Clarification from the agency

Open to current employees of DOI who are serving on perm competitive svc appts; OR current DOI employees, regardless of current status, who are elig for consideration under a noncompetitive auth such as those specific to 30% disabled vets, VRA, Individuals with Disabilities, Pathways Interns & Recent Grads who are elig for noncomp conversion, etc.; OR current or former employees who are serving, or previously served, on temp or term appt in a land mgmt agency.

As a Supervisory Chemist within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Water Mission Area (WMA), in the Laboratory and Analytical Services Division (LASD), some of your specific duties will include:

• Serves as the Chief of the National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) and is responsible for providing supervisory and leadership oversight for all units and operations.
• Develops, refines, and continually improves strategies and policies to ensure the consistent, accurate, and reliable delivery of analytical services across the Water Enterprise Area.
• Ensure defensible and compliant quality assurance practices by providing oversight and leadership of scientific, technical, and policy
  processes.
• Coordinate the development, validation, approval, and maintenance and improvement of new and legacy analytical methodologies.
• Ensures excellence in the logistical operation of facilities management and sample login services by providing oversight and leadership to the Facilities and Login units at the NWQL.

Physical Demands: Work is sedentary in nature. Considerable travel is involved.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office and laboratory setting. Proper personal protective equipment such as goggles/safety glasses and gloves are required when entering laboratory area.

Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

1. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
2. This position requires completion of a 1-year supervisory probationary period, if one has not previously been completed.
3. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?

• Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
• If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Qualifications

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Chemist, all grade levels.

A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree 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 or the equivalent in physics.

**OR**

B. A combination of education and experience-course work equivalent to a major as shown in "A" above (24 semester hours or the equivalent in physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering), including at least 30 semester hours or the equivalent in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours or the equivalent of physics, plus appropriate experience and/or additional education for a total of 4 years. The education or combined education and experience must be comparable in type, scope and thoroughness to that acquired through successful completion of a 4-year course of study as described in "A" above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE)

For GS-15: In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must have one year of appropriate professional experience in chemistry that is equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service.

Examples of such experience could include: act as a key expert for other scientists and program specialists, frequently addressing significant issues impacting water-related programs; developing and executing long-term strategic plans, making controversial decisions, and defending conclusions in public or high-level forums; or expertise in budget management, procurement of advanced equipment, and overseeing human resources operations.Evaluations and recommendations at this level are recognized as those of a technical authority in environmental science.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.

Conditions of Employment for this Position: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

Thisprobationaryperiod is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

How you will be evaluated

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

--Resume Length:
Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

--Basis of Rating:
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), and the result of the assessment required for this position. Your responses must be substantiated by your resume. If you do not respond to the application questions you may be rated ineligible.

Structured Interview Assessment Required: If you meet the eligibility and basic qualification requirements for this position, subject-matter-experts will conduct a structured interview assessment to evaluate your knowledge, skills, abilities, and competences as they directly relate to the duties of this position.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and awards during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.

--NOTE: If it is determined that you have rated yourself higher than is supported in your description of experience and/or education as described in your resume/application, or that your resume or application is incomplete, you may be rated ineligible, not qualified, or your score may be lowered.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12946631

Required documents may be uploaded directly from your desktop or uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.

Resume: Must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Supporting documents: Upload supporting documents identified in the Key Requirements section or included below as it applies to your eligibility. Supporting documents may be uploaded directly from your desktop or uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.

Transcripts: This position requires specific educational course work to qualify. You are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.), which includes semester hours earned and grade received, by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.

Due Weight for Performance: Submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. Due weight for performance applies to federal and non-federal work. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

Current Federal DOI Employees: Submit a copy of a recent SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting proof of competitive status within DOI, tenure, position title, occupational series, grade level and step by the closing date of this announcement, or you will not receive consideration.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) Eligibles: If you are claiming CTAP eligibility, the Servicing Human Resources Office must receive proof by the closing date of this announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330 Subpart F or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes:

• copy of the agency notice;
• your most recent Performance Rating; and
• your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

If you are a CTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference points). For more information on CTAP please click here.

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Eligibles: If you are applying as a current or former employee of a land management agency, i.e., Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, or the U.S. Forest Service who is serving or previously served on a temporary or term appointment under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act, you must submit the following documentation by the closing date of this vacancy announcement to receive consideration:

• SF-50(s), Notification of Personnel Action, that documents your service under competitive examining procedures in time limited appointments that totals 2 or more years at land management agencies; and
• Documentation of satisfactory performance such as performance evaluations or references by supervisors or other documents, e.g., memorandums of record, whereas the supervisor documented an acceptable performance level.

Additional information is available here.

Eligibility for Special Appointing Authorities: If you are applying for this position based on eligibility under a special appointing authority, you must submit proof supporting your claim. If you fail to submit proof, you will not receive consideration under the special appointing authority. Below is a list of the most common authorities and the documentation requirements. If you're eligible for an authority not listed, you are responsible for submitting documentation appropriate for that specific authority. Additional information for all the authorities below can be found on USAJobs Hiring Paths page.

--30% or More Disabled Veteran - Submit a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy; and an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, etc.

CONTINUED IN "HOW TO APPLY".

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