Summary This position is located in a State or Field Office. The purpose of this position is to provide interpretation, guidance, program leadership and implementation for the development of major planning efforts such as Resource Management Plans (RMPs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs ). Major issues requiring an RMP or EIS are lands, minerals, wilderness, range, fire management, wildlife, watershed, recreation, and forestry. Responsibilities At the full performance level (GS-12) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: - Lead the preparation and review of environmental documents-including Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), Environmental Assessments (EAs), Categorical Exclusions (CEs), and Determinations of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Adequacy (DNAs)-to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance with NEPA, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations. - Manage the quality of environmental analyses by applying regulatory standards, tracking project timelines, and maintaining complete and defensible Administrative Records. - Provide expert interpretation of environmental laws, policies, and planning procedures to support staff, leadership, and partners in making informed decisions. - Coordinate and conduct environmental inventories, assessments, and monitoring activities to provide data needed for environmental analyses and planning decisions. - Direct interdisciplinary teams by assigning tasks, coordinating resource inputs, and guiding the development of integrated environmental analyses and planning products. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level. Requirements Conditions of Employment Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. You cannot hold an active real estate license, nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. This probationary or trial 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 or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 10/30/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: To qualify for the GS-11: you must possess at least one full year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience performing the following: Applying working knowledge of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations to evaluate environmental impacts and determine appropriate levels of analysis. Supporting land use planning efforts by contributing analysis on topics such as recreation, wildlife, wilderness, fire management, forestry, range, minerals, and cultural resources. Assisting in the preparation, review, and coordination of environmental planning documents including Environmental Assessments (EAs), Categorical Exclusions (CEs), and Determinations of NEPA Adequacy (DNAs). Development or updating of resource management plans or amendments by drafting content, summarizing issues, and assembling supporting documentation. Coordinating interdisciplinary team activities by organizing resource information, integrating technical input, and maintaining alignment across project components and planning objectives. -OR- Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. -OR- Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. To qualify for the GS-12: you must possess at least one full year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience performing the following: Leading the development and review of complex environmental documents (Environmental Impact Statements, Environmental Assessments, Categorical Exclusions, and Determinations of NEPA Adequacy) to ensure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Federal Land Policy and Management Act, Council on Environmental Quality regulations, and agency policies. Managing interdisciplinary teams and integrating resource information to address environmental, regulatory, and procedural issues. Providing guidance on the National Environmental Policy Act, environmental regulations, agency policies, and procedural requirements to staff, contractors, and partners. Planning public meetings and engagement activities, reviewing public feedback, and incorporating key comments into environmental analyses. Volunteer Experience: 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 This position does not allow substituting education for experience at the GS-12 level. You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A @typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work. Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications Additional Information Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor. DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information). If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive. All DOI employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior. The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.
