Summary

This position is in Region 10, Superfund and Emergency Management Division . About Region 10: Region 10

This is an office-centered position*you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis.
*Work-from-home flexibilities may be authorized as described in the Benefits section.

This job is open to

Individuals with disabilities
Federal employees - Competitive service
Current or former competitive service federal employees.
Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
Land & base management
Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
Military spouses
Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
Special authorities
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
Veterans

Clarification from the agency

-Current federal employee with competitive status; reinstatement eligible; ICTAP/CTAP eligible
-Current/former federal employee eligible under misc act/authority/agreement (e.g., land management, postal service, interchange agreement)
-Veteran who is preference eligible or has separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after 3 years or more of continuous active service (VEOA)
-Applicant eligible for noncompetitive appointment (e.g., Schedule A, Peace Corps, VRA)
-PHS Officer

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Duties

At the entry level of this position, you will:

- Plan and conduct investigations of high value and often complex sites designed to identify parties (individuals, companies, and other entities) who have potential liability for the cleanup of sites where there is or has been a release or threatened release of hazardous substances. Investigations may include multi-regional where Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) chemicals are involved.

- Provide verbal and written briefings to appropriate Regional staff and management on the status of ongoing or planned investigations and actions; make recommendations related to Potentially Responsible Parties (PRP) liability and financial viability; and assists in settlement negotiations with Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs) or litigation efforts, as needed.

- Identify situations and provides information to the Office of Criminal Investigations where civil investigations have uncovered information warranting consideration of criminal investigation. Coordinate with criminal investigations to ensure that parallel civil investigations do not jeopardize the potential for a successful criminal investigation.

You will spend less than 25% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements.

When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses. NOTE: Career ladder promotions are not automatic, and all eligibility and qualifications requirements must be met in order to progress to the next grade level.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You will be required to lift items weighing up to 70 pounds.
You may have limited exposure to hazardous materials.
Position has education requirementssee Qualifications/Education section.
You must submit a resume and required documentssee How to Apply section.
EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings.
You must be a U.S. citizen.

#LI-Onsite

If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter.

If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period if appointed as Competitive Service or a two-year trial period if appointed as Excepted Service.

This position is designated as High Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.

You must meet time in grade requirements no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement.

You will be required to meet ongoing specialized safety training requirements in order to meet field safety standards.

Qualifications

NOTE: You must meet qualification requirements, including any requirements described in the Education section, by the closing date of this announcement.

In addition to the basic entry education requirements, you must have specialized experience and/or directly related education as described below:

To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must have 1 year of full-time* specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level defined as preparing for investigations by applying civil and criminal provisions of environmental protection statutes, including the provisions of statutes and regulations governing the illegal generation, disposal and transportation of pollutants, toxic substances and hazardous materials.

To qualify for the GS-13 level, you must have 1 year of full-time* specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level defined as conducting investigations involving disposal and/or handling of hazardous waste at Superfund sites to aid in determining who the responsible parties are.

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

Knowledge laws and regulations to inspection, investigation, enforcement, and/or compliance work sufficient to plan and conduct complex investigations to identify potentially
responsible parties (PRPs) at Superfund sites.
Skill in conducting interviews and interrogations.
Skill in planning, organizing and overseeing investigations; testify in legal, quasi-legal or administrative proceedings.
Skill in written communication.
Skill in oral communication.
Ability to apply them in analyzing voluminous, complex and often incomplete books and records to find evidence.

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.

*If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Education

You need a degree or combination of education and experience as described below to qualify for this position.

0401/Life Science: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR a combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major, as listed.

0819/Environmental Engineering:

All applicants must meet one of the following requirements to qualify for consideration for an engineering position:

Successful completion of a professional engineering degree at an accredited university or college

Have a combination of college level education or training AND technical experience that has furnished you with (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:

Professional registration as an engineer.
Evidence of passing the Engineer-in-Training written test.
Successful documented completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences as described by OPM.

Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field and at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance

1301/Physical Science: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in 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 a combination of education and experience with education equivalent to one of the majors listed that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Additional information

This position is in the bargaining unit.

Are you a Displaced Federal Employee? If so, please read the Required Documents section and visit the EPA website for additional information on the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures
NOTE: To be entitled to selection priority, you must be rated well-qualified (i.e., you must have a score of 87 or highersee the How You Will Be Evaluated section).

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at EPA. Our excellence can only be fully realized by staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the Agency's workplace and mission. We encourage applications from candidates with a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization. The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve. To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA.

EPA participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Although the Service type indicated in the Overview section is Competitive, you may be appointed as Excepted Service based on your eligibility to be hired under certain appointing authorities.

If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility.

Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed in the Overview section.

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.
Join EPA in protecting human health and the environment and enjoy many work life quality options! Working for the EPA offers you a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. To learn more about us, visit Life and Careers at EPA.
This position may be eligible for flexible work schedules in accordance with EPA's Workplace Flexibilities policy and/or applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement. If selected, you may apply for expanded telework or, after 90 days of employment, remote work. These flexibilities are not guaranteed and will be determined in accordance with policy and position requirements after you are hired.
This position has portable work. If selected for this position, you may be eligible for partial work-from-home flexibilities after meeting eligibility requirements, as allowable by agency policy and/or applicable collective bargaining agreement.
PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS (PSLF): As a federal employee, you may be eligible for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The PSLF program forgives the remaining balance on federal Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer, including EPA. Learn more: pslf.gov
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.

We will review your resume and required documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. Your resume must address the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in the Qualifications section. If you meet basic qualification requirements, your application will be further evaluated based on your answers to the

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