Supervisory Chemist

Summary

What General Information Do I Need To Know About This Position?

Salary: $140,239 (Step 01) to $182,316 (Step 10); NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.

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Duties

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As a Supervisory Chemist (Analytical Services Chef) within the Water Mission Area, Lab and Analysis Services Division, some of your specific duties will include:

• Providing oversight and leadership for scientific and technical vision, policy development and business development to ensure the continued excellence of the National Water Quality Lab (NWQL).
• Evaluating future needs for new and cost-efficient water quality methods, techniques and quality assurance programs.
• Working with the Quality Assurance Section to oversee laboratory-wide quality standards and practices, as well as to implement new quality policies.
• Planning and assigning work to subordinate supervisors, collaborating with NWQL Chief on workforce planning and waiver processes, position descriptions, and recruitment needs.
• Partnering with Human Resources and Employee Relations on performance management, employee counseling, award justification, addressing performance issues, and personnel actions such as recruitments and promotions.

Conditions of Employment for this Position:

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

- your performance and conduct;

- the needs and interests of the agency;

- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and

- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

1. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
2. This position requires completion of a one year supervisory/managerial probationary period, if one has not previously been completed.
3. Selectee subject to successful completion of a pre-employment medical exam.
4. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?

• Taking and passing a pre-employment medical examination at Federal expense is required due to the physical demands of this job
• Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
• If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Qualifications

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Chemist, all grade levels.

A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree 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 or the equivalent in physics.

**OR

B. A combination of education and experience-course work equivalent to a major as shown in "A" above (24 semester hours or the equivalent in physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering), including at least 30 semester hours or the equivalent in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours or the equivalent of physics, plus appropriate experience and/or additional education for a total of 4 years. The education or combined education and experience must be comparable in type, scope and thoroughness to that acquired through successful completion of a 4-year course of study as described in "A" above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE)

In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must have one year of appropriate professional experience in chemistry that is equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service.

Examples of such experience could include serving as a senior expert involved in the field of chemistry for which technical problem definitions, methods and/or data were highly incomplete, controversial, or uncertain and whose evaluations and recommendations were accepted by others as those of a technical expert in chemistry. At this level, Chemists typically represent an authoritative source of consultation for other scientists and program specialists, are called upon to resolve issues that significantly affect the organization's programs, make long range and controversial proposals and defend their findings and recommendations in public or high level forums.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

• 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.
• Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. 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:[click to reveal website link]https://www.usgs.gov/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-feder...

Additional information

Other Information:

• This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies in the advertised office or other U.S. Geological Survey offices in the local commuting area.
• Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
• USGS employees are subject to Title 43, USC Section 31(a) and may not: (a) have any personal, private, direct or indirect interest in lands or mineral wealth of lands under survey; (b) have any substantial personal, private, direct or indirect interests in any private mining or mineral enterprise doing business with the United States; or (c) execute surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations.
• The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
• As part of the application process, a series of four short essay questions will be included. Applicants must certify that their own words were used to answer the questions.
• Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.

Agency Benefits:

• USGS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework in accordance with the DOI Telework policy and with supervisor approval. The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis.
• For additional information on our internal telework policy, please reference the Department of the Interior Telework Handbook at: [click to reveal website link]https://www.doi.gov/telework/policies.
• Working for the U.S. Geological Survey offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; health, life, dental, vision, and long term care insurance, flexible spending accounts, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.