Environmental Protection Specialist

Summary

The Environmental Protection Specialist plays a central role in planning and administering environmental programs that deal with the environmental impacts of human activities on air, land, water, and other media. This position supports VA's Environmental Management System Program planning and implementation to assure compliance with environmental laws and regulations. The position completes permits and leads facility self‑assessments, inspections, and other environmental investigations.

In order to qualify for this position at the GS-11 level you must meet the following requirements:
Specialized

Experience:

Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience includes planning, implementing, and evaluating environmental protection programs; administering a green environmental management program; leading environmental facility inspections to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations; advising management on environmental program status; preparing reports; and training others on specific environmental topics. (THIS EXPERIENCE MUST BE SUPPORTED BY YOUR RESUME TO BE CREDITABLE.) Substitution of Education for Experience (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED):
Applicants must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher‑level graduate education leading to such a degree. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Combining Education and Experience (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED):
Combination of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

• THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION - YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION.
• Administering the green environmental management system program for the facility.
• Scheduling and leading environmental audits to identify and evaluate program implementation and compliance activities.
• Participating in the facility's green environmental management committee.
• Inspecting and evaluating environmental facilities to ensure compliance with state, federal, and environmental regulations and policies.
• Accompanying regulators on media inspections and addressing deficiencies—notice of violations, enforcement actions, and fines through on‑the‑spot corrections, rebuttals, corrective action closeouts, risk management or mitigation.
• Recommending changes in the design of facility work programs to meet new environmental requirements.
• Keeping abreast of current requirements of the law and anticipated changes in the law to ensure projects are completed in a timely fashion to meet all regulatory compliance dates.
• Conferring with other engineers, managers, state and federal regulatory agencies, and environmental protection agencies to ensure procedures are in accordance with provisions of public laws.
• Participating in the development of novel or innovative environmental training and promotion activities.
• Compiling information to prepare reports for assigned projects.
• Reviewing and advising on which new environmental projects to bring online, which existing projects to continue, and how to phase the projects for planning and implementation.
• Scheduling project milestones and tracking project completion dates to ensure projects occur when they are needed—delivering fully responsive deliverables.
• Advising senior level management officials within the facility on the status of environmental programs.
• Interacting with federal, state, and local environmental agencies with respect to facility environmental issues.
• Making presentations and briefings for environmental/hazardous program compliance and providing appropriate responses to questions.
• Performing other duties as assigned.
• Work Schedule:
  
  Monday‑Friday—8:00am to 4:30pm. Recruitment & Relocation
  
  Incentives:
  
  Not authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI):
  Not approved.