Biologist or Physical Scientist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. EOP-OMB-12760246-25-SM-DH Department Office of Management and Budget
Salary $120,579.00 to $185,234.00 Grade 13 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/11/2025 Close Date 8/23/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This position is located in the Executive Office of the President (EOP), Office of Management and Budget (OMB),Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). The incumbent will serve as a Scientist Analyst and Scientific Expert, specializing in biological or physical sciences such as biology, ecology, environmental or marine sciences, ecology, pharmacokinetics or toxicokinetics, epidemiology, public health, earth science, chemistry, physics, hydrology, or related fields.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens. This is a Direct Hire Public Notice. Category Rating, Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to this Public Notice.

Duties

As a Biologist or Physical Scientist GS 0401/1301 13/14, your typical work assignments may include the following:

  • Responsible for promoting the quality, objectivity, relevance, and integrity of the information collected, analyzed, and disseminated by the Federal Government.
  • Serves as a Scientific Analyst and Scientific Expert, working collaboratively in support of OIRA economists, statisticians, and policy analysts by evaluating the scientific analyses underlying environmental health and safety, chemical fate and transport, or other analyses submitted to OIRA by Federal agencies for review under Executive Orders 14192, 14215, the Information Quality Act, and other administration policies.
  • Uses quantitative and qualitative skills to evaluate chemical, biological, statistical, and related scientific models, including underlying assumptions about the environmental fate, transport, hazards, intake, uptake, and associated human and environmental health effects underlying proposed public health, safety, and environmental policies.
  • Coordinates inter-agency review of health and environmental risk assessments, and related documents (e.g., human or environmental exposure assessments), as well as play a lead role in inter-agency groups established (or chartered) to foster common understanding on issues related to scientific issues underlying such health and safety assessments and guidance.
  • Implements existing guidance and contribute to new guidance designed to strengthen the objectivity, accuracy, integrity, and transparency of scientific analyses underlying Federal policies.
  • Develops and gives briefings for OMB management and policy officials and Executive Office of the President officials regarding the scientific merits and implications of agency analyses.
  • Serves as a professional scientist, and as expert advisor on matters of science policy and information quality, as requested by colleagues and officials from the Executive Office of the President and across federal agencies.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. citizen or national
  • Selective Service registration if a male born after December 31, 1959
  • Subject to pre-employment and random drug tests
  • Direct Deposit is required
  • RELOCATION EXPENSES WILL NOT BE PAID
  • Suitability for Federal employment
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
  • Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: All applicants must meet the qualification requirements outlined below to be considered minimally qualified for this position. The qualification requirements are in accordance with the OPM Qualification Standards.

ALL QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must meet one of the following criteria listed below in order to meet the basic requirement for
Biologist or Physical Scientist, 0401/1301. UNOFFICIAL TRANCRIPTS REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION.

Basic Requirements for Physical Scientist - General Physical Science Series, 1301:
  1. 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
  1. 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.

Basic Requirements for Biologist - General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Series, 0401:
  1. Degree: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
  1. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
-And-

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:
Applicants must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility comparable to the next lower grade or comparable pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector.

You may qualify at the GS-13 level, if you meet the following minimum qualification requirement:One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector that demonstrates: 1)Using qualitative and quantitative analytic skills to identify and resolve complex problems in the regulatory policy space, such as environmental, energy or ecological outcomes; 2)Developing practical alternatives to problems identified in the regulatory policy space; AND 3)Drafting or advising staff on regulatory policy, legislative or budget issues.

You may qualify at the GS-14 level, if you meet the following minimum qualification requirement:One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector that demonstrates: 1)Using qualitative and quantitative analytic skills to identify and resolve complex problems in the regulatory policy space, such as environmental, energy or ecological outcomes; 2)Developing practical alternatives to problems identified in the regulatory policy space; 3)Drafting or advising senior officials on regulatory policy, legislative or budget issues; AND 4)Collaborating in interagency or interdepartmental review of regulatory policy, such as environmental science, ecological, or public health issues.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service program (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.

Education

Basic Requirements for Physical Scientist - General Physical Science Series, 1301:

  1. 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
  1. 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.

Basic Requirements for Biologist - General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Series, 0401:
  1. Degree: Biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
  1. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Additional information

This is a Direct Hire Public Notice. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.*

*Notice, more than one selection can be made within 90 days of the issuance of the certificate, if more vacancies occur.

Promotion to the next highest grade level is neither guaranteed nor implied.

Vacancies will be filled through OPM's Direct Hire Authority. Category Rating, veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to positions filled under this announcement. All applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements will be forwarded to the selecting official for consideration. Applications received as a result of job fairs, recruitment events, and emergency hiring mechanisms in support of this hiring initiative will also be accepted during the duration of the direct-hire authority. For more information on OPM's authorization of Direct Hire Authority, please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/direct-hire-authority/

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx).

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs & Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. For more information about ICTAP eligibility please review the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/ictap/

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm

Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Main_Page

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternative Application.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

Review our benefits

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Your resume must include detailed information as it relates to the responsibilities and specialized experience for this position. Evidence of copying and pasting directly from the vacancy announcement without clearly documenting supplemental information to describe your experience will result in an ineligible rating. This will prevent you from receiving further consideration.

If you are determined qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. You may be requested to provide a writing sample to the hiring manager and/or may be required to do a scenario analysis.

Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program (I/CTAP) Eligible: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not I/CTAP eligible. View information about I/CTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under I/CTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your resume showing your name, work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed. Your resume must include detailed information as it relates to the responsibilities and specialized experience for this position. Evidence of copying and pasting directly from the vacancy announcement without clearly documenting supplemental information to describe your experience will result in an ineligible rating. This will prevent you from receiving further consideration. Note: If you upload more than one resume, the last resume received will be the one utilized for consideration. Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose, then you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:

  • Job title
  • Name of employer
  • Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)
  • Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
  • Detailed description of job duties for each job held, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
2. TRANSCRIPTS: Positions which are scientific or technical in nature often have very specific educational requirements. You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities, see the Foreign Education section below for additional requirements. Pay careful attention to the Qualifications and Education sections to identify vacancies where a transcript is required. Even if you hold a similar position or are a current employee, you are not exempt from transcript requirements.

3. A complete Assessment Questionnaire

4. Other supporting documents to be submitted with application:
  • DD214: Veterans' Preference Documentation, if applicable, a DD-214 Member 4 copy, which shows type of discharge. If still active, provide an official Statement of Service. Any other documentation such as VA letter documenting disability, SF-15, and any other required supporting documentation based your veterans' preference claim.
Electronic Transcript Caution: If you have obtained your transcripts electronically, the file might contain security measures that could prevent our application system from reading the file. Therefore, you should consider asking the institution to provide the file in a non-secured electronic format. Alternatively, you could scan or take a photo of the printed copy of the transcript. If your uploaded transcript cannot be read by our system, you may receive consideration and credit for the information we can access.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

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.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login) account, all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume, veteran's documentation, completed assessment, and SF-50's) is received and accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. If a document is not in legible format, applicant will not be able to view it in Application Manager which means applicant must again upload or fax the documentation by the closing date of this announcement.

Application packages will not be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages.

Agency contact information

Client Services EOP - OA
Address
Office of Management and Budget
725 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20503
US

Next steps

When the application process is complete, you will receive a confirmation notification by email and your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements for which you requested consideration. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume, along with your supporting documentation to determine your level of knowledge, skill, and ability related to the job requirements. After the qualification determinations are complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

The hiring manager may choose to conduct interviews, request a writing sample, and/or require a scenario analysis. Once the selection is made, a tentative job offer will be sent to the selectee. A security background investigation and drug screening will be conducted at that time. If the drug screening is negative and security background is cleared, then a formal job offer will be extended to candidate. Application statuses will be updated once a formal job offer has been extended.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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