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Physical Science Technician

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, in the Division of Resources Management and Science.

Work Location: Ash Mountain

Anticipated entry on duty: January, 2019

Temporary positions not-to-exceed 1039 hours in a service year may be terminated sooner or extended depending on management needs. The typical entry-on-duty period for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is January to August, but can be variable due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/07/2018 to 11/13/2018
Salary
$16 to - $16 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 5
Location
Sequoia National Park, CA
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - 1039 Hours
Work schedule
Full-time - Mixed Tour of Duty - Full Time and Intermittent
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Announcement number
PW-1548-SEKI-19-10350032-DE
Control number
515881300

Duties

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This position is assigned to the Division of Resources Management and Science and will assist with the objectives of the Physical Sciences Branch, which primarily include the collection of air, snow, water, soundscape, and other ecological information. Field work will be completed solo or in teams of 2 people. Primary duties will include assisting with the operation and maintenance of a variety of atmospheric, meteorological, and acoustic monitoring field equipment for physical sciences related projects. The position will also follow a variety of water sampling protocols for discharge, water chemistry, and environmental contaminants. Examples of equipment routinely deployed include songmeters, smart phone/tablets, GPS units, dataloggers, rain gages, wet and dry deposition sample collectors, particulate monitors, ozone analyzers, and hand and peristaltic pumps. Incumbent may also conduct surveys in caves, which requires comfort working in very small spaces. Technicians will be responsible for mobile and tablet data entry following established QA/QC procedures. They should be comfortable with interpreting spatial data. Technicians will use available information, local expertise, and safe practices in travelling to and from remote work sites. Experience with driving in snow and traveling on skis or snowshoes to field sites is required.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license.
  • Following the completion of the necessary pre-season training, the incumbent may be required to operate a four-wheel drive vehicle.
  • You may be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime.
  • This position has a mixed work schedule based on the varying workload, and your work schedule is subject to change from intermittent to full-time as workload dictates.
  • Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience includes activities such as: performing research and monitoring activities for wildlife resources; accurately collecting and recording biological data in a field setting; water quality sampling; air quality sampling; sediment sampling; conducting aquatic environmental monitoring and management activities to document and assess environmental or natural resource conditions; or other similar resource management and assessment activities using established protocols and standard scientific equipment. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of a full 4 year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study, or at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as biology, chemistry, statistics, entomology, botany, physics, agriculture, or mathematics which included at least 6 semester hours directly in any combination of courses such as physical science, engineering, or any branch of mathematics, except financial and commercial mathematics. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. For example, I have 6 months of the specialized experience (50% of the experience requirement), and 3 years of college study from an accredited institution (50% of the qualifying education) which included at least 12 semester hours of related coursework, of which at least 3 semester hours were in subjects related to this position (50% of the related coursework required). You must include transcripts.

Volunteer Experience: 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 include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies", "part-time" or 'intermittent".

In preparing your application, describe in detail the experience and training which you have had that specifically prepared you for this job and to perform the duties described for this job. Experience should be clearly described and documented in your resume. The qualifications reviewer will not assume performance of such duties by Job Titles alone.

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

Additional Selections: This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required. Heavy items (e.g., packs and equipment) must be lifted and carried on a routine basis. Work requires hiking in a mountainous area (elevations above 6,000 feet) over a rough and uneven terrain with backpack/tools up to several miles in a day.

Working Conditions: The work is performed in an office, laboratory, and in the field. Field work includes exposure to extreme weather and terrain conditions, poisonous plants, biting insects, and wild animals. Laboratory work may involve exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Housing: Available rental housing units may include tent cabins, mobile homes, apartments, or traditional houses and housing/rooms will likely be shared with other employees, interns, volunteers, etc. Units may be rustic, located in wilderness areas, with few if any modern conveniences. Pets (other than service pets) and overnight guests are not allowed; units are to house assigned employees only.

Air Quality: Poor air quality afflicts Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, especially during summer months - generally May to October. High ozone levels may be the most harmful pollutant here. In summer months, concentrations often exceed the federal ozone health standards. For more information: http://www.nps.gov/seki/learn/nature/airqualityinfo.htm.
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Telework: The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

How you will be evaluated

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

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions can affect your rating.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • Earth Science
  • Research
  • Technical Competence

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