This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Oil Spill Preparedness Division (OSPD), Preparedness Verification Branch, Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Preparedness (OSP) Section, located in Jefferson, LA.
At the full performance level (GS-13) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:
1. 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.
2. Conducts technical review and evaluation of OSRPs, conducts and evaluates unannounced 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
BSEE has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
Travel by auto, plane, helicopter, or boat is required for field work, site visits, meetings, training, and conferences.
Field work involves equipment inspections, unannounced exercises, operator-led training audits and exercises, sometimes offshore on vessels. This requires regular/recurring physical exertion, related to frequent inspections/surveys, to include considerable standing, walking, climbing, bending, crouching, stretching, reaching or similar movements. All field activities require some form of agility and dexterity. 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 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.
The incumbent may be required to deploy to command posts during oil spill incidents and to travel away from the duty station for long periods in excess of a week. Incident deployments are typically located in office settings and may require working more than 12 hours a day. Incumbent is required to successfully complete assigned role-based training, such as water survival and hands-on oil spill response field operations on a regular and recurring basis as described in Bureau policy.
Work is primarily performed in an office setting with occasional trips to offshore locations, storage yards, and incident command posts. In-office work involves normal everyday risks or discomforts typical of an office setting. Field work exposes the incumbent to adverse conditions such as weather, temperature extremes, and higher accident potential when offshore or in outdoor equipment yards and warehouse environments. The incumbent will typically spend 30-40 days per year conducting field work. Some work conditions may expose the incumbent to high noise levels, marine and other wildlife. Hardhats, safety glasses, safety-toe shoes, hearing protection, selected uniforms for the environment, and other safety precautions are required.
This position may be subject to medical evaluations and monitoring to ensure safety in the performance of duties. The agency is in the process of developing the applicable policies. Incumbent is required to successfully complete assigned role-based training, such as water survival and hands-on oil spill response field operations on a regular and recurring basis as described in Bureau policy.
Starting at $72,553 Per Year (GS 11-13)