BIOLOGIST (Planning-Environmental Resources Branch)

Announcement Type

TARP - Direct-Hire Authority (DHA)

Position Type

Permanent

USACE Organization

North Atlantic Division (NAD) - Philadelphia District

Locations (City, State)

Philadelphia, PA

Position Overview/Duties

Position Overview:
Serves as lead environmental specialist on a variety of studies and projects and manages, coordinates, and documents environmental impact assessments and associated coordination with state, federal and local regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Assessments may focus on, but are not limited to, water resources development, environmental restoration, coastal storm risk management, navigation, recreation and bank and channel stabilization. Provides technical guidance to lower grade professionals and technicians on detailed work assignments. Ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, and local environmental regulations through coordination with regulatory agencies and public stakeholders

Major Duties:

• Leads environmental technical efforts for Project Delivery Teams and prepares NEPA compliance documentation, including Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), for civil works, military construction, and interagency projects.
• Develop mitigation plans and conduct ecological modeling analyses to determine environmental benefits and compliance requirements.
• Secure environmental permits, certifications, and regulatory approvals in compliance with applicable laws and policies, including the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Coastal Zone Management requirements, and other federal and state regulations.
• Conduct jurisdictional delineations and prepare technical documentation to support regulatory coordination. Leads pre-application meetings and consultation processes with federal, state, and local agencies.
• Facilitate NEPA scoping, public involvement, and interagency coordination processes. Prepares public notices, meeting materials, and official correspondence. Develops and documents responses to public and agency comments and leads comment resolution efforts.
• Conduct analyses and field investigations to support ecosystem restoration and water resource project planning.
• Develop statements of work, independent government cost estimates, and contracts and monitor contractor progress and products.

APPLICABILITY/AREA OF CONSIDERATION: This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD, Section 9905 to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

WHO MAY APPLY: US Citizens

APPLICANT QUALIFICATIONS:
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirements:

Biologist, Series 0401:
A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR
B. Combination of Education and Experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to meeting the basic requirements above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the specialized experience listed below.

GS-12: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes preparing environmental compliance documents for water resource projects in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); coordinating with federal, state, and local agencies to obtain required environmental permits and approvals; and conducting ecological investigations and analyses to evaluate environmental impacts and support ecosystem restoration projects. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11).

For GS-12: Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

ACCREDITATION: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/)

Other Conditions and Requirements

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Appointment may be subject to suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation. Position is designated as Non-Sensitive-No access security clearance.
• Appointment to this position is subject to a one year probationary period unless the appointee has previously met the requirements as described in 5 CFR Part 315.
• This position has a Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel requirement of 25% of the time.
• This position requires that the incumbent possess or obtain and maintain a valid state Driver's License in one of the 50 U.S. states or possessions to operate vehicles.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.

Other Essential Information:

• Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• This position is Exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.
• This announcement may be used to fill like vacancies for three months after the closing date.
• This position MAY be eligible for situational telework only, including emergency and OPM prescribed "Unscheduled Telework.
• All qualifications requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• Direct deposit of pay is required.
• This is a(n) CP-18-Construction, Engineering, Infrastructure Career Field position.
• Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs MAY BE authorized.
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives May be authorized (up to 25%).
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, are required to register for Selective Service prior to appointment.
• Applications must be submitted after 12:01 AM (EST) of the posted Job Posting Open Date and before 11:45 PM (EST) of the posted Job Posting Close Date to receive consideration.
• Point of contact for this announcement is Izana S. Phillips, Izana.s.phillips@usace.army.mil

Your resume:
• Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
• For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
• Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
• If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor

To learn more, please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity (https://www.eeoc.gov/federal-sector/federal-employees-job-applicants).

Qualifications - Candidates will be evaluated in accordance with OPM General Schedule (GS) Qualification Standards or Federal Wage System (FWS) Qualifications and Job Elements

GS Standards: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/

Reasonable Accommodation

Reasonable accommodation is available to qualified employees with disabilities. You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application process, hiring process or while on the job. Requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.