Summary Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Repayment Specialist. You can make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment. Duty Location: Sacramento County, California Responsibilities At the full performance level, the duties of the position are: Develops and negotiates contracts and other agreements for storage, production, distribution, and utilization of water, repayment of Federal project costs and loans, operation and maintenance, transfer contracts, title transfer, facilities operation agreements, up-front funding, water exchange, deferments, and other related services such as wheeling, water transfers, water use terminations, purchase of water, or drought or emergency assistance. Meets with other BOR personnel, customers, potential customers, customer organizations, state agencies, and other affected parties as appropriate to develop specific and general contract provisions in compliance with BOR and departmental policy and regulations to negotiate, explain, or interpret contractual provisions. Develops briefing papers on contracts topics for use by California Great-Basin Regional management. Responds to requests from customers, applicants for water service, water rights holders, water user groups, and other parties regarding Federal water contracting and repayment programs and applicable Reclamation law and policy. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. You must be suitable for federal employment, determined by a background investigation. You must submit a resume and supporting documentation (see Required Documents). You must submit eligibility documents for veterans consideration (see Required Documents). You must meet any minimum education and/or experience requirements (see Qualifications). You must submit transcript(s) to verify education requirements (see Qualifications/Education). You will be required to complete a Financial Disclosure Form. Who May Apply: 30% or More Disabled Veterans Bureau of Reclamation Employees (Competitive) Bureau of Reclamation Employees (Non-Competitive) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) Department of the Interior Employees (Competitive) Department of the Interior Employees (Non-Competitive) Federal Employees (Competitive Transfer) Federal Employees (Non-Competitive Transfer) Former Federal Employees (Competitive Reinstatement) Former Federal Employees (Non-Competitive Reinstatement) Individuals with Disabilities (Schedule A) Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) Military Spouses Miscellaneous Appointing Authorities Peace Corps & AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteers Public Lands Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority Special Hiring Authorities Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) Veterans Recruitment Authority (VRA) Qualifications In order to be rated as qualified for this position, the HR Office must be able to determine that you meet the education and/or specialized experience requirement - this information must be clearly supported in the resume. To qualify at the GS-09 grade level, you must meet one of the following: A. Specialized Experience: Your resume must reflect one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-07 level in federal service having demonstrated experience. Examples of specialized experience assisting in the administration of federal programs through interpretation of contractual language, such as 1) water management; 2) water conservation; 3) water delivery system operation; 4) contract development; 5) negotiation of contract terms; 6) contract writing; or 7) contract administration. -or- B. Education: 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; master's or equivalent graduate degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related. -or- C. Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of high level education (noted in B) and specialized experience (noted in A) may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. To qualify at the GS-11 grade level, you must meet one of the following: A. Specialized Experience: Your resume must reflect one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-09 level in federal service having demonstrated experience. Experience should include development of contractual terms for water-related contracts or agreements. Experience related to 1.) water management; 2.) water conservation; 3.) water delivery system operation; 4.) contract development; 5.) negotiation of contract terms; 6.) contract writing; or 7.) contract administration. -or- B. Education: You have 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or LL.M., if related. -or- C. Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of high-level education (noted in B) and specialized experience (noted in A) may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. To qualify at the GS-12 grade level, you must meet the following: A. Specialized Experience: Your resume must reflect one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-11 level in federal service. Examples of specialized experience includes: the formation, administration or negotiation of water service contracts, project repayment or similar contracts; experience drafting and preparing contracts and using negotiation strategies to deal with proposed and current contracts; monitoring contractor compliance with terms and conditions; development of technical reports and legal research for water service, safety of dams, distribution systems, and repayment contracts. Experience analyzing economics, land classification, cost and related financial factors to develop recommendations related to water services. In order to be rated as qualified for this position, the HR Office must be able to determine that you meet the education/or specialized experience requirement this information must be clearly supported in the resume. 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. You must meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors if applicable, by 11/15/2024. Education This vacancy announcement allows substituting education for experience at the GS-09 and GS-11 grade levels. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. 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. You will be required to provide official college transcripts to verify educational qualifications, if selected. An official transcript must be sent directly from the University's Registrar's office and must be provided from the institution awarding the degree. Academic transcripts certified by notary publics are NOT official. Official transcripts must be submitted prior to reporting to work as a condition of employment. Failure to submit official transcripts may be grounds for dismissal or rescission of the job offer. Accreditation: Only education from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education is acceptable to meet education requirements or to substitute for experience, if applicable. For additional info, refer to the Office of Personnel Management and U.S. Department of Education. 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 additional info, refer to the U.S. Network for Education Information. Additional Information You may be required to serve an initial probationary period. Reclamation has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and you may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval. 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. Current agency employees may be eligible to receive a referral bonus for recruitment of this position. For information visit: Referral Bonus Awards. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) expenses are authorized with the exception of the Guaranteed Home Sale Provision or first-post-of-duty relocation expenses are authorized, as applicable. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), signed into law December 2017, suspends the moving expense deduction and the exclusion from income of qualified employer reimbursements of moving expenses that was allowed under previous tax laws. Employer reimbursements for moving costs are now generally taxed at the same rate as ordinary income. If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a Student Loan Repayment Benefit (SLRB). The decision to offer an SLRB will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: SLRB Program. If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may request consideration for a Superior Qualifications Appointment. For information, visit: OPM Fact Sheet. DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including applicant rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/ This position is designated as a LOW RISK position. It requires a fully completed and favorably adjudicated SF85 Background Investigation (T1 or equivalent) that is current (within the last 5 years). This is a condition of employment. Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify registration with the Selective Service System or that the applicant is exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Go to: https://www.sss.gov This is a bargaining unit position represented by a Union. Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. 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. 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 here.