Landscape Architect GS-12-13
Landscape Architect
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Environmental Branch for Renewable Energy
Summary
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) manages the exploration and development of the nation's offshore resources. It seeks to appropriately balance economic development, energy independence, and environmental protection through oil and gas leases, renewable energy development and environmental reviews and studies. For information about our bureau go to: http://www.boem.gov/
This job is open to
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarification from the agency
All U.S. Citizens
Duties
This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Environment Branch for Renewable Energy in Sterling, VA.
This position is being advertised as both location negotiable after selection and with a duty station(s) of Sterling, Virginia with the option of telework. If applying to "negotiable after selection", this means that your duty station will be based off your home address and you will be a full-time remote worker. If applying to a specific duty station, you may be allowed to telework a set number of day(s) per pay period, with supervisory approval.
At the full performance level, GS-13 the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:
1) Coordinating activities related to visual impacts with multidisciplinary teams of bureau scientists in the preparation and review of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), Environmental Assessments (EAs,) and other environmental compliance documents, as well as having input into planning and leasing activities.
2) Representing BOEM to lessees on the preparation of visual simulations and Seascape, Landscape, and Visual Impact Assessments (SLVIAs.)
3) Participating in updating existing and draft new visual resource policies and procedures that integrate advanced technology, modern research methods and new/novel principles for visual simulations, Seascape, Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments (SLVIAs), resource characterization, and impact analyses.
4) Collaborating and coordinating with other agencies to develop consistent data standards, guidance and policies related to visual resource impact assessment and develop cross-jurisdictional methods of objective determination of visual values, impacts, and mitigations within shared view sheds.
5) Developing procedures and guidance related to visual resources, scenic landscapes/seascapes, recreation and tourism resources, or similar areas for other Branch staff and subject matter experts.
6) Representing BOEM at professional meetings, consultations, Intergovernmental Task Forces and committees involving Federal, State, or private agencies and individuals where expertise of subject matter isrequired.
BOEM has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
Incumbent generally works in an office environment with normal furnishings and surroundings. There are no unusual physical demands except for possible lengthy travel relating to assignments. Travel may require working indoors during public meetings and may require multiple hours of standing. When traveling, the incumbent may be working and walking outdoors with temperatures ranging from low single digit to over 90° Fahrenheit under sunny or rainy conditions in natural, rural, suburban and urban environments.
NOTE: This is a TERM appointment. Appointments to this position, will not convey permanent status in the Federal service and will be for a period not to exceed 3 years with the possibility of extension up to a total of no more than 4 years.
Salary Information
GS-12: $86,962 - $128,956 per annum
GS-13: $103,409 - $153,354 per annum
First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.
This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.
This vacancy is also announced as BOEM-MMEE-24-CM-122(MP) for those applicants who wish to apply and be considered under Merit Promotion procedures.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen.
- You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination.
- You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
- You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.
- Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualification Requirements:
To qualify for this position you must meet the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND (2) Specialized Experience for the series/grade to which you are applying.
(1) Basic Educational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, applicants must meet the Education Requirements described below:
A. Degree: landscape architecture or landscape design.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience: for each year short of graduation, the applicant must have had 1 year of experience under professional leadership and guidance of such character and diversity as to be a satisfactory substitute for the required education. This experience must have included original landscape design.
(2) Specialized Experience
GS-12
To qualify for the GS-12, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:
1) Preparing or reviewing visual impact assessments in Environmental Assessments and/or Environmental Impact Statements under NEPA;
2) Coordinating with and reviewing the work of environmental subject matter experts or an interdisciplinary team; AND
3) Providing expertise on visual impacts to landscapes, cultural resources, historic properties, aesthetic experiences, recreation, and tourism.
MUST MEET ALL
GS-13
To qualify for the GS-13, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:
1) Preparing or reviewing visual impact assessments in Environmental Assessments and/or Environmental Impact Statements under NEPA;
2) Coordinating with and reviewing the work of environmental subject matter experts or an interdisciplinary team;
3) Providing expertise on visual impacts to landscapes, cultural resources, historic properties, aesthetic experiences, recreation, and tourism; AND
4) Serving as a technical expert providing information to management and leadership on Visual Impact Assessments (VIAs) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
MUST MEET ALL
Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
NOTE: Applicants selected for interviews may be asked to participate in a writing exercise or submit a writing sample as part of the interview process.
Education
Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.
Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. 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: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4
Additional information
Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.
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.
Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report. In addition, DOI employees, GS-15 and above, who work in the Office of the Secretary; along with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) employees (at ALL grade levels), are further restricted concerning their interests in Federal lands and resources administered or controlled by the Department of the Interior. This includes holding stock in energy corporations which lease Federal lands (e.g.: oil, gas, coal, alternative energy resources, etc.). If you have any such investments you should contact the DOI, BOEM or BSEE Ethics Office before accepting employment. DOI employees are held to the highest level of integrity. Employees must be objective and impartial in the performance of their work. All potential issues (e.g.: work-related interactions with friends, family members, or previous employers) must be disclosed at the time of application or during the interview process.
NOTICE: This employer participates in E-Verify and will utilize your Form I-9 information to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.
A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work with the U.S. Department of the Interior. The preliminary background check consists of a search of Office of Personnel Management and Department of Defense background investigation files and an FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check; it may take up to 3 weeks to complete. If selected for this position, you will be extended a tentative offer of employment pending a satisfactory background check. Current Federal employees or individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check; these will be handled on a case-by-case basis in coordination with the Bureau security office.
- Benefits
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. You are being evaluated under the Category Rating method, which means, if you are determined to be qualified you will be placed in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are "Platinum", "Gold", and "Silver". However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "Platinum" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.
Your answers to the on-line assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:
- Landscape Architecture: Skill in applying concepts, theories, and practices used in the planning, design, construction, and adaptation of outdoor features, taking into consideration recreation planning, requirements, aesthetic value, and compatibility with other developments and resources.
- Project Management: Skill in effectively and independently managing complex and/or controversial projects including scheduling and prioritizing multiple tasks and providing guidance and instructions to a team of multi-disciplinary scientists.
- Regulations and Guidance: Skill in applying and interpreting environmental laws and implementing regulations, including NHPA, NEPA, FAST-41, and Council on Environmental Quality, Department, and Bureau regulations, associated with environmental review of offshore renewable energy activities.
If you are a status applicant (current career or career-conditional Federal employee or former permanent Federal employee with reinstatement eligibility in the competitive service), or are eligible under a special appointing authority and you are selected under this vacancy, you may be subject to serving a new one-year probationary period.
To preview the assessment questionnaire click: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12552201
NOTE: After the closing date of the vacancy announcement, you will receive narrative technical questions via email (2 questions for those applying to the GS-12 and 3 questions for those applying to the GS-13 or to both grade levels). These questions were developed by subject-matter experts. You will be required to respond to all narrative questions, addressing each question separately within 48 hours. Please give a complete and detailed answer for each question. Do not enter "Refer to Resume" to explain your answer. Applications directing the reader to search within the application or to "See Resume" or failure to submit a narrative for each response in the given timeframe will be considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Your responses to the questions will be evaluated by a subject matter expert. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for removing you from further consideration. Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the "Required Documents" section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).
Required Documents
Your resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement and OPM qualification standards for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. It is strongly recommended that you use the USAJobs Resume Builder as it was designed to ensure that your resume includes the standard information needed. The Resume Builder is available at https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account/documents/resume/build.
Your application package must include: (1) Resume showing relevant experience as written in your own words; (2) Completed online Assessment Questionnaire; (3) College transcript (if applicable) for verification of qualifying education. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; (4) Certificates, license, etc. (if applicable); (5) Form DD-214 OR VA letter and Standard Form 15 (if applicable).
NOTE: Applicants claiming veterans preference (TP, CP, CPS) must submit a copy of your DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," (Member 4 copy is preferred), showing the dates of active duty, type of discharge, and character of service (must be honorable); OR acceptable proof of verification of your preference (i.e., official document, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, or from a branch of the Armed Forces, certifying that the veterans total combined serviced-connected disability rating is 10% or more).
You will find additional information on the following topics: (1) e-Verify; (2) Selective Service; (3) CTAP/ICTAP; (4) Education - accreditation; (5) Foreign education; (6) Veterans preference; (7) Special appointing authority documentation; and more can be found on our web site: https://www.bsee.gov/careers/usajobs-assistance OR https://www.boem.gov/about-boem/boem-employment.
If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, you must submit proof by the closing date of the announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. The proof includes a copy of the agency notice, your most recent Performance Rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty station. To be considered well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, you must earn a minimum score of 85 or above (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference) on the rating criteria for this position.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at www.usajobs.gov. To begin, click the Apply Online button near the bottom of this screen and follow the prompts to register into your USAJOBS account, answer the questions, and submit all required documents.
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at www.usajobs.gov and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select Apply Online to continue.
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) that have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, promotion potential 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 contact information
HR Assistant 9
Phone
Address
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
45600 Woodland Road
Sterling, VA 20166
US
Next steps
You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgment from USAJobs that your submission was successful, once we have received your on-line assessment questionnaire, resume and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJobs account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the Human Resources Office posting this announcement.