Interdisciplinary- General Engineer/Physical Scientist Job

Vacancy No. BSEE-EEGG-25-BH-006(DH) Department Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
Salary $82,764.00 to $186,629.00 Grade 11 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/21/2024 Close Date 11/1/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Leonardo, NJSterling, VA


Summary

DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled through the office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Government-Wide Direct-Hire Authority for this occupation and is open to all U.S. Citizens. Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified Veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

Duties

This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), Oil Spill Preparedness Division (OSPD), Response Research Branch (RRB).

At the full performance level (GS-14)the major duties of this position include but are not limited to the following:
1. Provides authoritative advice on offshore oil spill prevention, planning, preparedness, intervention, containment, response, and research needs to senior agency staff, Federal and state agencies, offshore operators, and the emergency response community.
2. Coordinates the Branch's efforts in setting research goals, the design of technical approaches and tool development, budgeting, project scheduling, technique development, synthesis, and documentation of processes and outcomes.
3. Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies; and coordinates work efforts with other BSEE offices and external organizations monitoring progress and evaluating outcomes.
4. Advises and collaborates with various industry, academic and government research entities.
5. Designs studies or research projects to address gaps in data and knowledge. Collaborates with other technical experts to identify and evaluate technology innovations and practices, and to determine scope of work.
6. Serves as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for high-risk oil spill research projects or other contracts within the Division. Writes statements of work and/or statements of objectives; conducts market research; prepares government cost estimates and requisitions; analyzes contract scope, cost, and duration, recommending changes to the Contracting Officer (CO) when necessary.

BSEE has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Salary Information:
Sterling VA
GS-11: $82,764 - $107,590per annum
GS-12: $99,200 - $128,956per annum
GS-13: $117,962 - $153,354per annum
GS-14: $139,395 - $181,216per annum

Leonardo, NJ
GS-11: $85,236 - $110,803per annum
GS-12: $102,163 - $132,807per annum
GS-13: $121,485 - $157,934per annum
GS-14: $143,559 - $186,629per annum

First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  1. You must be a U.S. Citizen.
  2. You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination.
  3. You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
  4. You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.
  5. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND (2) Specialized Experience Requirements for the series/grade to which you are applying.

(1) Basic Educational Requirements for all grades:

0801-General Engineer Basic Educational Requirements
You must meet the description in either A or B below to qualify for this position:

A. Degree: professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

-OR-

B. Combination of education & experience: college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (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 listed below:
1. Professional registration or licensure
2. Written Test
3. Specified academic courses
4. Related curriculum

For further information on the adequacy of such background demonstrated by one of the above listed are found in the link below: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/general-engineering-series-0801/

1301-Physical Scientist Basic Educational Requirements
You must meet the description in either A or B below to qualify for this position:

A. 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-

B. 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.

NOTE: Transcripts are required to verify Basic Educational Requirements.

(2) Specialized Experience Requirements:

GS-11
Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-11, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:
1) Assisting in developing and/or conducting research;
2) Scientific design and research and/or engineering principles; AND
3) Applying the principles, procedures, and tools aligned with data generation, data usage, data processing and data analysis.
MUST MEET ALL SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE STATEMENTS

-OR-

Education: You may substitute graduate education for experience if you have achieved:
- 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or
- Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

-OR-

Qualifying combination of Education and Experience: A combination of successfully completed graduate education (only successfully completed education beyond the second year (or 36 semester hours) is creditable towards meeting this requirement) and specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level that is related to the position and total 100% of the requirement for this grade level.

GS-12
Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-12, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:
1) Assisting in developing scientific research in coordination with team members;
2) Applying scientific design and research and/or engineering principles;
3) Designing scientific experiments to study topics related to basic science and technology;
4) Tracking and analyzing research proposals and resulting contracts, making changes/recommendations, and monitoring and tracking the status of contracts; AND
5) Identifying research gaps in science.
MUST MEET ALL SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE STATEMENTS

GS-13
Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-13, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:
1) Serving as a team lead for a multi-faceted research project involving the theory and application of oil spill response techniques (i.e., mechanical containment, in situ burning, chemical treatments, remote sensing) with closely related goals and objectives;
2) Applying Oil Spill Prevention and Preparedness Regulations;
3) Serving as principal investigator designing, conducting, and evaluating scientific research;
4) Engaging with regulated community, industry representatives, academia and federal, state, and local partners during conferences and meetings; AND
5) Independently identifying problem areas subject to resolution by research, formulating design of research projects, preparing progress briefings, and evaluating final reports on the results of completed research projects in oil spill related topics.
MUST MEET ALL SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE STATEMENTS

GS-14
Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-14, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:
1) Delivering subject matter expertise, recommendations, or inputs on state or Federal regulations or policies associated with oil spill mitigation methods in the marine environment;
2) Serving as a technical authority regarding the theory and application of oil spill mitigation and countermeasures as well as serving as a Project Manager and Principal Investigator for research projects and program activities involving resolving resource constraints;
3) Providing expert advice regarding oil spill planning, preparedness, and response matters (containment, cleanup strategies, and equipment);
4) Applying detailed principles and methods for developing, implementing, overseeing, assessing, and reporting on the proper safeguarding and protection of sensitive (but not classified) information that describes business, technical, and support strategies, including the relationship between the acquisition phases, work efforts, and key program events (i.e., decision points, contract awards, test activities, etc.);
5) Preparing and/or reviewing analyses of research and disseminating reports or results; AND
6) Authoritatively communicating with internal and external stakeholders including industry, academia, and Federal, state, and local partners.
MUST MEET ALL SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE STATEMENTS

Education may not be substituted for experience at the GS-12/13/14 grade levels.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.

Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

Additional information

Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.

The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

Notice of Financial Disclosure Report Requirement: The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment.
Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report. In addition, DOI employees, GS-15 and above, who work in the Office of the Secretary; along with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) employees (at ALL grade levels), are further restricted concerning their interests in Federal lands and resources administered or controlled by the Department of the Interior. This includes holding stock in energy corporations which lease Federal lands (e.g.: oil, gas, coal, alternative energy resources, etc.). If you have any such investments you should contact the DOI, BOEM or BSEE Ethics Office before accepting employment. DOI employees are held to the highest level of integrity. Employees must be objective and impartial in the performance of their work. All potential issues (e.g.: work-related interactions with friends, family members, or previous employers) must be disclosed at the time of application or during the interview process.

NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.

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.

For this announcement, all applicants will be reviewed to determine if they meet the basic qualifications for this position, specifically the educational and specialized experience requirements. Applicants will not be rated or ranked. All applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official. All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated by a resume. If, upon review, it is determined that your resume and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be removed from consideration.

If you are a status applicant (current career or career-conditional Federal employee or former permanent Federal employee with reinstatement eligibility in the competitive service), or are eligible under a special appointing authority and you are selected under this vacancy, you may be subject to serving a new one-year probationary period.

To preview the assessment questionnaire click: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12577785

Required Documents

Your resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement and OPM qualification standards for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. It is strongly recommended that you use the USAJobs Resume Builder as it was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is available at https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/documents/resume/build/

Your application package must include: (1) Resume showing relevant experience as written in your own words; (2) Completed online Assessment Questionnaire; (3) College transcript (if applicable) for verification of qualifying education. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; (4) Certificates, license, etc. (if applicable); (5) Form DD-214 OR VA letter and Standard Form 15.

You will find additional information on the following topics: (1) e-Verify; (2) Selective Service; (3) CTAP/ICTAP; (4) Education - accreditation; (5) Foreign education; (6) Veterans preference; (7) Special appointing authority documentation; and more can be found on our web site: https://www.bsee.gov/careers/usajobs-assistance.

If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, you must submit proof by the closing date of the announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. The proof includes a copy of the agency notice, your most recent Performance Rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty station. To be considered well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, you must earn a minimum score of 85 or above (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference) on the rating criteria for this position.

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

Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at www.usajobs.gov. To begin, click the Apply Online button near the bottom of this screen and follow the prompts to register into your USAJOBS account, answer the questions, and submit all required documents.

To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at www.usajobs.gov and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select Apply Online to continue.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.

Agency contact information

Brittany Hodul
Address
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
45600 Woodland Road
Sterling, VA 20166
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgment from USAJobs that your submission was successful, once we have received your on-line assessment questionnaire, resume and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJobs account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.


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


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