of policy analysis and activities related to risk assessment strategies.
TQ 4 - Demonstrated experience communicating complex and politically sensitive environmental policy issues to higher management and externally.
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 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.
Chemist: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in 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.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Join EPA in protecting human health and the environment and enjoy many work life quality options! Working for the EPA offers you a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, 26 days of paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. To learn more about us, visit Life and Careers at EPA.
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.
PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS (PSLF): As a federal employee, you may be eligible for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The PSLF program forgives the remaining balance on federal Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer, including EPA. Learn more: pslf.gov
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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. If you meet basic qualification requirements, your application will be further evaluated based on your narrative statements addressing the Technical Qualifications. 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. You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Documents to be submitted online:
NOTE: You should ensure your social security number, date of birth, and any other personal information are redacted.
-- Resume - Required for all applicants - State your experience related to this position as described in the Duties section and Qualifications section. In describing your experience, be clear and specific. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience.
-- Technical Qualifications (TQs) - Required for all applicants - Address in a narrative statement each listed factor individually within a limit of two (2) pages per factor. Exceeding this limit will result in disqualification of your application. Your examples should emphasize your level of responsibilities, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments with results of your actions, policy initiatives and level of contacts.
-- College transcripts - Required for all applicants - 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 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 - if claiming:
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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)
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.
You are strongly encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application for this position.
You must provide specific examples of your education, experience, training and awards in the manner and order instructed below which are applicable to each Technical Qualification (TQ). Responses to the TQs are mandatory. Failure to address the TQs will result in your application being disqualified.
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.
As referenced in the Required Documents section, all required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS document portfolio feature.
It is recommended that you review your application materials after they have been uploaded to your application to ensure they conform to the requirements stated in the announcement.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your application, please contact the HR Specialist listed on the announcement.
If you cannot apply online, you must contact the HR Specialist 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:
• 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 disabilityaccommodations@epa.gov.
• 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.
Next steps
It is your responsibility to check your USAJOBS account for application status information. You can track the progress of your application via your USAJOBS account by clicking the Track This Application link. Your USAJOBS application status will appear in your profile if your application was received successfully; if your submission was not received, the application status will show as unavailable. After the announcement closes, the Human Resources Office will conduct a review of your application package. If your application is complete and you meet basic qualification requirements, it will be forwarded to a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for further review of your narrative statements addressing the required TQs. Applicants rated Best Qualified under the category rating method will be referred to the Selecting Official by the Human Resources Office. Interviews are arranged through the Selecting Official. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement. Your application status will change in USAJOBS when updates are available for each step of the process.
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.
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