NOTE: This is a TERM appointment. Appointments to this position, however, will not convey permanent status in the Federal service and will be for a period not to exceed (NTE) September 30, 2030 with the possibility of annual extensions up to a total appointment of no more than ten (10) years.

Duties

This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary, Orphaned Wells Program Office (OWPO). The Orphaned Wells Program Office is responsible for implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's $4.7 billion investment to plug, remediate, and restore orphaned wells and well sites nationwide. Through this historic investment to clean up legacy pollution sites, the Department is working tirelessly to ensure the effective, efficient, and accountable implementation of the orphaned wells program and striving to transform a legacy of environmental pollution into a legacy of environmental stewardship. This position is being advertised as both location negotiable after selection and with a duty station of either Washington, DC or Denver, CO. If applying to "negotiable after selection", this means that your duty station will be based off your home address, and you will be a full-time remote worker. If applying to a specific duty station, you may be allowed to telework a set number of day(s) per pay period, with supervisory approval. At the full performance level (GS-13) the major duties of this position include but are not limited to the following: 1. Support orphaned well program development and implementation activities associated with Section 40601 of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by serving as a technical advisor on well plugging operations, site reclamation and remediation, environmental compliance, and other techniques and procedures associated with reducing the hazards of orphaned wells. 2. Participate on a multidisciplinary team to analyze and interpret data, including methane emissions and other environmental data and carry out field inspections and desk audits of grant recipients to evaluate activities, processes, and procedures. 3. Serve as a technical contributor in the development and implementation of orphaned well program technical and environmental policies, plans, guidelines, proposals, processes, procedures, and recommendations. 4. Evaluate whether wells are plugged and well sites are remediated and reclaimed in accordance with applicable environmental laws and regulations to protect groundwater, other natural resources, public health and safety, and the environment. 5. Provide analysis to improve grant guidance, reporting requirements, grant terms and conditions, and administrative policies and procedures, including efforts to ensure compliance with the Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. 6. Serve on multidisciplinary teams to assist in the evaluation and selection of grant recipients and the monitoring of grant recipient activities. Travel: Travel and field work up to 25% of the time can be expected. Travel will typically be to sites where well plugging, site remediation, and reclamation activities are taking place. Work Environment: Most of the work is performed in a typical office environment. The field work may involve occasional exposure to steep, rugged terrain, rough forest roads, local flora and fauna, and the possibility of extreme weather and temperature conditions, all of which require normal safety precautions. The work involves vehicle operation and associated discomforts and risks when operating motorized vehicles in isolated areas. Salary Range Information: GS-11: Denver: 80,665 to 104,861 Washington, DC: 82,764 to 107,590 Remote Location: 62,107 to 80,737** GS-12: Denver: 96,684 to 125,685 Washington, DC: 99,200 to 128,956 Remote Location: 74,441 to 96,770** GS-13: Denver: 114,970 to 149,465 Washington, DC: 117,962 to 153,354 Remote Location: 88,520 to 115,079** **This is the base GS base salary rate. If the applicant is selected for a remote location, pay will be set according to the selectee's geographic area. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level. This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

Requirements

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position you must meet the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND (2) Specialized Experience for the series/grade to which you are applying. (1) Basic Educational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, applicants must meet the Education Requirements described below. You MUST provide transcripts (unofficial are acceptable) in order to verify that the educational requirements have been met. This information must be received by the closing date of the announcement. Failure to provide this information may result in you receiving an "INELIGIBLE" rating. 0401 - Natural Resources Specialist A. Degree: 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. 1301 - Physical Scientist A. Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics. -OR- B. Combination of education and experience: education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. 0819 - Environmental Engineer and 0881 - Petroleum Engineer A. Degree: professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. -OR- B. Combination of education and experience: college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: 1. Professional registration or licensure 2. Written Test 3. Specified academic courses 4. Related curriculum For further information on the adequacy of such background demonstrated by one of the above listed are found in the link below: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/environmental-engineering-series-0819/ (2) Specialized Experience: GS-11 To qualify for the GS-11, you must meet either (A) Specialized Experience, (B) Education, or (C) Combination of Education and Experience for the grade to which you are applying. (A). To qualify for the GS-11, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1. Interpreting scientific, technical, or engineering standards and applying techniques and procedures used for well plugging, environmental remediation, site reclamation, or similar activities; and 2. Researching solutions to difficult and complex problems concerning natural resources, physical science, environmental, or engineering challenges; and 3. Identifying requirements for technical reports/presentations or providing technical advice on scientific, technical, engineering, or environmental activities. -Must Meet all 3- -OR- B. Education: You may substitute education for experience if you have achieved: - 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree -or- Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree -OR- C. Appropriate Combinations of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience that totals 100% of the requirement for the GS-11 grade level. Note: Only graduate level education in excess of 36 semester hours may be applied toward the combination at this grade level. GS-12 To qualify for the GS-12, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1. Interpreting scientific, technical, or engineering standards and applying techniques and procedures used for well plugging, environmental remediation, or site reclamation activities; and 2. Analyzing and researching solutions to difficult and complex problems concerning natural resources, physical science, environmental, or engineering challenges; and 3. Participating in the preparation of technical reports/presentations and providing technical advice on scientific, technical, engineering, or environmental activities. -Must Meet all 3- GS-13 To qualify for the GS-13, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1. Interpreting scientific, technical, or engineering standards and applying techniques and procedures used for well plugging, environmental remediation, or site reclamation activities; and 2. Analyzing and recommending solutions to difficult and complex problems concerning natural resources, physical science, environmental, or engineering challenges; and 3. Preparing technical reports/presentations and providing technical advice on scientific, technical, engineering, or environmental activities; and 4. Contributing to the development of policies and/or procedures related to the oversight of natural resources, physical science, environmental, or engineering programs or activities. -Must Meet all 4- Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.

Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

NOTE: Applicants utilizing education to qualify at the respective grade level must provide transcripts (unofficial are acceptable) in order to verify that the educational requirement has been met. The documents must be received by the closing date of the announcement. Failure to provide this information will result in you receiving an "INELIGIBLE" rating.

Contacts

• Address Office of the Secretary 45600 Woodland Rd Sterling, VA 20166 US
• Name: HR Assistant
• Phone: 703-787-1446
• Email: [email protected]