The overall purpose and intent of this position is that of an Environmental Protection Specialist, primarily performing work as the Central Texas VA Health Care System's Water Quality Specialist.

Duties

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The incumbent serves as the facility's manager of the water program and will perform a variety of duties, included by not limited to, the following: Directing and conducting the water quality surveillance program including a complex array of local testing of water for various potential bacteriological and chemical contaminants and ensuring all water sampling data is exchanged. Managing permits (e.g., construction, industrial, municipal storm water) with responsibility of record-keeping and reporting (e.g., water permit reports, requirements specified in permits). Providing close oversight to contractors and veterans assigned to the water program, while consulting with vocational rehabilitation staff on an on-going basis. Planning, organizing, and implementing an aggressive, creative, and dynamic Water Program. Coordinating efforts throughout the program area to identify needs and developing Environmental Program Requirements (EPRs) for new projects and program requirements. Maintaining and submitting required reports and permit-required studies and assessments in compliance with regulatory timelines. Performing program management for planning, budgeting, contracting, and stakeholder communication. Managing all aspects of the water permit operating record program, requiring in depth knowledge in the Clean Water Act (CWA) program management and recordkeeping. Identifying water priority pollutants, develops plans, trains staff on the proper management of best management practices of the CWA, and ensuring the VA maintains compliance with all state and federal regulations. Developing, coordinating, and presenting public information and education programs and promotional materials. Initiating and maintaining effective briefings on the impacts of the existing and upcoming CWA regulations, evaluating and developing recommendations to mitigate impacts. Coordinating response to VA and external environmental audits, surveys, inspections, etc. Developing and maintaining reporting systems for the Water committee to update on its overall water program. Performing various Environmental duties in support of the facility's Green Environmental Management Systems Program (GEMS). Assessing work practices and environmental conditions for hazards to the health and safety of workers. Generally, work is ancillary to an Industrial Hygienist. Assisting in conducting complex studies, conducting routine surveys, analyzing findings, and preparing data for inclusion in reports and writing portions of reports. Coordinating, scheduling, and conducting regular industrial hygiene inspections and surveys of assigned work areas in accordance with established guidance. Performing environmental sampling using standard industrial hygiene methods to determine nature and degree of hazard for a variety of materials and environments. Work Schedule: Compressed tour- 9 hour days and one 8 hour day per pay period shifts starting as early as 7:30am Compressed/Flexible: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: HA674-00543-A & HA674-00541-A / Environmental Protection Specialist Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/22/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For GS-011 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-09 Level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience understanding state and federal regulations such as the Clean Water Act/Safe Drinking Water Act and Commission on Environmental Quality requirements ensuring compliance with laws and regulations; Assisting with management of permits for construction, industrial, storm water, or environmental for required record-keeping and reporting; Conducting internal audits, risk management planning, and pollution prevention to ensure compliance with regulations; Communicating issues and relaying information related to environmental compliance to leadership; Summarizing data to prepare environmental and water permit reports; Identifying basic program needs, performs industrial hygiene inspections to prevent health hazards for employees; Assisting in overseeing permit requirements, contract clauses; and evaluating the effectiveness of water quality management systems. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., if directly related to the work of the position OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond graduate education one year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement). To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first year of graduate education). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. GS-11 Level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience interpreting state and federal regulations such as the Clean Water Act/Safe Drinking Water Act and Commission on Environmental Quality requirements for water management; Preparing spreadsheets and reports; conducting water analysis and testing for various bacterial and chemical contaminants; and communicating issues and relaying information related to environmental compliance to leadership; Evaluating permit applications for construction, industrial, wastewater, storm water, and drinking water; Summarizing data to prepare environmental and water permit reports; and interpreting environmental protection rules and regulations; Performing industrial hygiene inspections to prevent health hazards for employees ensuring required protective equipment and safe work practices are in place; Determining compliance with environmental regulations and policies, permit requirements, contract clauses; and evaluating the effectiveness of water quality management systems. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, OR a directly related LL.M. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond two (2) years of graduate education one year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement). To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first year of graduate education). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Technical Competence Environmental Engineering External Awareness Forward Thinking Vulnerabilities Assessment 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work includes frequent site visits of water permit activities throughout the installation, requiring moderate physical exertion when inspecting point and non-point source discharges to verify CWA compliance. Activities may include extensive lifting, reaching, bending, walking, and standing on hard surfaces for extended periods of time. Incumbent frequently lifts and carries materials up to 40 pounds. Use of forklifts is required for moving materials more than 75 pounds. Sedentary desk work is also required, including use of the computer for generating reports, proposals, promotional materials, etc. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Contacts

• Address VA Central Texas Health Care System 1901 Veterans Memorial Drive Temple, TX 76504 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]