Physical Scientist Job in Salt Lake City, UT

Vacancy No. UTMP-25-12608994-BG Department Bureau of Land Management
Salary $103,409.00 to $134,435.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/15/2024 Close Date 11/25/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Salt Lake City, UT


Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource.

This position is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Information about Salt Lake City and the surrounding area can be found here.

We expect to fill one vacancy at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.

Duties

  • This position serves as a Physical Scientist for the Division of Lands and Minerals at the Utah State Office.
  • Serves as the program lead to Utah State Office, field office management, and the Abandoned Mine Lands and Hazardous Materials Management (AML/HMM) Program for Utah.
  • Principal advisor and Remedial Project Manager (RPM), On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) for multiple clean-up sites and other Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) projects on public land.
  • Primary contact with Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs), state regulatory agencies, federal trustees, and other involved with either AML physical safety hazards and CERCLA response actions at designated sites in the region on behalf of the BLM.
  • Directs all technical work conducted at assigned CERCLA sites in the manner set forth in the National Contingency Plan (NCP).
  • Coordinates hazardous materials contingency plans statewide integration of those plans with local, state, and regional plans in accordance with National Contingency Plan, and regulations under 40 CFR 300.
  • Serves as the principal spokesperson according to the NCP and represents the Agency in contacts with the public, elected officials, staff of involved Federal, State and/or local agencies, and the news media.
  • Serves as NRDAR case manager (CM) for sites that have been selected for NRDAR assessment.
  • Serves as an Environmental Professional for All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) and is responsible for conducting or overseeing AAIs conducted within the assigned area of jurisdiction.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Be sure to read the 'How to Apply' and 'Required Documents' Sections.
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
  • Direct Deposit Required.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
  • Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume.
  • If selected for this position, you will be required to annually complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450 within 30 days of reporting to duty.
  • May require a one year probationary period.

Qualifications

Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. Those who do not provide evidence they possess the following selective factor(s) will be rated not qualified:
  • Required to obtain Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) certification (level 1) within one year of employment, and a COR level 2 within an appropriate amount of time aft er the COR level 1 is achieved.
In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience.

In addition to the Basic Education requirements, to qualify at the GS-13 level you must meet the following:
Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-12 level equivalent in difficulty and complexity to perform the duties of a Physical Scientist. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Coordinating remedial actions for hazardous waste disposal; identifying and coordinating the mitigation of environmental and physical safety hazards; preparing assessment plans, and/or overseeing assessment studies and analyses; planning and implementing of clean-up efforts for targeted areas posing potential health and/or safety hazards; interpreting guidance on remedial actions and/or providing information to management based on regulations.

Please note there are no educational substitutions at this grade level.

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.

You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade requirement in accordance with 5 CFR 300.604. If you are a current Federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must have completed a minimum of 52 weeks at the next lower grade level.

Physical Demands: The incumbent will utilize various modes of transportation to travel and perform assignments with little or no advance notice. Assignments may require performing duties under adverse weather conditions (extreme heat or cold). Considerable walking, stooping, bending, and climbing such as in performing construction activities, observe and study work operations, and conducting field inspections of potential hazardous material disposal sites. Duties may require protective equipment including a containment suit and donning of respiratory equipment. Failure to comply with established standards could result in the endangerment of the incumbent and co-workers. Incumbent may be required to lift equipment and samples weighing up to 50 lbs.

Work Environment: In addition to working in an office setting, the work involves regular and recurring exposure associated with superfund cleanup sites. The incumbent must adhere to HAZWOPER standards, policies, practices, and procedures when participating in hazardous waste, emergency response, and cleanup operations involving hazardous substances. Known exposures include moderate risk, discomfort, and unpleasantness related to toxic chemicals, a variety of temperatures, potentially adverse weather conditions, contagious diseases, carcinogenic materials, noxious fumes, flammable liquids, radiation, and/or potentially pathogenic bacteria. HAZWOPER training and strict compliance with OSHA standards aims to prevent and minimize the possibility of worker injury and illness resulting from potential exposures to hazardous substances. Specialized safety training is required in order to meet field health and safety standards. Special safety precautions such as protective clothing and gear are necessary.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement which requires:

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

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.

If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. See Required Documents section for more information.

Additional information

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): 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, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 90 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP

Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service

Tax Law Impact for PCS: Moving expenses reimbursement is a taxable benefit. However, the Federal Travel Regulation 18-05 issued by General Services Administration has authorized agencies to use the Withholding Tax Allowance and Relocation Income Tax Allowance to pay for "substantially all" of the increased tax liability resulting from the "2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" for certain eligible individuals.

The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis. The selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees. If eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive or Student Loan Repayment.

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.

After the vacancy closes, a review of your application package will be made to ensure you meet all qualification requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online questionnaire will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be contacted for an interview.

Your answers to the online questionnaire will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

  • Compliance
  • Customer Service
  • Oral Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Technical Competence
In the evaluation process, due weight will be given to job related experience, education, training, incentive awards and performance appraisals. Applicants must have a performance rating of at least the equivalent of fully successful to be eligible for promotion or placement. Applicants may provide a copy of a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months. If the applicant is unable to provide a performance appraisal of record dated within the last 18 months, the applicant may provide a written explanation as to why.

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of the following additional assessment: Subject Matter Expert Resume Panel Review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

Required Documents

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

Resume or Application. At a minimum, your resume MUST contain job title (include job series and grade, if federal), starting and ending dates (e.g., 7/18/2021 to 4/21/2023 or 07/2021 to 04/2023), and hours worked per week (for example, if full-time, 40 hours per week or if part-time, 20 hours per week), and duties specific to each position listed. USAJOBS has a template to ensure a complete resume. Failure to provide required information will result in loss of eligibility. You are welcome to submit an optional cover letter.

Transcripts: You MUST submit a copy of ALL your college transcripts or a list of ALL college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. Upon selection, official transcripts must be received prior to appointment. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your 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.

Current and former federal career and career-conditional employees: Provide a copy of your last or most recent non-award SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" to indicate your current/former Federal status. If your current SF-50 does not confer status or time-in-grade, you must submit an additional SF-50(s) that clearly demonstrates Federal status and/or that you have met the Time-in-Grade requirements. Please note that time-in-grade restrictions apply to General Schedule (GS) employees and a General Adjustment does not confer time-in-grade. For additional information, click here: Time-in-Grade requirements or Reinstatement eligibility.

Former Public Lands Corps (PLC) Member: Submit a copy of your "Certificate of Eligibility for Noncompetitive Hiring" along with a copy of your "PLC Participant Verification Work Hours Sheet."

Applicants eligible under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act as a current or former employee of a land management agency, who is serving or previously served on a temporary or term appointments, you must submit the following documentation to receive consideration:

  • SF-50(s), Notification of Personnel Action, that documents your service under competitive examining procedures in time limited appointments that totals 24 months at land management agencies without a break in service of two or more years (initial, extension, and termination of all appointments); and
  • Documentation of satisfactory performance, if available, such as performance evaluations, references by supervisors, or other documents, e.g., memorandums of record, whereas the supervisor documented an acceptable performance level.
Applicants eligible under a Special Hiring Authority for Veterans, you must submit proof that supports your claim. This may include:
  • A legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions.
  • If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans' preference or that shows length of service, AND that your character of military service is honorable.
  • If you have a service-connected disability, a copy of your Veterans Affairs (VA) letter indicating the combined percentage rating of your disability.
  • Required Documents as indicated on page 2 of the SF-15 to support your claim. NOTE: The SF-15 alone cannot be used to verify eligibility.
Special Hiring Authorities: If you are applying for this position based on eligibility under other noncompetitive special appointing authorities, you MUST submit proof of this eligibility.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) eligibles: Submit documentation verifying your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility - this includes a copy of the agency notice and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level and duty location.

Please note that documents selected for transfer from your USAJOBS profile are NOT automatically added to your application. You need to transfer your document(s) in the "Documents" step during the application process.

Hard copy paper supplemental documents, submitted without prior Human Resources approval, will be considered as an incomplete application.

Required documentation must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the closing date of this announcement.

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

THIS IS AN ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS THROUGH USAJOBS. Your application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time by 11/25/2024. If you need assistance in applying on-line, please contact Bridgette Gifford at (801) 539-4061 or BLM_UT_HR_RECRUITMENT@BLM.GOV. If applying on-line poses a hardship for you (i.e. you do not have access to the Internet) you must contact us prior to the closing date of the announcement for an alternative method of applying.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have access to a public library, State Job Service Office, etc., you should use these resources to apply online. You must follow the steps described below to complete the application process:

YOU MUST HAVE OR CREATE A PROFILE IN USAJOBS. Your profile must contain a current resume for submission. See Required Documents section for what to include in your resume.

INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION COULD RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING.

The USAJOBS Resume Builder was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is an available tool when you login to your USAJOBS account.

  1. Review the Appointment Eligibility Criteria: The eligibility section of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You must provide proof of your eligibility to be considered.
  2. You must submit a resume and also complete the online application and assessment questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
  • 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.
  • The eligibility portion of the application process is designed to allow you to choose how you wish to be considered for this announcement. You may choose more than one eligibility. You must provide proof of your eligibility.
  • You must provide the supporting documentation to support your claim to be considered. You may choose more than one eligibility in this section.
  • To view the assessment questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12608994
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (Welcome | Login.gov), 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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.

FOLLOW UP. Check your application status before the announcement closes. It is your responsibility to ensure that a complete application (including a resume, on-line questionnaire, and applicable supplemental documentation) is received by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on 11/25/2024. NOTE: Technical problems may take at least 1 business day to resolve; therefore, you are highly encouraged to complete the application process prior to the closing date.

Agency contact information

BLM Utah HR Recruitment Team
Address
BLM Utah State Office
BLM Utah State Office, UT-953
400 West 200 South
Suite 500
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
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 acknowledgement email from USAJobs that your submission was successful once we have received your online questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application and/or referral to the hiring official via your USAJobs account after the evaluation process is complete. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required.

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.


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


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