Summary This position is in the Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Groundwater Characterization and Remediation Division, Subsurface Remediation Branch. About: ORD This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis. *EPA offers work-from-home and work schedule flexibilities as described in the Benefits section. Responsibilities You will: Conduct independent research in environmental science in response to EPA's priorities. Lead a team of researchers. Serve as a senior scientist and technical authority. Manage extramural research projects related to in-house research support contract(s). You will spend less than 25% of your work time on contracts, grants/cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements. One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. citizen. You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section. Position has education requirements--see Qualifications/Education section. EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings. This position is designated as Moderate Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date. If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period. REAL ID requirements will become effective on 05/07/25. If you are selected and come on board with EPA on or after that date and plan to use your driver’s license or identification card during the onboarding process (i.e., for employment eligibility verification or to obtain your EPA identification card), the document must be a REAL ID-compliant state-issued driver’s license or identification card that includes the REAL ID-compliant star marking, or must be an Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL). You will receive information about alternative acceptable documents (e.g., passport) prior to onboarding. For more information about REAL ID, see Dept. of Homeland Security and REAL ID FAQs. #LI-Onsite Qualifications NOTE: You must meet qualification requirements, including any requirements described in the Education section, by the closing date of this announcement. In addition to the basic entry education requirements, you must have specialized experience and/or directly related education as described below: To qualify for the Research GS-12 level, you must have one of the following: 1 year of full-time specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level defined as conducting research (i.e., formulating hypotheses, developing research plans, adapting existing methods/techniques) in environmental science; and analyzing or communicating research results. Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; the education must be directly related and provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. equivalent combination of education and experience. To qualify for the GS-13 level, you must have 1 year of full-time* specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level defined as conducting independent research in environmental science; managing technical progress of contracted research in the area of emphasis or communicating research results in peer-reviewed publications. Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: Knowledge of environmental science. Skill in interpreting scientific data. Skill in written communication. Ability to lead and train a team of researchers. Skill in oral communication. Ability to develop plans to support establishment of new scientific standards. Ability to manage contracts (preparing procurement requests and monitoring technical performance). 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, 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. *If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Education Microbiology - You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in microbiology; or biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included at least 20 semester hours in microbiology and other subjects related to microorganisms, and 20 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences (organic chemistry or biochemistry, physics, and college algebra, or their equivalent); OR a combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major, as listed. For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Additional Information Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed in the Overview section. EPA participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Are you a Displaced Federal Employee? If so, please read the Required Documents section and visit the EPA website for additional information on the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures NOTE: To be entitled to selection priority, you must be rated well-qualified (i.e., you must fall into the Well Qualified category or higher--see the How You Will Be Evaluated section). Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at EPA. Our excellence can only be fully realized by staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the Agency’s workplace and mission. We encourage applications from candidates with a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization. The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve. To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA. If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility. This position is in the bargaining unit. A relocation or recruitment incentive may be offered to the selected candidate if applicable criteria are met. If you are selected and accept a relocation or recruitment incentive, you must sign/date a written service agreement in which you commit to complete a specified period of employment with the agency (for a relocation incentive, specified period of employment must be at the new duty station). NOTE: A relocation incentive is not full reimbursement of all relocation expenses.