Biologist/Toxicologist/Environmental Engineer/Physical Scientist/Chemist

Summary

These positions are in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Existing Chemicals Risk Assessment Division.

About this organization: OCSPP.

This is an office-centered positionyou must physically report to one of the duty stations stated in this announcement on a regular basis (location TBD after candidate selected).

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Duties

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At the full performance level of this position, you will:

• Establish the framework to identify, collect, and evaluate data and to render determinations consistent with statutory and regulatory mandates.
• Provide guidance on interpreting mandated regulations and resolving implementation-related technical issues.
• Plan, coordinate, and oversee data collection and preliminary analyses conducted by science assessors.
• Exchange scientific and technical guidance/expertise with scientists, supervisors, and senior management within the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.
• Prepare and deliver evaluations, analyses, risk characterizations, and other technical materials to stakeholders within and outside the agency.

If you are hired at a grade level lower than the full performance level (i.e., highest promotion potential 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.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

#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.

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.

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-11 level, you must have one of the following:

• 1 year of full-time* specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level defined as identifying, analyzing and evaluating data used for risk evaluations of chemicals, or conducting systematic review of environmentally related assessments, reports/data summaries; utilizing software to collect, store, and retrieve environmental data.
• 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree; or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral 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.

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 using technical knowledge to identify and evaluate data and analyses used for risk evaluations of chemicals; interpreting or writing reports/data summaries that evaluate the efficacy of data driven reports or scientific literature.

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 synthesizing scientific/technical data to resolve technical and regulatory issues and support regulatory decisions; developing, interpreting, and/or implementing regulations, guidelines, and/or policies related to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Pollution Prevent Act (PPA), and/or the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA); coaching, mentoring, or leading others.

You will need the following competencies in order to perform the duties of this position successfully:

*You will be evaluated on these critical competencies.

• Technical Competence*
• Critical Thinking
• Data Literacy and Analysis*
• Teamwork
• Interpersonal Skills
• Negotiation
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication*

*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

Biologist: 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.

Toxicologist: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in toxicology; or an appropriate discipline of the biological, medical, or veterinary sciences that included at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, biochemistry, or physiology, and 12 semester hours in toxicology.

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:

1. Professional registration as an engineer.
2. Evidence of passing the Engineer-in-Training written test
3. Successful documented completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences as described by OPM.
4. 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.

Chemist: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university 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 of physics; OR a combination of education and experience with education equivalent to one of the majors listed that included the described coursework.

For information about accreditation requirements, visit Accreditation.

Additional information

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.

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): CTAP/ICTAP

NOTE: To be entitled to selection priority, you must be rated well-qualified (i.e., you must fall into the Well Qualified category or highersee the How You Will Be Evaluated section).

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: E-Verify.

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.

This position is not in the bargaining unit.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

EPA welcomes applications from persons with disabilities. Through the reasonable accommodation process, we provide persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment that persons without disabilities enjoy. A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done. An accommodation removes workplace barriers and enables an applicant with a disability to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process, be considered for a position, and, if hired, perform the essential functions of their job.

The EPA National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators will provide assistance to you, the Human Resources Office, and/or the hiring official as needed. For more information, refer to EPA's Reasonable Accommodation website. Below is more detailed information about how to request a reasonable accommodation during the application, selection, and hiring process:

• If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process (submitting the application or completing the application process), contact the Human Resources Office listed below no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement, and the Human Resources Office will work directly with you.
• If you are referred to the hiring official for consideration and need an accommodation during the selection process, including the interview, notify the person who contacted you from the hiring official's office. If you do not hear back within three days about your reasonable accommodation request for the selection process, please notify EPA's National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators via email at [click to reveal email address] View email address on us.fitly.work .
• If you are selected and need an accommodation during the hiring process up to orientation, notify the HR Specialist who made the job offer to you.

Please note: Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

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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.

Benefits

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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.

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.

If you are selected for this position, situational telework may be approved by your supervisor if you meet eligibility requirements, as allowable by agency policy and/or applicable collective bargaining agreement. EPA policy only allows telework to be approved situationally. Situational telework is for work or assignments of specific limited duration on an occasional, emergency, or ad hoc basis.

NOTE: If you are an EPA employee who currently works at a remote work location (i.e., full-time telework), your approval for remote work does not transfer to this position, subject to Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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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.