Environmental Protection Specialist

Summary This position is located in the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Field Organization, Northeast Area (NEA), Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Office of the Director located in Beltsville, MD. In this position, you will lead in the planning and administration of the environmental program, inclusive of the Environmental Management System (EMS), to ensure the center complies with Federal, State, and local environmental laws, regulations, policies, and procedures. Responsibilities Represents the organization in public hearings and consultations in relation to environmental matters. Develops The Center’s policies as these relate to the management of farming practices, facility operations, and research, to ensure adherence to pollutant control, environmental health, and recycling regulations and policies. Leads in evaluating and securing compliance with environmental laws and programs through permitting, internal, and external audits, inspections, investigations, and enforcement and corrective action activities. Manages environmental and land use permit issues and extramural agreements relevant to The Center, which includes more than 6,500 acres of Federally owned property occupied by the ARS entities and several other tenant Federal agencies. Oversees the monitoring of The Center’s environmental performance against internal and external compliance targets. Develops and directs comprehensive educational and training programs. Prepares detailed reports and administrative briefings for intra- and inter-agency leadership. Plans and administers environmental programs including CERLCA, hazardous waste, and Environmental Management System (EMS), to ensure that the organization complies with Federal, State, and/or Local environmental laws and policies. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-13 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-12 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience managing environmental programs for an organization to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations; identifying, analyzing, and making recommendations to resolve environmental compliance problems or situations; and assisting in developing environmental compliance guidance and procedures. 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 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 This position does not have an education qualification requirement. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployment Priority List (RPL): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP or RPL eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period. This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. Final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at time of job offer.