Chemist

This position is in the Office of Land and Emergency Management, Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation, Technology Innovation and Field Services Division, Environmental Response Team (EAST/WEST). 

About: The Office of Land and Emergency Management (OLEM)

You must have a bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics; OR a combination of education and experience with education equivalent to one of the majors listed that included the described coursework.

For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

You will:

• Serve as a nationally/internationally recognized authority in the field of air chemistry and surveillance on multimedia environmental emergencies for cleanup, removal, and remedial activities for oil and hazardous materials spills, natural disasters, terrorist activities and other environmental incidents.
• Develop and implement novel and advanced scientific/analytical approaches and methods for real-time air monitoring, sampling and analysis in both fixed and mobile laboratories.
• Serve as a senior member of the Environmental Response Team (ERT) with program expertise in chemistry and will rapidly respond in the field to environmental emergencies (accidental or intentional) and uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.
• Design and conduct environmental investigations, summarizes, and interprets results of these investigations and prepares complete reports of each study, including discussions of new approaches, techniques, or technology used (particularly air chemistry issues).
• Serve as a national/international authority when interacting with senior chemists, engineers, scientists, and leaders from industry, environmental groups, and national non-governmental organizations.

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.

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 GS-13 level, you must have 1 year of full-time* specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level defined as experience conducting real-time air monitoring, sampling and/or analysis for trace level pollutants using advanced instrumentation on a mobile laboratory in the field at environmental emergencies or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites; advising appropriate staff and officials on chemistry of airborne contaminants at hazardous waste sites; supporting projects, reports, manuscripts or publications in the scientific literature that involved real-time air monitoring, sampling studies and/or methodologies.

To qualify for the GS-14 level, you must have 1 year of full-time* specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level defined as experience leading real-time air monitoring and sampling and analysis for trace level pollutants using advanced instrumentation on a mobile laboratory in the field at environmental emergencies and uncontrolled hazardous waste sites; advising appropriate regional and/or federal officials on chemistry of airborne contaminants at contaminated sites; leading projects, reports, manuscripts or publications in the scientific literature that involved real-time air monitoring, sampling studies and/or methodologies.

Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

• Ability to apply principles of analytical chemistry and computer modeling to complex environmental problems and issues.
• Skill in real-time air monitoring and sampling and analysis for trace level pollutants using advanced instrumentation, including Proton Transfer Reaction – Time of Flight mass spectrometry (PTR-TOF MS), triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (TQ-MS) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in both fixed and mobile field laboratory settings.
• Skill in evaluating and interpreting the significance of data to a particular hazardous waste evaluation problem.
• Ability to conduct research to identify new approaches and advanced air chemistry methods applicable to field investigative real-time air monitoring and analysis to support decision making at hazardous waste sites and environmental emergencies.
• Knowledge of environmental emergencies and emergency response procedures.
• Ability to advise On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) and Remedial Project Manager (RPMs) and other response partners on use of air chemistry data and information in cleanup actions.
• Skill in written communication.
• Skill in critical analysis and interpretation of scientific data, and explaining complex concepts to technical and non-technical clients and audiences. 

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.