Inspector (Offshore Well Operations and Safety)

Summary

The Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) works to promote safety, protect the environment, and conserve resources offshore through vigorous regulatory oversight and enforcement. For information about our bureau go to:

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Duties

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These positions are located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), Gulf of America Region (GOAR), District Field Office, within various District Offices in Houma, LA, Lake Charles, LA, Lafayette, LA, Angleton, TX and Jefferson, LA.

At the full performance level (GS-11) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Performs well-operation inspections of oil and gas facilities to ensure safety of operations and personnel.

2. Identifies deficiencies or violations of environmental and safety laws and regulations.

3. Works with senior Inspectors in conducing investigation of accidents associated with offshore drilling, work-over/completion, or other related operations.

4. Plan and schedule inspections of routine operations or designated portion or more complex operations.

5. Write reports of operations findings, and Letters of Deficiency.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

Salary Information

GS-07: $58,193 - $75,653 per annum

GS-09: $71,181 - $92,541 per annum.

First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level.

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

1. You must be a U.S. Citizen.
2. You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination.
3. You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
4. You must submit ALL required documents and complete any required questionnaires.
5. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.
6. You will be required to complete a Financial Disclosure Form within 30 days of your appointment.
7. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will 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. This probationary period 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.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND/OR (2) Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying.

GS-07

To qualify for the GS-07, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

1) Conducting or assisting in work of oil and gas well-operations and/or associated facilities, equipment and control systems.

-OR-

Education: Must have completed one (1) full year of graduate level education or a bachelor's degree with superior academic achievement.*

-OR-

Combination of Experience and Education: Have a combination of specialized experience and education that equals 100% of the requirement for the GS-07 level.*Additional information regarding Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.):

GS-09

Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-09, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

1) Assisting senior inspectors or other compliance personnel in preparing for, conducting, and reporting on inspections and investigations of oil and gas well-operations and associated facilities, equipment, and control systems and/or by conducting segments of inspections while on-site and preparing written inspection reports.

-OR-

Education: Must have completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Such education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the skills necessary to do the work.

-OR -

Combination of Education/Experience: Have a combination of specialized experience and education that equals 100% of the requirement for the GS-09 level.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website:

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Volunteer Experience: 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.

Education

Education : If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.

Foreign Education : Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit:

Additional information

This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within the defined local commuting area at the time of application. For this announcement, the local commuting area is the area from which individuals can reasonably commute to the duty station under normal conditions. The defined vicinity for this position is:

• The defined vicinity for the Angleton, TX location is: 50 miles from 4005 Technology Drive, Suite 2090, Angleton, TX 77515 .
• The defined vicinity for the Lake Charles, LA location is: 50 miles from 800 VF Factory Outlet Dr., Suite 103, Iowa, LA 70647 .
• The defined vicinity for the Lafayette, LA location is: 50 miles from 102 Versailles Blvd., Suite 401, Lafayette, LA 70501 .
• The defined vicinity for the Houma, LA location is: 50 miles from 3866 Highway 56, Houma, LA 70363 .
• The defined vicinity for the Jefferson, LA location is: 50 miles from 800 W. Commerce Road, New Orleans, LA 70123

.See the Required Documents section for information on how to verify current residence.

The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report. In addition, DOI employees, GS-15 and above, who work in the Office of the Secretary; along with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) employees (at ALL grade levels), are further restricted concerning their interests in Federal lands and resources administered or controlled by the Department of the Interior. This includes holding stock in energy corporations which lease Federal lands (e.g.: oil, gas, coal, alternative energy resources, etc.). If you have any such investments you should contact the DOI, BOEM or BSEE Ethics Office before accepting employment. DOI employees are held to the highest level of integrity. Employees must be objective and impartial in the performance of their work. All potential issues (e.g.: work-related interactions with friends, family members, or previous employers) must be disclosed at the time of application or during the interview process.

NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work with the U.S. Department of the Interior. The preliminary background check consists of a search of Office of Personnel Management and Department of Defense background investigation files and an FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check; it may take up to 3 weeks to complete. If selected for this position, you will be extended a tentative offer of employment pending a satisfactory background check. Current Federal employees or individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check; these will be handled on a case-by-case basis in coordination with the Bureau security office.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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.

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.