Local Hire (Environmental Specialist) Job Opening
Local Hire (Environmental Specialist)
US Department of Homeland Security
• Ridgeland, Mississippi- FEMA respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards by performing a variety of emergency management functions which are not limited to disaster survivor assistance, conducting and verifying damage assessments, and providing administrative, financial and logistical support.
- A local hire’s term of employment is 120 days. Local Hire appointments may be extended, in 120 day increments, for a maximum 365 day appointment, based on the needs of the disaster.
- Work within 23 different Cadres which are groups of personnel organized by operational function and FEMA Qualification System (FQS) position.
- Each Local Hire is hired to a position within a Cadre based on his or her skills and experience.
- Collecting data on environmental resources and/or issues related to potential impacts and preparing written reports and other documents.
- Identifying EHP resource considerations (parks, floodplains, marshes, historic communities) in a Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA).
- Making determinations of effect on EHP resources beyond established agreements/protocols for streamlined review.
- Coordinating the integration of environmental reviews with concurrent historic preservation and floodplain reviews.
- Organizing documents and consolidating into the EHP disaster record.
Job family (Series)
0301 Miscellaneous Administration And Program
Requirements
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen to be considered for this position.
- You must successfully pass a background investigation.
- Selective service registration is required for males born after 12/31/59.
- Please review "Other Information" section for additional conditions.
Please ensure you meet the qualification requirements described below.
Qualifications
FEMA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Salaries are comparable to local pay rates.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
STAFFORD ACT EXCEPTED SERVICE APPOINTMENTS : The Local Hire Program is an appointment type granted under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Section 306 (b), which authorizes FEMA to appoint such temporary employees as necessary to accomplish work authorized under the Act. Appointments under this authority within FEMA are made to the excepted service and are nonpermanent in nature.To qualify for this position, you must possess experience or a degree in one of the following:
Environmental Science, Natural resource management, Environmental Planning, Environmental Policy, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Policy, Environmental Engineering, Ecology, Marine Science, Marine Biology, Fish & Wildlife, Fisheries Management, Cultural Resource Management, Resource Management, Environmental Education, Environmental Health, Environmental Law, Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology, Zoology, Coastal Zone Management, Agricultural Science, Climatology, Environmental Geology, Water science and Policy, Wildlife Conservation, Energy studies, Sustainability, Hydrology.
If you are qualifying based upon education, you must attach your transcript to your application package.
IN ADDITION:
- Minimum age of eighteen years of age is required.
- All candidates must be a high school graduate or possess a GED.
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 provides valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Your application must show that you meet all requirements for this position. You may be found "not qualified" if you do not possess the minimum competencies required for the position.NOTE: Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume. For a brief video on How to Create a Federal Resume, click here.
Current or former FEMA Reservists/DAE employees: To accurately credit your experience for these intermittent positions, make sure to list the dates (from MM/YY to MM/YY) of each deployment, along with the job title and specific duties you were responsible for during each deployment. Failure to provide this information may result in disqualification.Education
Additional information
- Local hire positions are full time, temporary positions.
- To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo, successfully pass, and maintain a background investigation for Public Trust clearance as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check after initial job qualifications are determined ( Mythbuster ), review of financial issues, such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. For more information on background investigations for Federal jobs please visit the OPM website at https://www.opm.gov/investigations/background-investigations/ .
- If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment , and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
- DHS uses E-verify, an internet based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify , including your rights and responsibilities.
- This announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies.
- NOTE: TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH TO RIDGELAND, MS WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED. LODGING WILL NOT BE PROVIDED TO LOCAL HIRE EMPLOYEES.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. If you are qualified, you will be referred to a selection panel for consideration.
We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process.
Interview Requirement. Interviews are required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.
To preview questions please click here .Background checks and security clearance
Security clearance
Other
Drug test required
No
Required Documents
Required Documents
- Your resume. NOTE: Your resume must be in English in order to receive consideration.
- Your responses to the job questionnaire - You will be directed to the online job questionnaire once you begin the application process for this position.
- Your transcripts for any positions that require education (unofficial is acceptable) . Note: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.
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.
Benefits
Benefits
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. Learn more about federal benefits .
Local Hire employees are eligible for the following benefits:
- Health insurance for individual or family coverage. Employer contribution is 75% of premium. NOTE: Local Hire employees are eligible for enrollment for health insurance coverage as of the official hire date/employment date with FEMA.
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Federal Long Term Care Insurance
- Ability to earn 4 hours of paid Sick Leave per pay period
- Holiday pay
- Worker’s Compensation
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.
Duties
Summary
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has an immediate need to employ residents of Ridgeland, MS as temporary local hires to assist with disaster response and recovery efforts. Local hire employees are local residents who aid in the recovery of the community and help their fellow citizens in the recovery process. Apply for this exciting opportunity!
View common definitions of terms found in this announcement.
Responsibilities
Local Hire employees:
FEMA is seeking candidates with experience in environmental preservation.
In this position, you will provide subject matter expertise in Environmental/Historic Preservation (EHP) review, reports, and compliance and assist other program specialists in the environmental review process. Typical assignments include:
Travel Required
Not required
Supervisory status
No
Promotion Potential
NA