Life Scientist/Environmental Engineer/Physical Scientist

This position is in Region 3, Land, Chemicals and Redevelopment Division, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Programs and Chemicals Safety Branch, RCRA Programs Section. About: Region 3 This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis.

Major duties

At the highest advertised grade, you will: Prepare or review Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste, Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) waste and/or RCRA Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) permits (issuance, reissuance, and modification) for routine treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. Provide technical support to state, local, or tribal agencies regarding well-defined technical and scientific criteria and methods, associated waste management requirements, and impacts of improper waste management. Resolve issues related to permit requirements and participate in the defense of permits against legal challenges with the Office of Regional Counsel (ORC). Respond to basic questions concerning the interpretation and application of permit requirements, including inquiries from the press, Congressional staff, or state and local officials, and/or Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests from the public. If you are hired at a lower grade level, your duties will be less complex and you will have more supervisory oversight. 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. You will spend less than 25% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements. One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position.

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-07 level, you must have one of the following: 1 year of full-time* specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level defined as reviewing permit applications for completeness using established checklists and standard operating procedures; preparing routine permitting correspondence and public participation materials. 1 year of graduate-level education; or superior academic achievement (Superior Academic Achievement Definition); the education must be directly related and provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position Equivalent combination of education and experience To qualify for the GS-09 level, you must have one of the following: 1 year of full-time* specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level defined as assisting with the preparation and review of environmental permit applications and draft permit conditions; drafting sections of permits or determinations, compiling administrative records, and preparing draft responses to public comments under supervision; coordinating with internal staff and external stakeholders to facilitate timely processing of permit actions and resolve straightforward issues. 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree; or master's or equivalent graduate degree; the education must be directly related and provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position Equivalent combination of education and experience NOTE: 1 year of full-time graduate education is the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study; if that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours is considered an academic year of graduate study. You will need the following competencies in order to perform the duties of this position successfully:

• Attention to Detail
• Critical Thinking
• Environmental Laws and Regulations
• Customer Service
• Oral Communication
• Planning and Evaluating*
• Conflict Management
• Problem Solving
• Teamwork
• Technical Documentation* (assessed at GS-09 only)
• Written Communication* (assessed at GS-07 only)
• Manages and Organizes Information
• Reading Comprehension
• Program/Project Management/Evaluation*

*You will be evaluated on these critical competencies. 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: Part-Time Experience.

Education

Life Scientist: 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. Environmental Engineer: You must have one of the following: Successful completion of a professional engineering degree at an accredited university or college OR 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. Please review the OPM page on specifics about required curriculum and for more information on qualifications, please visit GS-800: All Professional Engineering Positions qualifications. Physical Scientist: 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 Accreditation.

Requirements

#LI-Onsite You must be a U.S. citizen. If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period. This position is designated as Moderate 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. REAL ID requirements became effective on 05/07/25. If you are selected for this position and plan to use your driver's license or identification card during the onboarding process (i.e., for employment eligibility verification or to obtain your EPA identification card), the document must be a REAL ID-compliant state-issued driver's license or identification card that includes the REAL ID-compliant star marking, or must be an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL). You will receive information about alternative acceptable documents (e.g., passport) prior to onboarding. For more information about REAL ID, see Dept. of Homeland Security and REAL ID FAQs. You will be required to obtain (before coming on board) and maintain a valid driver's license and must be able to operate a Government-owned or leased motor vehicle. You will be required to meet ongoing specialized safety training requirements in order to meet field safety standards. Participation in the medical monitoring program is required. Pre-employment physical may be required and periodic physicals thereafter.