Physical Scientist/Life Scientist

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 educational requirements, we are looking for at least one year of specialized experience related to this position as described below:

To qualify for the GS-11 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-09 level defined as assisting, evaluating, and coordinating drinking water program work to ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and drinking water regulations.

- OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in the academic discipline as described below
- OR an 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 need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as overseeing, implementing, and coordinating drinking water program work to ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and drinking water regulations. 

Your application package will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: 

• Knowledge of a wide range of general physical and life scientist principles or studies that may include diverse scientific or other environmental conditions and varying scientific and program processes.
• Skill to modify standard practices, adapt precedents, and make significant departures from existing approaches and techniques as it relates to ensuring clean safe water.
• Knowledge of Federal, State, and local laws and regulations, documentation and reporting requirements, and lawmaking or rule making processes to make decisions or recommendations significantly changing. interpreting, or expanding important agency/national water policies and programs.
• Knowledge of the Safe Drinking Water Act programs and activities.

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.