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Physical Scientist (EDGE Developer) -GS-1301-13

Department of the Interior
Geological Survey
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Are you a developer of geospatial products or geospatial analysis tools,looking for an opportunity tp support the Nation's exploration of the Solar System as a Fedeal civil servant? Do you have a passion for putting data in the correct location and making it accesssible to researchers across the planet? If so, apply for your dream job with the U.S. Geological Survey!

Why Is It Great To Work For The USGS?
Embark on an exciting future! From the peaks of the highest mountains to the depths of the deepest seas, the U.S. Geological Survey has career opportunities that make a difference in both the lives of others and in the environment. Would you like to join the more than 10,000 scientists, technicians, and support staff of the USGS who are working in more than 400 locations throughout the United States? Apply today! As the Nation's largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides scientific understanding about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems. The diversity of our scientific expertise enables us to carry out large-scale, multi-disciplinary investigations and provide impartial, timely, and relevant scientific information to resource managers, planners, and other customers related to: the health of our ecosystems and environment; natural hazards that threaten us; natural resources we rely on, and; the impact of climate and land-use changes. For more information about the USGS please visit http://www.usgs.gov. For more information about the USGS Astrogeology Science Center, please visit https://astrogeology.usgs.gov.

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

Salary:

GS-13: $85,816 (Step 01) to $111,560 (Step 10)

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

This position is being advertised concurrently with the following announcements:

Open to all qualified US Citizens: DEN-2017-0342

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
09/22/2017 to 10/12/2017
Salary
$85,816 to - $111,560 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
few vacancies in the following location:
Flagstaff, AZ
FEW vacancies
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Overnight travel of up to 2 nights per month may be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - Full-Time
Work schedule
Full-time - Permanent
Service
Promotion potential
15
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Announcement number
DEN-2017-0326
Control number
480163500

This job is open to

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Duties

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As a PHYSICAL SCIENTIST within the ASTROGEOLOGY SCIENCE CENTER, some of your specific duties will include:

  • Propose, manage, lead, and sustain a robust portfolio of scientific and/or cartographic development projects.
  • Develop new cartographic and/or scientific tools and/or products for use by the planetary science community and space exploration missions.
The U.S. Geological Survey has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the incumbent may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval. For additional information on our internal telework policy, please reference the Department of the Interior Telework Handbook at: http://www.usgs.gov/humancapital/pb/telework.html


Requirements

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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.
  • More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?

  • 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.
  • If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement
  • 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

For information on basic qualifications, which includes information on whether you may substitute education for specialized experience, please click on the following:https://www2.usgs.gov/humancapital/sw/quals/1301.html

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Physical Scientist, all grade levels.

A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours or the equivalent in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

OR

B. A combination of education and experience--education equivalent to one of the majors shown in "A" above (24 semester hours or the equivalent in physical science, engineering, or mathematics) that included at least 24 semester hours or the equivalent in physical science and/or related engineering science as described above, plus appropriate experience and/or additional education for a total of 4 years. The education or combined education and experience must be comparable in type, scope and thoroughness to that acquired through successful completion of a 4-year course of study as described in "A" above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE)

For GS-13

In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet the following to qualify for the GS-13 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-12 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, executing and reporting on original physical science studies or ongoing physical science studies requiring a fresh approach to resolve new problems. The complexity of this work typically required extensive modification and adaptation of standard procedures, methods, and techniques, and the development of totally new methods and techniques to address novel or obscure problems for which guidelines or precedents were not substantially applicable. At this level, physical scientists have wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment to perform scientific work of marked difficulty and responsibility.

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: http://www.usgs.gov/ohr/oars/quals/foreign.html.

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:

1.Skill in written and oral presentation of new scientific research results in geology, geophysics, or other physical sciences related to surface or interior processes of the planets and satellites (note: Earth is a planet).

2. Knowledge of geology, geophysics, or geochemistry with emphasis on the interpretation of spacecraft data and/ or theoretical or laboratory studies applicable to planetary science.

3. Ability to independently and productively conduct competitively funded planetary science research in within a team environment.

4. Knowledge of remote sensing and image processing principles and theory and their application to planetary geologic studies.

5. Skill in design and execution of planetary exploration missions, including development of instrumentation, participation in scientific investigations related to spacecraft missions and/or the processing and archiving of acquired mission data.

Basis of rating: Category rating will be used in the ranking and selection process for this position. The quality categories are Best Qualified, Well 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.

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