Summary This position is in Region 8, Mission Support Division, Human Resources Branch. About Region 8 This is an office-centered position*--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis. *Work-from-home flexibilities may be authorized as described in the Benefits section. Responsibilities You will: Serve as a HR Specialist responsible for providing authoritative advisory service to management at all levels within the Region. Serve as a Regional expert in labor relations responsible for providing expert advisory services to regional management on complex labor relations matters encompassing negotiability issues, agreement implementation, and third-party proceedings. Study and analyzes employee relations program laws and regulations in the areas of grievance or appeal procedures, voluntary actions, and performance management as they impact the Region. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section. #LI-Onsite If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period if appointed as Competitive Service or a two-year trial period if appointed as Excepted Service. This position is designated as Moderate 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. You must meet time in grade requirements no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement. Qualifications NOTE: You must meet qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. To qualify for the GS-13 level, you need to have at least one year of full time experience equivalent to the GS-12 level defined as experience in providing guidance on ER/LR laws, regulation and case law to managers and employees. Extensive experience and skill in researching and interpreting legal and regulatory program guidance, such as case law, collective bargaining agreements, United States Codes, and the Code of Federal Regulations. Experience responding to disciplinary actions, grievances and appeals. Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: Knowledge of administrative case law, regulations and policies. Skill in applying, labor/management-employee relations theory, principles, methods, and precedents. Ability to plan, organize, direct, and evaluate EPA Region 8’s labor and employee relations programs. Knowledge of non-adversarial problem-solving approaches. Skill in applying conflict resolution techniques. Skill in complex fact-finding. 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. *If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Education Additional Information Are you a Displaced Federal Employee? If so, please read the Required Documents section and visit the EPA website for additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at EPA. Our excellence can only be fully realized by staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the Agency’s workplace and mission. We encourage applications from candidates with a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization. The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve. To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA. EPA participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Although the Service type indicated in the Overview section is Competitive, you may be appointed as Excepted Service based on your eligibility to be hired under certain appointing authorities. This position is not in the bargaining unit. If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility. Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed in the Overview section.