Life Scientist/Environmental Engineer/Physical Scientist

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.

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.