[ES_JOBS_NET] Geographer/Physical Scientist, USGS, Lakewood, CO

[Christine Wiedinmyer]

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/565786100
Duties
Summary

What General Information Do I Need To Know About This Position?

GS-11 Salary: $70,181 (Step 01) to $93,638 (Step 10);

GS-12 Salary: $84,118 (Step 01) to $112,240(Step 10);

NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.

Open to current or former Federal employees:RES-2020-0192

Responsibilities

As a Geographer/Physical Scientist within the National Civic Applications Center (NCAC), some of your specific duties will include:

     *   Plans, coordinates, and performs earth science research and analysis related to changes to the landscape due to human intervention, land characterization of the natural environment, environmental studies, or natural resources assessment applying digital spatial data products from both USGS and non-USGS sources.
     *   Promotes collaboration and works closely with and provides information and data to other scientists and researchers inside and outside the Bureau.
     *   Designs improvements and techniques for processing, editing, integrating, and manipulating spatial data for identifying, interpreting, analyzing, and correlating natural earth surface and human-induced processes.
     *   Prepares demonstrations, training sessions, and other materials to provide spatial data users with the technical knowledge necessary to enable them to make more effective use of USGS products in land characterization, natural resource management, or environmental protection.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Overnight travel of up to 3 nights per month may be required.

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

12

*        Job family (Series)

0150 Geography

1301 General Physical Science

*        Requirements

Requirements
Conditions of Employment

     *   Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
     *   Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
     *   Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
     *   A pre-employment drug test is required.
     *   Applicants must possess a TS/SCI security clearance.
     *   More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?

     *   This position is subject to both pre-employment and random drug testing as a condition of employment. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
     *   Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
     *   A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
     *   Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

Qualifications

GS-0150

For information on basic qualifications, which includes information on whether you may substitute education for specialized experience, please click on the following: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/geographer-gs-0150

GS-11:

In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-11 level:

**Ph.D. or equivalent graduate degree in geography or other directly related field of study or 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education (54 semester hours, 81 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a Ph.D. in geography or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position to be filled.

**OR one year of appropriate professional experience in geography that is equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service.

Examples of such experience may include: 1) locating, examining, evaluating and selecting, from a variety of source materials, information for use in depicting the location and standardizing the nomenclature of physical and humane features on a map, chart or in a gazetteer; 2) determining the distribution of like phenomena (e.g., deciduous vegetation or precipitation) over Eastern U.S., or comparing the distribution of two or three different kinds of phenomena, e.g., deciduous vegetation and precipitation; 3) providing assistance to a higher-graded researcher on small, self-contained studies. Examples 1 & 2 included independent responsibility for small projects or significant segments of larger projects. Discrepancies may have arisen in source materials. Judgment was used to resolve the less difficult problems; a higher-level authority resolved the most difficult problems. Work was carried out in accordance with established procedures and criteria. For example 3, extensive and precise instructions were provided and the project leader was readily available for consultation and guidance.

**OR a combination of successfully completed progressive graduate level education, as described above, that is beyond the second year of graduate study and professional experience, as described above. (CLICK HEREFOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE GRADUATE EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE)

GS-12:

In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet the following to qualify for the GS-12 level:

**One year of appropriate professional experience in geography that is equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service.

Examples of such experience may include: 1) assembling information concerning the location and nomenclature of physical and cultural phenomena covering an area the size of Canada, and making determinations in the more difficult cases regarding location and nomenclature to appear on a map, etc. to insure standardization of such information; 2) compiling and synthesizing geographic data to show and compare the distribution of various features and events; 3) performing analytic and interpretive work concerned with determining and explaining the interrelationships existing between or among two or three varieties of phenomena. Examples 1 & 2 required a high degree of independence in planning and carrying out the assignments, selecting the approach or methodology to be used, resolving most of the conflicts that arose, and coordinating the work with others as necessary. The work usually involved established methods and conventional techniques and involved assisting in or partial responsibility for changing and modifying established procedures and precedents. Example 3 required independence in the execution of the research process, except for conferring with the supervisor at intermediate stages to assure that the approaches taken were effective and sound.

GS-1301

For information on basic qualifications, which includes information on whether you may substitute education for specialized experience, please click on the following: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/physical-scientist-gs-1301

GS-11:

In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-11 level:

**Three years of progressively higher level graduate education (54 semester hours, 81 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a Ph.D. degree in physical science or other directly related field of study or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in physical science or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position to be filled.

**OR one year of appropriate professional experience that is in or directly related to the duties of the position to be filled is qualifying if it is equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in the Federal service, and if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Examples of such experience may include independent responsibility for a well-defined study or for a phase of a larger study that required the planning and carrying out of routine physical science work. This work would have required the individual to select and make minor adaptations to procedures and accepted practices and handle unexpected conditions arising in the normal course of the work. At this level, physical scientists have the ability to independently perform moderately difficult and responsible scientific work.

**OR a combination of successfully completed graduate level education, as described, above that is beyond the second year of progressive graduate study and professional experience, as described above. (CLICK HEREFOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE GRADUATE EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE)

GS-12:

In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet the following to qualify for the GS-12 level: One year of appropriate professional experience that is in or directly related to the duties of the position to be filled is qualifying if it is equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service, and if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Examples of such experience may include planning and executing complex physical science studies, which usually involved intensive investigations into recognized phenomena. This work typically involved conventional methods and techniques though it required going beyond clear precedents, and required adapting methods to the problems at hand and interpreting findings in terms of their scientific significance. At this level, physical scientists have the ability to independently perform scientific work of considerable difficulty.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

     *   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.
     *   Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-federal-jobs .

Additional information

     *   Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
     *   Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.
     *   Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) may compete for civil service jobs. Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only in very limited circumstances where there are no qualified citizens available for the position.
     *   USGS employees are subject to Title 43, USC Section 31(a) and may not: (a) have any personal, private, direct or indirect interest in lands or mineral wealth of lands under survey; (b) have any substantial personal, private, direct or indirect interests in any private mining or mineral enterprise doing business with the United States; or (c) execute surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations.
     *   The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
     *   DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
     *   THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Vacancy Related Questions: As part of the online application process, you will need to respond to a series of questions designed to assess your possession of the following knowledge skills, abilities and/or competencies:

     *   Collect Scientific Data
     *   Information Management
     *   Program/Project Management
     *   Scientific Knowledge
     *   Technology Application
     *   Interpersonal Communication
     *   General Abilities and Knowledge
Basis of rating: Category rating will be used in the ranking and selection process for this position. The quality categories are Best Qualified and Qualified. You will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position. If you are eligible, your on-line responses to the application questions will determine your placement in the appropriate quality category described above. Your responses must be substantiated by your resume. If you do not respond to the application questions you may be rated ineligible. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.

     *   -NOTE: If it is determined that you have rated yourself higher than is supported in your description of experience and/or education as described in your resume/application, or that your resume or application is incomplete, you may be rated ineligible, not qualified, or your score may be lowered.


To preview questions please click here.
Background checks and security clearance

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