Summary
This position is located in the Technical and Regional Services (EPR) organization, within the Pollution Prevention and Abatement (EP) organization, Environment, Fish and Wildlife Organization (E), Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).
A successful candidate in the Physical Scientist (Environmental) position will provide senior scientific and technical expertise for pollution prevention and abatement programs, projects, and natural resource protection/management issues.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
- Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
- May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
- This position does not support remote work. You will be required to report physically to the official reporting worksite as specified by the supervisor, but no less than 3 days per pay period.
- Selectee will be required to complete the Office of Government Ethics Standard of Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OFGE450e) within 30 days of employment and annually.
- After employment, this position may be subject to periodic physical examinations, as prescribed by competent medical authority and at BPA expense, if exposed to health hazards.
- Frequent overnight travel (11 or more days of overnight travel per month for field work).
- Work is performed in the office and field. Fieldwork requires moderate physical exertion including hiking through BPA rights of way, which includes very steep and uneven terrain.
- The work is performed in a variety of weather conditions. Exposure to hazardous substances and various types of contamination may occur. Protective clothing and respiratory equipment are required when appropriate.
- The work involves lifting and positioning generators weighing up to 50 lbs.
Qualifications
BASIC REQUIREMENT:
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.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
GS-12: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the Federal service.
Specialized experience is defined as: 1) providing scientific guidance in the planning and implementation of pollution prevention and abatement projects and programs; 2) providing guidance on Federal, State, and local laws and environmental regulations related to waste management and pollution prevention to ensure compliance; AND 3) assisting in environmental investigations, cleanups, sampling and monitoring.
GS-13: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) in the Federal service.
Specialized experience is defined as: 1) providing scientific expertise in the planning and implementation of pollution prevention and abatement projects and programs; 2) serving as a technical expert, interpreting and implementing Federal, State, and local laws and environmental regulations to guide waste management and pollution prevention activities; AND 3) independently conducting environmental investigations, cleanups, sampling and monitoring.
"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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
This vacancy has a positive education requirement. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Department of Education Accreditation Search to verify school accreditation.
Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the
Department of Education website.DO NOT email or mail in any of your application documents. Documents will not be accepted outside of the online application system.
Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible".
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
This position is announced under a government-wide Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) for Physical Scientist (Environmental) positions in the 1301 series. Under the DHA, all applicants who meet the Education and Qualification requirements listed in this announcement, at the grade level they are applying, will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration. Veteran's Preference, category rating, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply under the DHA process.
If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the Education and Qualification requirements listed in this announcement to be referred for consideration.
If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible' or 'not qualified'.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (10/17/2024) of this announcement.
To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12569719
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.
The application process is as follows:
- You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/.
- To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
- Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
- You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application:
https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; 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/.
If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center:
https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/
If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.
You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.
You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.
Please check that your USAJOBS profile contact information is current and correct each time you apply to a job--this will ensure we are able to contact you as quickly as possible.
In addition to changing your status online, we will send you e-mail notifications at each major step in the process, to include: application received, eligible or not eligible, referred or not referred, selected or not selected.