Environmental Protection Specialist - Direct Hire
Duties
As an Environmental Protection Specialist, you will:
- Support or develop clear and effective environmental policies, procedures, and techniques, as well as guidance and other support, including training, for FTA Regional Offices and other internal and external audiences involved in the environmental review process as applied to various transit projects.
- Serve as a technical subject matter expert on specific environmental-related policies, laws, regulations, Executive Orders, and directives, as assigned, related to human and natural environmental issues and resources, and planning and environment linkages. Examples include the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), the Endangered Species Act, or the Environmental Justice Executive Orders.
- Participate in national level interagency or interdepartmental working groups on legislative proposals, policy, regulatory, and/or operational issues relating to the environment and transportation. Represent FTA in meetings with federal, state, tribal, and local partners, industry partners, and the public.
The position will be located in one of the following Divisions:
- Office of Environmental Policy and Programs, Project Review and Advancement Division (TPE-31): Provide policy direction and guidance to FTA Regional Offices and external audiences on the implementation of the NEPA and related legislation and environmental requirements, as well as support on the efficient management of the environmental review process.
- Office of Environmental Policy and Programs, Environmental Technical Analysis Division (TPE-32): Provide policy direction and guidance to FTA Regional Offices and external audiences on technical analysis for specific environmental resource areas, including Section 106 of the NHPA, environmental justice, Clean Water Act(wetlands and water quality), Endangered Species Act (threatened and endangered species and habitat), noise and vibration, hazardous waste and brownfields, Coastal Zone Act and coastal barrier protection, and real property acquisition.
- Office of Environmental Policy and Programs, Resilience Program Division (TPE-33): Provide policy direction and guidance to FTA Regional Offices and external audiences on air quality, climate change, electrification, resilience, and sustainability, and completes data reporting for TPE-30.
A background working with environmental statutes, regulations, and policies is desirable, as well. Candidates should have the skill and experience working collaboratively and productively with individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences; managing projects; and handling multiple, competing priorities, issues, and projects simultaneously.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment- You must be a U.S. citizen & meet specialized experience to qualify
- Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date
- Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
- Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
- SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
- GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
- TELEWORK ELIGIBILITY: This position may be eligible for occasional and/or regularly scheduled telework. The number of telework days approved will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.
- PROBATIONARY PERIOD: Applicants may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).
Qualifications
To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (3) meet either the education or experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.
To qualify for the GS-11 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-09 it must include:
- Experience assisting customers in fulfilling their NEPA and NEPA-related responsibilities for proposed transit projects and transportation plans by providing guidance on procedural and technical matters, including specific practice or impact areas, such as NEPA, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, or Environmental Justice Executive Orders.
- Experience assisting in developing and implementing agency-wide regulations, policies, procedures, guidelines, and training related to the analysis and mitigation of the environmental and community impacts of proposed transit projects and transportation plans, including assessment of impacts in environmental areas.
- Experience reviewing congressional and departmental legislative proposals and regulatory proposals related to environmental issues, and prepares draft written recommendations and comments of the office.
3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.
You can also qualify based on a combination of higher level graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.
To qualify for the GS-12 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-11 it must include:
- Experience guiding customers in fulfilling their NEPA and NEPA-related responsibilities for proposed transit projects and transportation plans by providing guidance and advice on procedural and technical matters, and by performing reviews of impact assessments and analyses. Leads the agency’s efforts in one or more practice or impact areas, such as NEPA, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, or Environmental Justice Executive Orders.
- Experience leading role in developing and implementing agency-wide regulations, policies, procedures, guidelines, and training related to the analysis and mitigation of the environmental and community impacts of proposed transit projects and transportation plans, including assessment of impacts in environmental areas.
- Experience reviewing congressional and departmental legislative proposals and regulatory proposals related to environmental issues, and prepares the written recommendations and comments of the office.
You cannot qualify on education at the GS-12 to GS-14 levels; you must have experience.
To qualify for the Grade 13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include:
- Experience guiding customers in fulfilling their NEPA and NEPA-related responsibilities for proposed transit projects and transportation plans by providing guidance and advice on procedural and technical matters, and by performing reviews of impact assessments and analyses.
- Experience leading the agency’s efforts in a few practice or impact areas, such as NEPA, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, or Environmental Justice Executive Orders.
- Experience recognizing need for and providing leadership in developing and implementing agency-wide regulations, policies, procedures, guidelines, and training related to the analysis and mitigation of the environmental and community impacts of proposed transit projects and transportation plans, including assessment of impacts in environmental areas.
- Experience reviewing and critiquing congressional and departmental legislative proposals and regulatory proposals related to environmental issues, and prepares the written recommendations and comments of the office.
To qualify for the Grade 14, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include:
- Experience providing advice to customers in fulfilling their NEPA and NEPA-related responsibilities for proposed transit projects and transportation plans by providing guidance on procedural and technical matters under the Federal environmental review process.
- Experience leading efforts in multiple practice or impact areas, such as NEPA, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act, or Environmental Justice Executive Orders.
- Experience exercising initiative and a lead position in developing and implementing agency-wide regulations, policies, procedures, guidelines, and training related to the analysis and mitigation of the environmental and community impacts of proposed transit projects and transportation plans, including assessment of environmental areas.
- Experience reviewing and critiquing congressional and departmental legislative proposals and regulatory proposals related to environmental issues, and prepares the written recommendations and comments of the office.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
- Technical Competence - Understands and appropriately applies principles, procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise.
- Compliance - Knowledge of procedures for assessing, evaluating, and monitoring programs or projects for compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance.
- Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
- Written Communication - Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.
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
For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/employment-faq/federal-hiring/how-do-i-apply-for-federal-jobs/
Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.
Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act.Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, Fair Chance Act@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.Qualified CTAP/ICTAP candidates receive priority and will be referred to the hiring manager.
- Benefits
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 window Learn more about federal benefits.
Review our 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.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
For this announcement, all applicants will be reviewed to determine if they meet the basic qualifications for this position, specifically the educational requirements. Applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.
Applicants will not be rated or ranked. Veteran’s Preference does NOT apply.DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated by a resume. If, upon review, it is determined that your resume and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be removed from consideration.
Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers.
You may preview questions for this vacancy.- Benefits
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 window Learn more about federal benefits.
Review our 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.- Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
RESUME: – Your resume MUST contain specific information used to make a qualification determination that includes employment beginning and ending dates for each position, whether employment is Full-time or Part-time or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles.If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level. The resume should show relevant experience and education as well as support the required specialized experience. Formatted resumes may be uploaded later in the application process.
For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to
TRANSCRIPTS are REQUIRED if you are substituting education for experience for the GS-11. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements.
DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting minimum requirements for position and scoring at least an 85) and provide all of the following documents:
- your most recent performance appraisal,
- the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and
- your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.
For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.
Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents.
Uploading documents to USA Jobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.
- How to Apply
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require an accommodation or other assistance to apply online, please notify the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at: Transjobs@dot.gov. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the interview process, please notify the Office of Human Resources, Staffing and Classification Division, via email at FTAStaffing@dot.gov.
You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date of the announcement.- To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting.
- Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire.
- You may review your saved application(s) at https://help.usajobs.gov/
If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at: Transjobs@dot.gov
Agency contact information
Automated Staffing OfficePhone
000-000-0000
TRANSJOBS@dot.gov
Address
DOT, FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States
Next steps
You may check your application status by logging into USAJobs.com (Select "My USAJobs" and click "Applications". Within two weeks of the closing date, a Human Resources Specialist will evaluate your application. Qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.If you are selected for an interview, the hiring agency will contact you directly. Once the position is filled, we will notify all applicants of their final status.
- Fair and Transparent
- Criminal history inquiries
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Financial suitability
- New employee probationary period
- Privacy Act
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Selective Service
- Signature and false statements
- Social security number request
Required Documents
RESUME: – Your resume MUST contain specific information used to make a qualification determination that includes employment beginning and ending dates for each position, whether employment is Full-time or Part-time or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles.If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to provide the position series and grade level. The resume should show relevant experience and education as well as support the required specialized experience. Formatted resumes may be uploaded later in the application process.
For assistance with the resume builder, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to
TRANSCRIPTS are REQUIRED if you are substituting education for experience for the GS-11. The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements.
DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting minimum requirements for position and scoring at least an 85) and provide all of the following documents:
- your most recent performance appraisal,
- the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and
- your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.
For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition.
Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents.
Uploading documents to USA Jobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.
Help
This job is open to- The public
- Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. The 'Rule of Three', Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.