Senior Policy Advisor for Deepwater Horizon

Summary

This Senior-Level (SL) position is in the Office of Water, Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds. 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.

Duties

• The Senior Policy Advisor for the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) is responsible for ensuring implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) DWH Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) trustee responsibilities and coordinating, as needed, with the Gulf of America Division, Region 4, in coordinating activities for the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council and Region 6. This position is in the Office of Wetlands Oceans, and Watersheds (OWOW) and reports to the Office Director of OWOW. The Office is responsible for developing policies, strategies, regulations, guidance, and sound, scientifically-defensible criteria, advisories, guidelines, and implementation of complex financial management policies and budgetary frameworks to protect human health and the environment in accordance with federal authorities and statutes. Specific duties of this position may include, but are not limited to: - Advising and coordinating with the Office of Water, Office of General Counsel, Office of Finance and Administration and Regions 4 and 6 on the planning, formulation, and direction of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment programs and activities that are related to ecosystem restoration. - Providing financial, technical, and management oversight on the development and implementation of complex and interdisciplinary restoration plans designed to restore the Gulf Coast ecosystem injured by the DWH oil spill that involves multiple federal, state, and private organizations. - Reviewing, approving, and signing resolutions that release draft and final restoration plans, supplemental restoration plans, and approving and/or reconciling funding transactions. - Serving as a technical expert for the implementation of EPA Trustee responsibilities as well as partnering with States and other Federal agencies to identify, select, manage restoration projects, and communicate the results of those projects and activities in order to restore Gulf resources injured by the oil spill. - Evaluating NRDA programmatic changes related to water quality, aquatic environments, and ecosystem-oriented planning activities, as well as supporting the development of technical guides, handbooks, and instructions in order to provide technical assistance to external parties. - Overseeing adherence to quality control procedures and requirements relating to technical guidance.

Qualifications

We are looking for at least one year of specialized experience related to this position as described below: To qualify for this SL position, you need to have at least one year of full time experience equivalent to the GS-15 level defined as primarily leading and facilitating the development of policies, strategies, regulations, and/or guidance for the protection of human health and the environment, in accordance with federal authorities and statutes. You will be evaluated on the mandatory Technical Qualifications listed below. Your descriptions should be clear and concise and show a level of accomplishment and a degree of responsibility. Technical Qualifications (TQs) - Mandatory for all applicants - Failure to address these factors within the required 2-page resume will result in your application being disqualified. TQ 1 - Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing a highly visible and highly sensitive environmental restoration program, such as the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment. TQ 2 - Demonstrated experience leading the implementation of environmental regulatory programs (e.g., development of guidance, technical and financial assistance programs, program evaluation, data acquisition and management, etc.). TQ 3 - Demonstrated experience in communicating effectively with high-level officials in Congress, Federal, and State, tribal or local governments, public interest groups, representatives of industry, and other public and private institutions and/or the general public (any combination) on complex, sensitive policy issues.

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen. If you are selected, you must complete a one-year probationary period. The Ethics in Government Act, P.L. 95-521 requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a financial disclosure statement, OGE-278, prior to assuming the SL position, annually, and upon termination of employment. REAL ID requirements became effective on 05/07/25. If you are selected for this position 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. 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. #LI-Onsite

How to apply

You are strongly encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application for this position. You must provide specific examples of your education, experience, training and awards in the manner and order instructed below which are applicable to each Technical Qualification (TQ). You are required to demonstrate your experience with the TQs described in the Qualifications section. Failure to address the TQs within your 2-page resume will result in your application being disqualified. 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 assessment questionnaire. To be considered, you must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the day the announcement closes. As referenced in the Required Documents section, all required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS document portfolio feature. It is recommended that you review your application materials after they have been uploaded to your application to ensure they conform to the requirements stated in the announcement. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your application, please contact the HR Specialist listed on the announcement. If you cannot apply online, you must contact the HR Specialist 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. For detailed instructions to assist you in ensuring your application package is received, go to EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. 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.