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Interdisciplinary-Geographer/Physical Scientist/Cartographer

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) manages the exploration and development of the nation's offshore resources. It seeks to appropriately balance economic development, energy independence, and environmental protection through oil and gas leases, renewable energy development and environmental reviews and studies. For information about our bureau go to: http://www.boem.gov/

The incumbent is under the general administrative direction of the Chief, Mapping and Boundary Branch (MBB) within the Office of Strategic Resources (OSR). The incumbent is responsible for providing technical direction for all aspects of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM’s) utilization of geographic data and deployment of geospatial technologies. The incumbent will serve as BOEM's technical liaison and primary point of contact both internally and externally for geographic data and technology issues. The incumbent works with the Chief of the MBB, the Chief of the OSR, and other BOEM senior managers to ensure that BOEM's geographic information needs are addressed, to ensure appropriate use of technology, and to facilitate access to needed data and information sources. The Geospatial Information Officer (GIO) functions collaboratively with the BOEM senior managers and others who are responsible for specific life-cycle phases of Geographic Information System (GIS) and related Information Technology (IT) projects.

Please note that an additional selection may be made for BOEM, Office of Environmental Programs.

This is a permanent, full-time, career/career conditional appointment.



Salary Information

GS-13: $94,796.00-$123,234.00 per annum. GS-14: $112,021-$145,629 per annum. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level.

The Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and selectees may be permitted to telework with supervisory approval.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
08/07/2017 to 08/21/2017
Salary
$94,796 to - $145,629 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13 - 14
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Sterling, VA
1 vacancy
Travel Required
Occasional travel - 1-5 nights per month
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
No
Announcement number
BOEM-MMCC-17-KY-047(MP)
Control number
476359500

This job is open to

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Duties

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At the full performance level (GS-14) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Provide leadership, policy, guidance, and coordination in the application of data management practices in the development and use of geospatial technological applications and
spatial data for resource management.
2. Develop, implement and share complex geospatial modeling procedures and recommend application of the basic principles and state-of-the-art geospatial processes to solve complex problems of data management, resources assessment, information extraction, and resource management.
3. Develop and monitor operational and budget documents for participation in Department of the Interior (DOI) enterprise geospatial operations. Serve on a team that coordinates data management needs with other DOI land and offshore management bureaus and federal agencies.
4. Develop bureau-wide policies, standards, and guidelines for data, software, tools and services dealing with geospatial data. Coordinate national work groups (crossing Regional and Program lines) that enable communication and coordination on a broad range of geospatial and data management initiatives.
5. Serve as a technical authority in the area of geospatial data sharing and metadata. Work with personnel to develop and implement policy and processes for creating and sharing geospatial metadata.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination
  • You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
  • You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

To qualify for this position you must meet the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND (2) Specialized Experience for the series/grade to which you are applying.

(1) Basic Educational Requirements:

Geographer- GS-0150

A. Degree: geography; or related physical or social science such as geology, meteorology, economics, statistics, sociology, anthropology, political science, history, cartography, computer science, urban studies, or planning that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields.

-OR-

B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in geography, or a related field that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Physical Scientist-GS-1301

A. Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

-OR-

B. Combination of education and experience education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

-OR-

Cartographer GS-1370

A. Degree: cartography; or a major that included or was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours in cartography and/or directly related science, and related mathematics. Such course work includes, but is not limited to, cartography, astronomy, geodesy, photogrammetry, physical and geological oceanography, computer science, land surveying, geophysics, physical geography, and remote sensing. The 30 semester hours must have included at least 6, but no more than 15, semester hours of college level, non-business mathematics or statistics (i.e., college level algebra, trigonometry, calculus, or scientific mathematics or statistics requiring equivalent college-level courses as prerequisites).

-OR-

B. Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in cartography, or a major that included or was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours in cartography, and/or directly related science, and related mathematics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

AND

(2) Specialized Experience Requirement:

GS-13:

You must have at least one FULL year specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level. Specialized experience is that which equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. You must meet all of the specialized experience requirements in order to be found qualified:

1) Experience utilizing digital data techniques in order to handle and extract a variety of spatial data and map products using numerous automated and highly sophisticated technologies.
2) Experience working with both raster and vector systems, to include standards, specification, requirements, techniques and conversions as they apply to multiple use resource management and land information management.
3) Experience utilizing vector based CAD and GIS packages such as Autodesk and ArcGIS, raster based image processing software such as ERDAS Imagine in order to analyze and ascertain the most effective method of displaying specific geospatial data.
4) Experience utilizing all facets of each type of processing software’s respective operating systems, file creation, data input, data storage and retrieval, error code identification and correction, etc.

GS-14:

You must have at least one FULL year specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level. Specialized experience is that which equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. You must meet all of the specialized experience requirements in order to be found qualified:

1) Experience utilizing digital data techniques in order to handle and extract a variety of spatial data and map products using numerous automated and highly sophisticated technologies.
2) Experience working with both raster and vector systems, to include standards, specification, requirements, techniques and conversions as they apply to multiple use resource management and land information management.
3) Experience utilizing vector based CAD and GIS packages such as Autodesk and ArcGIS, raster based image processing software such as ERDAS Imagine in order to analyze and ascertain the most effective method of displaying specific geospatial data.
4) Experience utilizing all facets of each type of processing software’s respective operating systems, file creation, data input, data storage and retrieval, error code identification and correction, etc.
5) Experience planning and executing technical programs and projects of marked difficulty and national significance that significantly impact Departmental goals and initiatives to ensure that successful solutions are identified and applied to the variety of difficult and novel problems that exist in the management of resources throughout the Department and/or agency.
6) Experience utilizing program management and leadership techniques, combined with maturity of judgment, in order to balance conflicting requirements and to present, defend, and interpret geospatial data, technology programs and policies to top level management authorities.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Merit Promotion candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.

Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. 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: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

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.

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.

Important Note: All Department of the Interior (DOI) employees are subject to the conflict of interest restrictions imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report. In addition, DOI employees, GS-15 and above, who work in the Office of the Secretary; along with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) employees (at ALL grade levels), are further restricted concerning their interests in Federal lands and resources administered or controlled by the Department of the Interior. This includes holding stock in energy corporations which lease Federal lands (e.g.: oil, gas, coal, alternative energy resources, etc.). If you have any such investments you should contact the DOI, BOEM or BSEE Ethics Office before accepting employment. DOI employees are held to the highest level of integrity. Employees must be objective and impartial in the performance of their work. All potential issues (e.g.: work-related interactions with friends, family members, or previous employers) must be disclosed at the time of application or during the interview process.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

Your answers to the on-line assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

Technical Knowledge: Expert knowledge of Geographic Information Systems in order to serve as the authority and primary point of contact, both internally and externally, for geographic data, geospatial data management, and technology issues in order to perform the following critical responsibilities of the position.
Oral Communication
: Ability to represent an agency or organization in dealings with federal, state, and private organizations on matters related to geospatial data management and policy.
Written Communication
: Ability to develop and maintain Geospatial strategic plans and work with various programs to implement the plan (which outlines long-range goals in the areas of geospatial science and data maintenance procedures and relate those goals to the organization’s mission).
Management Advisory
: Ability to serve as the technical authority in the areas of geospatial science; provide decision-making information to management concerning the use of geospatial technology; serve in a consultant role in designing geospatial strategies and plans; provide information on geospatial best practices to users of geospatial data.


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