CAREER 

OPPORTUNITIES 

U. S. Department of the Interior 

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement 
This booklet provides basic information concerning career opportunities 

within the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining 

Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM). The booklet’s purpose is to provide answers to many initial questions; more detailed inquiries should 

be directed to OSM’s Division of Human Resources, contact information 

for which is given in the back of the booklet. 
Table of Contents 

page No. 

Introduction: OSM’s mission and vision ..................................................... 1 

An EEO employer ................................................................................ 2 

The bureau’s organizational structure....................................................... 3 

Career opportunities............................................................................ 4 

 Accountants and auditors.................................................................. 6 

 Budget analysts.............................................................................. 8 

 Engineers (mining/civil/general) ......................................................... 9 

 Financial/collection/grants fiscal specialists..........................................11 

 Geographers ................................................................................12 

 Geologists ...................................................................................13 

 Hydrologists .................................................................................14 

 Information-technology specialists......................................................16 

 Natural-resource specialists and biological scientists................................18 

 Physical scientists..........................................................................19 

 Program analysts/specialists .............................................................20 

 Soil scientists ...............................................................................21 

 Surface-mining reclamation specialists.................................................23 

 Miscellaneous positions ...................................................................25 

Federal employment benefits................................................................26 

Appointments and jobs information.........................................................27 

The competitive-application process .......................................................28 

For more information..........................................................................29 

page 1. 

Introduction: OSM’s Mission and Vision 

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) was created on August 3, 1977, with the passage of Public Law 95-87. This law, known as the Surface 

Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), established the bureau as a nationwide program charged with balancing the Nation’s need to mine coal as an essential source of energy and the Federal responsibility to safeguard the Nation’s people 

and their environment. 

OSM partners with States and Indian Tribes to implement SMCRA’s provisions. Together, OSM and its partners work to ensure that U.S. citizens and the environment are 

protected during coal mining and that the land affected by such mining is restored to 

beneficial use when mining is completed. They 

also oversee the reclamation and restoration of 

lands and water degraded by mining operations 

before 1977. 

Since 1977, OSM has provided more than $1 billion in matching grants to States and Tribes to 

assist in funding the regulation of active coal 

mines. In addition, OSM has provided more 

than $3 billion to its partners to clean up dangerous abandoned minesites. The Abandoned 

Mine Land Program has eliminated safety and 

environmental hazards on 314,108 acres since 1977, including all high-priority coal 

problems and non-coal problems in 27 States and on the lands of three Indian Tribes. 

When it was first established, OSM directly enforced mining laws and arranged cleanup 

of abandoned-mine-land (AML) sites. Today most coal States have developed their own 
 page 2. 

programs to do those jobs themselves, as Congress envisioned. (In December 2006, 

Congress authorized Indian Tribes likewise to develop their own programs.) OSM focuses on overseeing the State (and budding Tribal) programs and on developing new 

tools to help States and Tribes get the job done. 

The bureau works with colleges and universities and other State and Federal agencies 

to further the science of reclaiming mined lands and protecting the environment. Each 

year OSM trains hundreds of State and Tribal professionals in a broad range of needed 

skills. In short, although a small bureau, OSM has achieved big results by working 

closely with those closest to mining—States, Tribes, local groups and communities, and 

the coal industry. In fact, OSM’s strong, productive partnerships and down-to-earth 

way of getting things done led Governing magazine in 1999 to nickname OSM’s professionals “The Feds Who Get It.”

An EEO Employer 

OSM is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer that provides employment 

opportunities to all U.S. citizens regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, 

disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, 

or any other non-merit factor. 

More than this, OSM is committed to eliminating 

all discriminatory practices while maintaining a 

program that aggressively pursues the EEO goals 

of recruiting, retaining, and advancing a qualified 

workforce that reflects our Nation’s diversity. 

OSM’s Director is committed to ensuring that all 

employees and applicants for employment enjoy 

equality of opportunity in the OSM workplace. 
page 3. 

We encourage all interested and qualified persons to apply for positions with OSM. We 

believe that our emphasis on EEO benefits the bureau and its employees alike. 

The Bureau’s Organizational Structure 

OSM comprises a headquarters’ office—consisting of a Director's office, four staff offices, and two assistant directorates—, three regional offices, six field offices, and nine 

area offices. The headquarters’ office in Washington, D.C., provides overall guidance, 

supervision, and support for the bureau overall. 

The regional offices for the Appalachian, Mid-Continent, and Western regions are located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alton, Illinois/St. Louis, Missouri, and Denver, Colorado, respectively. 

Staffs in the three regional offices provide technical guidance and support to the OSM 

field offices, State and Tribal agencies, and the coal industry. They also conduct Federal reclamation projects, including emergency responses to public hazards caused by 

abandoned coal-mining and reclamation operations. 
 page 4. 

Career Opportunities 

OSM carries out its nationwide responsibilities with a staff of over 500 technical, administrative, and support personnel. The bureau depends upon a steady intake of 

qualified individuals to effectively and efficiently perform its increasingly important 

work. 

OSM’s employees represent a broad range 

of expertise essential to the successful enforcement of SMCRA. Common, or core, 

occupations in OSM include accountants/

auditors, biological scientists, budget analysts, engineers, financial/collection/

grants financial specialists, geographers, 

geologists, hydrologists, informationtechnology specialists, natural-resource 

specialists, physical scientists, program 

analysts/specialists, soil scientists, and surface-mining reclamation specialists. Nonsupervisory positions generally range from grades GS-5 through GS-12. Employees with 

appropriate qualifications and experience can qualify for supervisory and managerial 

positions that generally range from grades GS-13 through GS-15. Salary ranges for 

these grades may be found at the Federal Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM’s) 

website http://www.opm.gov. 

The minimum qualification requirements for entry level positions for core bureau occupations follow. In most cases, qualifying experience may be substituted for all or part 

of the educational requirements for a given occupation. However, certain professional 

occupations do have positive education requirements (i.e., number and type of 

courses) that may not be waived. Positions above the GS-5 level have additional spe-
page 5. 

cific experience or educational requirements. The summaries that follow provide some 

general information concerning minimum qualifications for the positions in question; 

the summaries also give the positions’ locations within OSM offices. In addition, a summary of miscellaneous positions within the bureau follows. 
 page 6. 

Accountants and Auditors 

Accountant positions within OSM are located primarily in Denver, Colorado, and Washington, D.C. Auditor positions are located in various cities in Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Auditor positions usually 

require considerable travel. Accountant and auditor duties are: 

Systematically examining and appraising financial records, as well as financial 

and management reports for the collection of AML fees; 

Assessing and collecting civil penalties related to mining and reclamation activities; 

Collecting other monies (for example, 

fees related to amounts of coal and 

lignite mined) owed OSM; and 

Meeting internal bureau requirements 

for all fiscal services, including accounting, travel, cash management, 

and general-ledger account reporting. 

Applicants for either of these positions must 

have completed either: 

A full, 4-year curriculum in an accredited college or university leading to a 

bachelor's degree in accounting and/or auditing; or 

A full, 4-year curriculum in an accredited college or university leading to a 

bachelor's degree in a related field such as business administration, finance, 

or public administration, which degree included or was supplemented by at 

least 24 semester hours in accounting and/or auditing; or 

4 years of experience in accounting and/or auditing; or 

 A combination of experience and education that provided professional account- 
page 7. 

 ing knowledge equivalent to a 4-year college curriculum in accounting and/or 

 auditing.
 page 8. 

Budget Analysts 

Budget-analyst positions within OSM are located primarily in Washington, D.C., and the 

three regional offices in Alton, Illinois/St. Louis, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At an entry level, budget-analyst duties are: 

Performing clerical and technical work in sup

 port of budget analysis; 

Recording, reporting, processing, and keeping 

 track of budgetary transactions, including the 

 credit, receipt, transfer, allotment, with-

 drawal, obligation, and outlays of funds; 

Analyzing expenditures and monitoring compli-

 ance with budget outlays; and 

Providing guidance for planning and assistance 

 in preparing the bureau’s budget. 

Applicants for a budget-analyst position must have completed either: 

 A full, 4-year curriculum in an ac credited college or university leading to a 

 bachelor's degree in budget analysis or 

 3 years of experience in administrative, professional, technical, or investigative 

 work, 1 year of which must have been equivalent to the GS-4 level in Federal 

 service. 
page 9. 

Engineers (Mining/Civil/General) 

Engineering positions within OSM are located in Washington, D.C., the three regional 

offices in Alton, Illinois/St. Louis, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and some field offices in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. OSM employs mining, 

civil, and general engineers; the primary duties for all engineers are: 

Providing technical and scientific assistance to Federal, State, and Tribal regulatory authorities (a “regulatory authority” in this context is the entity charged 

with regulating surface coal-mining and reclamation operations within its jurisdiction) regarding the interpretation and implementation of SMCRA performance 

standards and technical requirements and 

Abating emergency and high- 

 priority AML problems by 

pro-viding technical recommendations as to how to accomplish abatement. These 

may include recommendations as to measures necessary to stabilize landslides, correct erosion and 

sedimentation problems, abate or treat acid-mine drainage, control mine 

subsidence, and extinguish mine fires. 

Applicants for engineering positions must have completed either: 

A full, 4-year professional engineering curriculum in a school of engineering with 

at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering 

and Technology; or 

Curriculum that included differential and integral calculus and courses in at 

least five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (1) 
 page 10. 

statics/dynamics; (2) strength of materials; (3) fluid mechanics and/or hydraulics; (4) thermodynamics; (5) electrical fields and circuits; ( 6) nature 

and properties of materials; and (7) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics (for example, optics, heat transfer, 

soil mechanics, or electronics); or 

4 years of college-level education and/or technical experience that furnished 

both knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering and an understanding of engineering sciences and techniques. This 

knowledge and understanding must be demonstrated either by registration 

with some State as a professional engineer or by evidence of having passed 

the Engineer-In-Training examination. 
page 11. 

Financial/Collection/Grants Fiscal Specialists

Financial and collection fiscal-specialist positions within OSM are located in Washington, D.C. Duties for staff that hold these positions involve dealing with the process of 

assessing civil penalties to coal-mining companies that violate any provision of SMCRA. 

Grants fiscal-specialist positions are located in Washington, D.C., and the three regional offices in Alton, Illinois/St. Louis, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and Pittsburgh, 

Pennsylvania. The primary duties for grants fiscal specialists are: 

Providing guidance to OSM field-office and Federal, State, and Tribal regulatoryauthority staff in the development of applications for grants and cooperative 

agreements and 

Coordinating grants-in-aid activities that concern State-regulatory and AML reclamation programs. 

Applicants for grants fiscalspecialist positions must 

have completed either: 

 A full, 4-year curriculum 

 in an accredited col-

 lege or university 

 leading to a bache- 

 lor's degree in any 

 field or 

3 years of experience that provided knowledge of the principles of organization, 

management, and administration work, 1 year of which must have been 

equivalent to the GS-4 level in the Federal service. 
 page 12. 

Geographers

Geographer positions within OSM are located primarily in the three regional offices in 

Alton, Illinois/St. Louis, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and 

in field offices in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. The primary duties for geographers are: 

 Providing technical assistance in their areas of expertise to Federal, State, and 

 Tribal regulatory-authority staff; 

 Monitoring and reviewing technical pro 

 grams designed to meet SMCRA re- 

 quirements; 

 Providing technical support to Federal, 

 State, and Tribal inspectors; 

 Conducting State program oversight; 

 and 

 Participating in contract and research 

 monitoring. 

Applicants for geographer positions have two 

options with respect to meeting education requirements: 

 The first option would be to complete a full, 4-year curriculum in an accredited 

 college or university, leading to a bachelor's or higher degree, with major 

 study in geography or a related physical or social science such as geology, 

 meteorology, economics, statistics, sociology, anthropology, political sci- 

 ence, history, cartography, computer science, urban studies, or planning. 

 The study must have included or been supplemented by at least 24 semes- 

 ter hours in geography or related fields. 

The second option would be to obtain a combination of experience and education that totals 4 years and that included 24 semester hours in geography 

and/or the related fields specified above. 
page 13. 

Geologists

Geologist positions within OSM are located primarily in the three regional offices in Alton, Illinois/St. Louis, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in 

field offices in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. The primary duties for geologists are: 

Providing technical assistance in their areas 

of expertise to Federal, State, and Tribal 

regulatory-authority staff; 

Monitoring and reviewing technical programs 

designed to meet SMCRA requirements; 

Providing technical support to Federal, State, 

and Tribal inspectors; 

Conducting State program oversight; and 

 Participating in contract and research 

monitoring. 

Applicants for geologist positions must have completed either: 

A full, 4-year curriculum in an accredited college or university leading to a 

bachelor's degree in geology, plus 20 semester hours in any combination of 

mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological science, engineering, computer 

science, planetary geology, comparative paleontology, physical geography, 

marine geology, cartography, geophysics, meteorology, hydrology, and 

oceanography or 

A combination of education in geology and/or the related fields specified above 

and laboratory work or experience in a geology field that totals 4 years and 

that is equivalent to a 4-year course of study. 
 page 14. 

Hydrologists

Hydrologist positions within OSM are located primarily in the three regional offices in 

Alton, Illinois/St. Louis, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and 

in field offices in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. The primary duties for hydrologists are: 

Providing technical assistance in their areas of expertise to Federal, State, and 

Tribal regulatory-authority staff; 

Monitoring and reviewing technical programs designed to meet SMCRA requirements; 

Providing technical support to Federal, State, and Tribal inspectors; 

Conducting State program oversight; 

Participating in contract and research monitoring; and 

Developing, revising, and teaching technical courses related to hydrology, civil 

engineering, and related fields. 

Applicants for hydrologist positions have two options with respect to meeting education requirements: 

The first option would be 

to complete a full, 4-

year curriculum in an 

accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in 

hydrology, with major study in physical or natural science or in engineering. 

The study must have included at least 30 semester hours in any combination 

of courses in hydrology, physical science, geophysics, chemistry, atmospheric 

science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, engineering science, soils, 
page 15. 

mathematics, aquatic biology, or the management or conservation of water 

resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in 

both differential and integral calculus and at least 6 semester hours in physics. 

The second option would be to obtain a combination of experience in performing 

scientific functions related to the study of water resources and education in 

specified course work that together are equivalent to a 4-year course of 

study in hydrology. 
 page 16. 

Information-Technology Specialists

Information-technology specialist positions within OSM are located primarily in the 

three regional offices in Alton, Illinois/St. Louis, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The primary duties for information-technology specialists are: 

Improving the management of data-processing systems for the bureau and 

Developing and maintaining case-tracking systems, managing information systems, and developing micro-computer systems. 

Applicant for information-technology 

specialist positions have two options 

with respect to completing educational and/or experiential requirements. Under option A, applicants 

must have completed either: 

A full, 4-year curriculum in an 

accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's degree in computer science, information science, information-systems 

management, mathematics, statistics, operations research, or engineering; 

or 

Course work that required the development or adaptation of computer programs 

and systems and that provided knowledge equivalent to a major in the computer field; or 

Experience that provided a basic knowledge of data-processing functions and 

general management principles and that enabled the applicant to understand 

the steps required to automate a work process. Specialized experience may 

have been gained in work such as computer operator or assistant, computer 
page 17. 

sales representative, program analyst, or other positions that required the 

use or adaptation of computer programs and systems. 

Under option B, applicants must have completed either: 

A full, 4-year curriculum in an accredited college or university leading to a 

bachelor's degree in any field or 

3 years of experience in administrative, professional, technical, or investigative 

work of which 1 year must have been equivalent to the GS-4 level in the Federal service. 
 page 18. 

Natural-Resource Specialists and Biological Scientists

Natural-resource specialist and biological-scientist positions within OSM are located primarily in the three regional offices in Alton, Illinois/St. Louis, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in field offices in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. 

The primary duties for these positions are: 

Providing technical assistance in their re-

 spective areas of expertise to Federal, 

 State, and Tribal regulatory-authority 

 staff; 

Monitoring and reviewing technical programs 

 designed to meet SMCRA requirements; 

Providing technical support to Federal, 

 State, and Tribal inspectors; 

Conducting State program oversight; and 

Participating in contract and research moni-

 toring. 

Applicants for natural-resource specialist and biological-scientist positions must have 

completed either: 

A full, 4-year curriculum in an accredited college or university leading to a 

bachelor's or higher degree with major study in biological sciences, agriculture, natural-resource management, chemistry, or allied disciplines pertinent 

to the work of the position to be filled or 

A combination of experience demonstrating an understanding of the fundamental principles and techniques of one or more of the above fields and specified 

course work that together are equivalent to a 4-year course of study. 
page 19. 

Physical Scientists

Physical-scientist positions within OSM are located primarily in the three regional offices in Alton, Illinois/St. Louis, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in field offices in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. The primary duties for physical scientists are: 

Providing technical assistance in their areas of expertise to Federal, State, and 

Tribal regulatory-authority staff; 

Monitoring and reviewing technical programs designed to meet SMCRA requirements; 

Providing technical support to Federal and 

State inspectors; 

Conducting State program oversight; and 

Participating in contract and research 

monitoring. 

Applicants for physical scientist positions must 

have completed either: 

A full, 4-year curriculum in an accredited 

college or university leading to a 

bachelor's degree in physical science, 

engineering, or mathematics, which 

degree included 24 semester hours in 

physical science and/or a closely related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, or electronics or 

A combination of experience and education that totals 4 years and that includes 

24 semester hours in geography and/or the related fields specified above. 
 page 20. 

Program Analysts/Specialists

Program-analyst and program-specialist positions within OSM are located primarily in 

the three regional offices in Alton, Illinois/St. Louis, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and 

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in several field and area offices throughout OSM. The 

duties for program analysts and specialists are myriad, always changing, and often specific to an OSM program function; accordingly, “primary duties” for these positions are 

difficult to identify and itemize. 

Applicants for program analyst/specialist positions must have completed either: 

A full, 4-year curriculum in an accredited college or university leading to a 

 bachelor's degree in any field; or 

3 years of experience in administrative, 

 professional, technical, investigative, or 

 other responsible, non-clerical work, 1 

 year of which must have been equiva-

 lent to the GS-4 level in the Federal ser-

 vice; or 

A combination of education and the type of 

 experience specified above that totals 4 

 years. 
page 21. 

Soil Scientists

Soil-scientist positions within OSM are located primarily in the three regional offices in 

Alton, Illinois/St. Louis, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and 

in field offices in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. 

The primary duties for soil scientists are: 

Providing technical assistance in their areas of expertise to Federal, State, 

and Tribal regulatory-authority staff; 

Monitoring and reviewing technical 

programs designed to meet SMCRA 

requirements; 

Providing technical support to Federal, 

 State, and Tribal inspectors; 

Conducting State program oversight; and 

Participating in contract and research 

monitoring. 

Applicants for soil-scientist positions have two options with respect to meeting 

education requirements: 

The first option would be to complete a full, 4-year curriculum in an accredited 

college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree with major 

study in soil science, or a related field of biological, physical, or earth science. The study must have included at least 15 semester hours in soil genesis, soil taxonomy, geochemistry, and field and laboratory methods. 

The second option would be to obtain a combination of education, in the form 

of 30 semester hours in any of the courses specified above, including 15 semester hours in soils, and appropriate experience that, combined with the 
 page 22. 

specified course work, totals 4 years and is equivalent to a 4-year course of 

study. 
page 23. 

Surface-Mining Reclamation Specialists

Surface-mining reclamation specialist positions are located in all field offices and some 

regional offices. These positions require some travel; all surface-mining reclamation 

specialists must pass a medical examination. The primary duties for surface-mining 

reclamation specialists are: 

Surveying reclamation and enforcement work to ensure that surface mining and 

reclamation operations are conducted in a way that protects the environment 

and that ensures that affected lands are returned to a stable condition compatible with the value and uses of surrounding lands; 

Participating in planning and conducting the entire survey process; 

Investigating mining operations for violations of Federal- and State-approved 

mining and reclamation plans; 

Issuing recommendations and orders for correcting such violations; 

Investigating public complaints of damage from blasting and possible pollution 

from mine sites; and 

Ensuring that all reclamation 

efforts proceed in an environmentally sound manner. 

Applicants for surface-mining reclamation 

specialist positions must have completed 

either: 

A full, 4-year curriculum in an 

accredited college or university 

leading to a bachelor's degree in 

any field or fields—including hydrology, agronomy, geology, range conservation, forestry, ecology, civil engineering, natural sciences, biological 
 page 24. 

sciences, natural resources, environmental planning, and earth sciencerelated to the work of a surface-mining reclamation specialist; or 

A 2-year reclamation technology program in an accredited school; or 

3 years of experience that provided knowledge of the use, conservation, or protection of land resources, the preservation of landscapes, or the establishment of environmental conditions that will support vegetation and wildlife; 

or 

A combination of the education and experience specified above. 
page 25. 

Miscellaneous Positions

Beyond these 13 core-occupation positions, OSM employs staff filling a wide range of 

supplemental positions. These supplemental positions are miscellaneous in nature and 

range from librarian, through archaeologist, administrative assistant, secretary, visual 

information specialist, and writer/editor, to communications officer. 

Supplemental positions are largely non-supervisory and range in grade from GS-5 

through GS-12. Supervisory and/or managerial supplemental positions generally range 

from grades GS-13 through 

GS-15. Again, salary ranges 

for these grades may be found 

at OPM’s website http://

www.opm.gov , as may 

minimum qualification 

requirements for entry level 

into the supplemental positions. 
 page 26. 

Federal Employment Benefits 

Virtually everyone now employed is likely to be aware that the health-insurance, retirement, and other-benefit options available to workers in the private sector are not 

what they were 40 or even 20 years ago. The benefits available to a Federal employee, 

on the other hand, have long been and remain now among the most attractive obtainable by the Nation’s workforce. 

Federal benefits include: 

 Opportunities for worldwide assignments; 

 Diverse challenges; 

 Job mobility; 

 The opportunity for career internships; 

 The opportunity for paid, job-related train-

 ing; 

 Assistance with the repayment of student 

 loans; 

 Tuition assistance; 

The opportunity for job advancement and career growth; 

Periodic pay adjustments, as well as, depending upon the location of one’s position, locality-pay adjustments; 

Special pay rates; 

Recruitment, retention, and relocation bonuses of up to 25 percent of salary; 

Accelerated promotions; 

Eligibility for paid moving expenses; 

A choice among numerous healthcare options, including options to purchase dental and vision insurance, with the cost for primary health insurance shared by 

the government; 

Depending upon length of service, 13 to 26 days of vacation each year; 

13 days accruable sick leave each year; 
page 27. 

10 paid holidays each year; 

Tenure after 3 years of service; 

Military leave with full pay for annual reserve training; 

The opportunity to invest in a “thrift savings plan” (the Federal equivalent of a 

private-sector 401k plan)—depending upon qualifying circumstances at a 

level, as of 2007, of up to $15,500—with matching employer contributions of 

up to 5 percent of salary under the Federal Employees Retirement System 

only; and 

The opportunity to purchase group life insurance with cost shared by government. 

Appointments and Jobs Information 

OSM and other bureaus within both DOI and the Federal government in general fill jobs 

in several ways. Bureaus can promote an employee, hire an employee who wants to 

transfer from another bureau or agency within the executive branch, reinstate a former Federal employee, hire from a list of eligible outside applicants, or obtain direct 

hiring authority from OPM. 

OSM offers pay rates that 

are competitive with the 

private sector, including 

annual pay increases, longevity raises, and the possibility of cash awards, bonuses, and incentives. The 

salary for a new employee 

depends upon the grade and geographic area of the position for which he or she is selected, as well as any prior Federal service he or she may have had. 
 page 28. 

The Competitive-Application Process 

The Federal “vacancy announcement” is an important component of the government’s 

effort to recruit top talent to its workforce. A vacancy announcement is comparable to 

the help-wanted ad that a private company might post on a store window, in a newspaper, or on a website in order to advertise and invite people to apply for a job that the 

company has available. According to Susanne T. Marshall, chairman of the U.S. Merit 

Systems Protection Board, the difference is that the Federal vacancy announcement 

“must also clearly reflect Federal public policies and comply with the mandates of the 

first merit system principle[,] which states: 

‘Recruitment should be from qualified individuals from appropriate sources in an 

endeavor to achieve a workforce from all segments of society, and selection and 

advancement should be determined solely on the basis of relative ability, knowledge, and skills, after fair and open competition 

which assures that all receive equal opportunity.’” 

Anyone considering a career with the Federal government may obtain information about how to register and submit an application for a Federal job 

from OPM’s website at www.opm.gov. (Please 

note that application for all Federal jobs is competitive and must be done online.) 

Anyone considering a career with OSM may determine which jobs we currently have available, as 

well as actually apply for posted positions, through OPM's website at http://

www.usajobs.opm.gov. 
page 29. 

College-level and graduate students may submit resumes, to be evaluated with respect 

to qualification for employment at OSM, at career days and job fairs and in response to 

notices on the Internet. Both Federal and non-Federal professionals must submit their 

resumes for consideration with respect to OSM and other executive-branch jobs at 

www.usajobs.opm.gov . 

Applicants should be aware that every OSM vacancy is advertised through two different 

vacancy announcements: the Merit Promotion announcement and the “allsources” (also called the “delegated examining unit” [DEU]) announcement. Applicants 

who are current Federal employees, former Federal employees with reinstatement 

rights, or veterans who meet the definition of that term given by the Veterans Equal 

Opportunity Employment Act should apply for such a vacancy by means of the Merit 

Promotion vacancy announcement. All non-Federal applicants who do not fit into the 

latter two of these categories must apply under the all-sources or DEU vacancy announcement. 

As we have noted, the Federal government is an EEO employer. 

For More Information

More detailed inquiries regarding the information contained in this booklet should be 

directed to: 
 page 30. 

 Division of Human Resources 

 Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement 

 Department of the Interior 

 1849 C Street NW 

 Washington, D.C. 20240 

 

The telephone No. for OSM’s Division of Human Resources is (202) 208-2771; the telefax No. is (202) 219-3107. 

For more in-depth, current program information, please see: 

 OSM’s website at www.osmre.gov; 

 The Appalachian Region’s website at 

 www.arcc.osmre.gov; 

 The Mid-Continent Region’s website at 

 www.mcrcc.osmre.gov; 

 The Western Region’s website at 

 www.wrcc.osmre.gov; 

 OSM’s Technical Innovation and Professional Services’ (commonly called “TIPS’s”) 

 website at www.tips.osmre.gov/training/ index.asp; and/or 

 The National Technical Training Program’s (commonly called “NTTP’s”) website at 

 www.tips.osmre.gov/training/tips_html/links_nttp.asp. 

For details regarding the benefits of Federal employment, please see OPM’s website at 

www.opm.gov/insure/health/newemployees.asp. For more information on Federal 

employment and qualification requirements, go to www.opm.gov. 

“* * * striking a balance between the need 

to protect people and the environment 

from the adverse effects of surface coalmining operations and the Nation's need for 

coal as an essential source of energy * * *” 

http://www.osmre.gov