Physical Scientist
What you'd do
This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Oil Spill Preparedness Division (OSPD), Gulf of America Section. The incumbent will serve as a Preparedness Analyst, physically located in Jefferson, LA.
Major duties
At the full performance level (GS-13), the major duties of this position will include but are not limited to the following: Provides guidance, expert advice, training, and instruction to staff of the Branch on technical review and evaluation of oil spill response plans (OSRPs), plan holder training and exercises, unannounced exercises, oil spill response equipment and associated maintenance, training and use records; and ensures all activities are in accordance with national policy. Conducts technical review and evaluation of OSRPs, conducts and evaluates exercises; inspects and evaluates oil spill response equipment and associated maintenance, training and use records; and engages in other oil spill program activities. Administers enforcement processes or refers cases for civil penalty review as appropriate. Leads, assists, or instructs others in the development and execution of government initiated unannounced oil spill exercises; may conduct exercises and/or serve as an evaluator. Prepares and reviews a broad range of complex correspondence to answer or solicit information from lessees, operators, oil spill removal organizations, Federal and state agencies, and the general public. Serves as the lead BSEE representative on Regional Response Teams (RRT), Area Committees, and incident specific RRT calls, providing support, advice and expertise to the National Response System on matters pertinent to oil spill planning, preparedness, and response. Attends meetings and conferences with BSEE personnel; Federal, state, and industry representatives; and the general public concerning the implementation of relevant regulations, policies, and requirements of the OSRP review and approval process. During actual spills, the incumbent deploys to incident command posts and serves in designated positions within the Incident Command Structure. Assesses engineering, technical and scientific needs during a spill response and helps coordinate agency support to the Incident Command. In addition to routine in-office work, which is primarily sedentary, this position requires 30-40 days of field work performed each year. Field work involves conducting equipment inspections, unannounced exercises, auditing operator-led training and exercises, sometimes offshore on vessels, and requires regular and recurring physical exertion related to frequent inspections and surveys. This physical exertion includes considerable standing, walking, climbing, bending, crouching, stretching, reaching or similar movements. All field activities require some degree of agility and dexterity, for example traversing uneven surfaces, climbing stairs and ladders, being on offshore vessels while underway. Offshore deployments may involve extended travel on vessels over water, vessel-to-vessel transfers, and the infrequent need to climb into/out of emergency evacuation devices. Spill response equipment inspections in warehouse environments may involve overhead operations, movement of heavy machinery, and other activities that require the incumbent to look in all directions and be continuously and clearly aware of surroundings. Field work may be performed in adverse conditions such as weather, temperature extremes (above 90° F Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) or below 0° F), high noise levels, areas with marine and other wildlife and higher accident potential when offshore or in outdoor equipment yards and warehouse environments. The use of protective equipment (hardhats, safety glasses, safety- toe shoes, hearing protection, selected uniforms) is required. The ability to travel by auto, plane, helicopter, or boat is required. Salary Information: GS-11: $74,678 - $97,087 GS-12: $89,508 - $116,362 GS-13: $106,437 - $138,370 *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.
What you need to qualify
Only experience and education obtained by 08/14/2026 will be considered. In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Education Requirement and Minimum Qualification: QUALIFICATIONS FOR GS-1301, PHYSICAL SCIENTIST: 1. Degree: 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- 2. Combination of education and experience: education equivalent to one of the majors shown above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience, or additional education. In addition to meeting the educational requirements above, your resume must clearly reflect ALL of the experience (or education for the GS-11) listed below. You must be clear and concise in describing your experience - HR will not make assumptions. GS-11: To qualify for the GS-11, your resume must reflect one year of professional experience equivalent to the GS-09 level performing all of the following duties: 1. Independently collecting, analyzing, and reporting on scientific or technical data; 2. Adhering to oil spill response (or other incident management) operations, policies, laws, regulations and statutes relative to contingency planning; AND 3. Participating in various National Preparedness System training or activities, such as organized exercises/drills, capabilities training, or response equipment inspections required by regulation, law, or policy. OR Have 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR A combination of successfully completed graduate education (only successfully completed education beyond the second year (or 36 semester hours) is creditable towards meeting this requirement) and specialized experience equivalent to the GS- 9 level that is related to the position and total 100% of the requirement for this grade level. NOTE: Transcripts are required to verify Educational Requirements. GS-12: To qualify for the GS-12, your resume must reflect one year of professional experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service: 1. Utilizing oil spill (or other incident management) planning, preparedness, response concepts and strategies, including assessment of the behavior and environmental effects of contaminants; 2. Drafting or conducting technical reviews and evaluations of spill response (or other incident management) contingency plans for compliance with applicable Federal, state, and/or local laws, regulations, and policy requirements; 3. Conducting field inspections of oil-filled operational equipment or spill containment, control, and cleanup equipment; AND 4. Conducting or evaluating National Preparedness System exercises or training in alignment with applicable Federal, state, and/or local laws or regulations. GS-13: To qualify for the GS-13, your resume must reflect at least one full year of professional experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level: 1. Managing regulatory oversight and compliance of spill response (or other incident management) requirements, including issuance of corrective action and improvement plans; 2. Designing, conducting, and evaluating National Preparedness System exercises in alignment with the Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP), National Preparedness for Response and Exercise Preparedness (PREP) Guidelines, or similar program; 3. Operating within an Incident Command Structure during incident responses or response exercises; Engaging with regulated community, industry representatives, general public and Federal, state, and local partners during conferences and meetings; AND 4. Providing technical advisement on the development and revision of spill response (or other incident management) regulations, policy, or strategies, including considerations for unique regional scenarios. Applicants must meet all of the experience required above to be qualified.
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