Federal
SUPERVISORY BIOLOGIST/ ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER/ PHYSICAL SCIENTIST
Environmental Protection Agency ยท Other Agencies and Independent Organizations
About This Position
This position is in the Office of Water, Office of Wastewater, Engineering and Science Division, Engineering and Analytical Support Branch. About the Office of Water This is an office-centered position--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis.
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 GS-15 level, you must have 1 year of full-time* specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level defined as leading a team of professionals to develop and/or manage technical programs and/or projects pertaining to scientific or engineering aspects for water or wastewater treatment; and experience managing time and resources to develop a product or meet program objectives. You will be assessed on the following competencies: Critical Thinking Decision Making Technical Knowledge Conflict Management Supervisory and Leadership Judgment Partnering Budget and Cost Management Quality Assurance Planning and Evaluating 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: Part-Time Experience.
Major Duties
You will: Oversee Program and Operational Planning and Development to effectively meet established goals. Exercise supervisory personnel management responsibilities to ensure work is accomplished. Represent the agency with a variety of functional area organizations to ensure the Agency obtains vital and necessary information for branch operations. Oversee and provide technical direction for Contract, Extramural, and Resource Management to ensure policies and regulations are followed. You will spend 10% 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. Grow your career for the good of our planet The environmental challenges we face today are urgent. At the Environmental Protection Agency, we need professionals like you to continue our mission to protect human health and the environment. Our agency is built upon a commitment to protect human health and the environment. The work we do here changes the world. That's why there has never been a more crucial moment to further your career as one of the scientists, engineers, community leaders, IT specialists, communicators, administrative professionals, technicians, problem solvers, and innovators at EPA. Grow your career. Make an impact. Be EPA. Learn more at epa.gov/careers.
Conditions of Employment
This position is designated as High 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. You must meet time in grade requirements no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement. If you are selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure form within 30 days of your first day of employment and annually thereafter. If you are selected, you must complete (or have already completed) a 1-year supervisory or managerial probationary period. Upon acceptance of an initial appointment to a supervisory or managerial position with the EPA, you agree to complete all elements of the EPA Successful Leaders Program. This development program is designed to enhance leadership competencies and meet the agency's goal of providing new leaders with the tools needed for success. #LI-DNI
Education
Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR a combination of education and experience with courses equivalent to a major, as listed. Environmental Engineer: You must have one of the following: ยท Successful completion of a professional engineering degree at an accredited university or college OR ยท Combination of college level education or training AND technical experience that has furnished you with (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 as an engineer. 2. Evidence of passing the Engineer-in-Training written test. 3. Successful documented completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences as described by OPM. 4. Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field and at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Please review the OPM page on specifics about required curriculum and for more information on qualifications, please visit GS-800: All Professional Engineering Positions Qualifications. Physical Scientist: You must have a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in 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 a combination of education and experience with education equivalent to one of the majors listed that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. For information about accreditation requirements, visit Accreditation.
How You Will Be Evaluated
After the vacancy announcement closes, we will review your resume and required documents to ensure you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements. If we determine you are eligible/qualified, one or more subject matter experts will systematically review your resume to assess the degree to which your background matches the competencies required for successful performance in this position (see the Qualifications section for a list of the competencies being evaluated). You may also be required to complete one or more additional assessments (if this is required, you will be contacted by email with further instructions). Based on the assessment ratings, a score will be calculated to determine if you are among the best qualified candidates. NOTE: Cheating (including the use of a consultant or an AI tool to assist you) on any assessment may result in your removal from consideration for this job. If you are referred for consideration, you may be subject to additional assessments by the selecting official (e.g., technical writing sample or other work sample, job knowledge test, case scenario analysis, scientific data assessment, structured interview, etc.). You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Additional Information
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): CTAP/ICTAP NOTE: To be entitled to selection priority, you must be rated well-qualified (i.e., you must have a score of 87 or higher--see the How You Will Be Evaluated section). 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 not in the bargaining unit.
How to Apply
This is an interdisciplinary position (i.e., more than one possible series/title), and you will only be evaluated/considered for the series you select during the application process. Since you may qualify for more than one series and/or may not qualify for the series you anticipate, we encourage you to select all listed series. You are strongly encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application for this position. To begin the application process, click the Apply button to the top right on this screen, follow the prompts to log-in/register, submit all required documents, and complete the questionnaire. To be considered, you must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the day the announcement closes. All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS document portfolio feature (see How to Upload Documents). Resume Requirements: Only resumes up to a total of 2 pages will be accepted. If you correctly submit a 2-page (or less) resume and also submit a longer resume, we will only review the 2-page resume. If the only resume you submit exceeds 2 pages, you will be removed from consideration for this position. See OPM 2-Page Resume Guidance for information on maximizing the content of your resume. Resume must be legible so we can review for eligibility, minimum qualifications, and any other position requirements listed in this announcement. See USAJOBS Resume Info for additional guidance and information about the recommended formatting (e.g., file type, font size/type, margins). If you cannot apply online, you must contact the Human Resources Office listed below for assistance no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement. You must provide complete application materials by the day the announcement closes. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION EPA welcomes applications from persons with disabilities. Through the reasonable accommodation process, we provide persons with disabilities an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment that persons without disabilities enjoy. A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done. An accommodation removes workplace barriers and enables an applicant with a disability to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process, be considered for a position, and, if hired, perform the essential functions of their job. The EPA National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators will provide assistance to you, the Human Resources Office, and/or the hiring official as needed. For more information, refer to EPA's Reasonable Accommodation website. Below is more detailed information about how to request a reasonable accommodation during the application, selection, and hiring process: If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process (submitting the application or completing the application process), contact the Human Resources Office listed below no later than two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement, and the Human Resources Office will work directly with you. If you are referred to the hiring official for consideration and need an accommodation during the selection process, including the interview, notify the person who contacted you from the hiring official's office. If you do not hear back within three days about your reasonable accommodation request for the selection process, please notify EPA's National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators via email at [email protected]. If you are selected and need an accommodation during the hiring process up to orientation, notify the HR Specialist who made the job offer to you. Please note: Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Required Documents
Required documents to be submitted online: ALL APPLICANTS Resume clearly stating your experience related to this position as described in the Duties and Qualifications sections--include specific dates (MM/DD/YY - MM/DD/YY) so we can determine that you have the required amount of experience (if applicable). Your experience description needs to be clear/specific (we may not make assumptions regarding your experience). Include a list of awards you have received if you would like them to be considered. Resume must not exceed 2 pages. If you do not submit a resume that is 2 pages or less, you will be ineligible for further consideration. See How to Apply section for more information. College transcripts - unofficial or official transcripts or a list of courses that includes school(s) attended, school address, course title, grades earned, completion dates, department, and quarter/semester hours earned. NOTE: Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if you are selected, you must provide official transcripts before you start work. IF EDUCATION WAS COMPLETED AT A FOREIGN INSTITUTION: You must submit an equivalency evaluation with your application as described here: Accreditation Notification(s) of Personnel Action (SF-50) that includes Position Title, Grade or Level, and Duty Station and proves the following: - ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY - SF-50(s) must prove you meet the criteria in the Clarification from the agency section. The most common eligibility requirements are Permanent Employees (proof is reflected in block 24/Tenure on the SF-50), Competitive Status (proof is reflected in blocks 24/Tenure and 34/Position Occupied on the SF-50), In the Office of (proof is reflected in block 22/Name and Location of Position's Organization on the SF-50), and In the Commuting Area (proof is reflected in block 39/Duty Station on the SF-50). - TIME-IN-GRADE - If you are applying for a higher grade, SF-50(s) must prove you have completed 52 weeks at the next lower grade (next lower grade is identified in the Qualifications section). Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotion to the higher grade, within-grade increase for the next lower grade, and SF-50s dated a year apart within the same grade/job at the next lower grade. Most recent completed annual performance appraisal dated within the last 18 months (if it is not dated within the last 18 months or you have not received a performance appraisal, you must upload a signed/dated explanation why). Your submitted performance appraisal must show the overall rating and manager/supervisor's signature that certifies the rating at the time it was given. If your performance appraisal was conducted virtually, a supervisory email certifying your end-of-year review/rating was completed and date it occurred is acceptable documentation in lieu of the supervisor's signature on the performance appraisal document; the overall rating must also be provided on either the email or performance appraisal document. APPLICANTS QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION OR A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE College transcripts - unofficial or official transcripts or a list of courses that includes school(s) attended, school address, course title, grades earned, completion dates, department, and quarter/semester hours earned. NOTE: Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if you are selected, you must provide official transcripts before you start work. IF EDUCATION WAS COMPLETED AT A FOREIGN INSTITUTION: You must submit an equivalency evaluation with your application as described here: Accreditation DISPLACED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLE Most recent performance appraisal Proof of eligibility Most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, tenure, and duty station
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary for the SUPERVISORY BIOLOGIST/ ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER/ PHYSICAL SCIENTIST position at Environmental Protection Agency?
The salary range for this position is $169,279 - $197,200/yr. This is a GS-15 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the SUPERVISORY BIOLOGIST/ ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER/ PHYSICAL SCIENTIST job located?
This position is located in Washington, District of Columbia. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
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-15 level, you must have 1 ...
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Feb 24, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
No security clearance is required for this position.
What does GS-15 mean?
GS-15 refers to the General Schedule grade level. Higher grades require more experience and offer higher pay. Visit our GS Pay Scale page for full salary tables by grade and locality.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.