Summary
This Senior Executive Service (SES) position is in the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Office of Civil Enforcement, Air Enforcement Division.
This is an office-centered positionyou must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis.
Duties
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This position is located in the immediate office (IO) of the Air Enforcement Division (AED), Office of Civil Enforcement (OCE), in the Office of Enforcement and Compliance (OECA) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is a Senior Executive Services (SES) position located in Washington, DC.
The Director serves serves as an advisor to OECA's Assistant Administrator (AA), Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator (PDAA), and Deputy Assistant Administrator(s) (DAAs) and OECA senior leadership on all matters pertaining to the deterrence of noncompliance by the development and implementation of judicial and administrative enforcement activities under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
The Air Enforcement Division is responsible for civil enforcement of the environmental laws and regulations to address violations under the CAA, the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020. The AED oversees and conducts judicial and administrative enforcement activities under the provisions of the CAA that address stationary sources of pollution (e.g., new source review, air toxics, and new source performance standards) and mobile sources of pollution (e.g., vehicles, engines, and fuels); certain provisions of APPS that relate to ocean going vessels and fuels; and regulations promulgated under the AIM Act pertaining to hydrofluorocarbons.
Specific duties for this position may include, but are not limited to:
- Leading and managing the Air Enforcement Division, its personnel and its activities, consistent with OECA AA direction.
- Serving as an advisor to OECA senior leadership on matters pertaining to the deterrence of noncompliance by the development and implementation of judicial and administrative enforcement activities under the CAA, APPS, and AIM Act of 2020.
- Developing enforcement and compliance assurance policies for the national air enforcement program. - Representing the Division on and at committees, work groups, seminars, meetings, and conferences to both internal and external partners, including other government offices, legislative branch officials, industry, academia, state and local governments, and private employers.
- Exercising legal, technical, and administrative control over the Division, including, but not limited to establishing, implementing, and evaluating changes to the Division's priorities, policies, procedures, goals, short and long range plans, resources, budgets, and manpower.
- Coordinating with the Office of General Counsel regarding defensive litigation handled by the Office of General Counsel that may have enforcement implications.
- Providing legal enforcement counsel and guidance to other EPA offices and regions as well as participating in the development and preparation of testimony, evidence, motions, trial briefs, and litigation strategy for those offices and regions.
- Developing and maintaining professional relationships with internal and external partners.
- Performing the full range of supervisory human resources functions.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
You must be a U.S. Citizen.
If you are selected, you must complete a 1-year SES probationary period, if not previously completed.
The Ethics in Government Act, P.L. 95-521, requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a financial disclosure statement, OGE-278, prior to assuming the SES position, annually, and upon termination of employment.
REAL ID requirements became effective on 05/07/25. If you are selected for this position and plan to use your driver's license or identification card during the onboarding process (i.e., for employment eligibility verification or to obtain your EPA identification card), the document must be a REAL ID-compliant state-issued driver's license or identification card that includes the REAL ID-compliant star marking, or must be an Enhanced Driver's License (EDL). You will receive information about alternative acceptable documents (e.g., passport) prior to onboarding. For more information about REAL ID, see Dept. of Homeland Security and REAL ID FAQs.
This position has education requirements. See Qualifications/Education section.
EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course-listings.
This position is designated as High Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.
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Qualifications
The work of this position is classified in the General Attorney, 0905 series. Applicants must have a LL.M or J.D. degree from an accredited law school; must be admitted to practice before the highest court of a State, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and must maintain active status as a member of the bar of one of these jurisdictions. The incumbent must have significant experience in providing legal advice and counsel at EPA; other federal, state, or local agencies; or in private practice.
All applicants must have one year of specialized experience at a level close to the work of this job that demonstrates the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform in this role. Typically this experience can be found in work within this field or a field that is closely related.
As a basic requirement for entry into the Senior Executive Service, applicants must also provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior level management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Executive Core Qualifications and Technical Qualifications listed below.
A. Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) - Mandatory for competitive applicants - Failure to address these factors within the required 2-page resume will result in your application being disqualified, unless you are a noncompetitive eligible applicant.
ECQ 1 - COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW AND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDING. Involves demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.
ECQ 2 - DRIVING EFFICIENCY. Involves demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
ECQ 3 - MERIT AND COMPETENCE. Involves demonstrated knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
ECQ 4 - LEADING PEOPLE. Involves demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and hold individuals accountable.
ECQ 5 - ACHIEVING RESULTS. Involves demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.
Your responses should be clear and concise and show a level of accomplishment and a degree of responsibility. Leadership competencies for each ECQ can be found in OPM's Guide to SES Qualifications.
B. Technical Qualifications (TQs) - Mandatory for all applicants - Failure to address these factors within the required 2-page resume will result in your application being disqualified.
TQ 1 - Demonstrated experience leading and/or managing attorneys and technical staff in complex enforcement and litigation matters involving federal environmental protection laws, regulations, and/or programs.
Education
You must:
(1) possess a J.D. or LL.M. degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university or equivalent apprentice experience as allowed per state law; and
(2) be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia; and
(3) be an active member of the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction in good standing.
NOTE: Bar membership and licensure are not required at the time of application, but you must be admitted to the bar and obtain your license before entry on duty.
For information about accreditation requirements, visit Accreditation.
Additional information
A relocation incentive may be offered to the selected candidate if applicable criteria are met. If you are selected and accept a relocation incentive, you must sign/date a written service agreement in which you commit to complete a specified period of employment with the agency at the new duty station. NOTE: A relocation incentive is not full reimbursement of all relocation expenses.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Join EPA in protecting human health and the environment and enjoy many work life quality options! Working for the EPA offers you a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, 26 days of paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. To learn more about us, visit Life and Careers at EPA.
If you are selected for this position, situational telework may be approved by your supervisor if you meet eligibility requirements, as allowable by agency policy.
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.
