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Cartographer, GS-1370-07 RECENT GRADUATE

Department of the Interior
Geological Survey
This job announcement has closed

Summary

General Information

Salary:

Rolla, MO $42,053 (Step 01) to $54,670 (Step 10);

Lakewood, CO $45,918 (Step 01) to $59,694 (Step 10)

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

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
05/29/2019 to 06/11/2019
Salary
$42,053 to - $59,694 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 07
Locations
few vacancies in the following locations:
Lakewood, CO
few vacancies
Rolla, MO
few vacancies
Telework eligible
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Recent graduates - Pathways Recent Graduate Appointment
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Announcement number
PATH RES-2019-0037
Control number
534187800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to all qualified U.S. Citizens that meet the eligibility requirements for the Pathways Recent Graduates Program as described below.

Duties

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The National Geospatial Program (NGP) provides leadership for USGS geospatial coordination, production and service activities. The Program engages partners to develop standards and produce consistent and accurate data. These and other Program activities that are essential to the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) are managed as a unified portfolio that benefits geospatial information users throughout the Nation.

The National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) is the primary operational component within the NGP. The NGTOC provides world-class geospatial technical expertise and customer service for the USGS and the Nation. It is responsible for the acquisition, assessment, and integration of geospatial data in support of The National Map (TNM) (https://viewer.nationalmap.gov), quality assurance and quality control of products and data produced via contract or by other entities outside of the NGTOC, development of national standards and data models to support TNM and the Geospatial Platform, providing technical assistance to USGS Geospatial liaisons and state, local and private sector partners, and management and delivery of data that are part of TNM, including the National Hydrography and Watershed Boundary Datasets and elevation data that are part of the 3D Elevation Program. The NGTOC also produces derived products and services from TNM data, including US Topo map products.

As a Cartographer with the USGS National Geospatial Technical Operations Center, some of your specific duties will include:

  • Receiving on-the-job instruction and training to provide experience in the practical application of basic cartography and geography principles, techniques, and concepts.
  • Conducting analyses of digital cartography processes to become familiar with cartographic and geographic work methods and procedures.
  • Analyzing software and database systems and developing recommendations as appropriate for technical modifications.
  • Analyzing geospatial products with the object of improving consistency between products and delivery mechanisms in different data themes.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
  • Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
  • The duration of the Recent Graduates appointment is a trial 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. 
  • The Recent Graduate Program lasts for 1 year.  Participants who successfully complete the Recent Graduate Program may be eligible for conversion to a permanent appointment or a term (1-4 years in duration) appointment without further competition. 
  • 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.
  • 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.

Qualifications

Eligibility Requirements
In order to be eligible for an appointment under the Pathways Recent Graduate Program you must meet the following requirements:

  • You must be a recent graduate who has completed, within the previous two years, an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution such as an accredited technical or vocational school; a 2- or 4-year college or university; a graduate or professional school (e.g., law school, medical school); or a post-secondary home school curriculum.  Note:  Certificate program is defined as post-secondary education in a qualifying educational institution equal to at least one academic year of full-time study that’s part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum; OR You must be currently enrolled in a qualifying degree program as described above AND expect to complete your degree requirements no later than August 2019. If you do not complete your degree requirements by August 2019 you will be ineligible for consideration under this program.
  • Veterans who were precluded from applying due to their military service obligation begin their 2-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty; however, eligibility for these veterans cannot exceed 6 years from the date on which the degree or certificate was obtained.  The date of release or discharge from active duty should be later than the date the degree or certificate was obtained. 

Qualification Requirements

For more information on basic qualifications, please click on the following: Cartographer job series requirements.

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: All applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for the Cartographer Recent Graduate at all grade levels:

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. Equivalent combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in cartography, or a minor 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 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).

GS-07: In addition to the basic education requirement stated above, applicants must meet at least one of the following to qualify for the GS-07 level:

A. One year of appropriate specialized experience that is equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include performing a series of sequential tasks/steps for standardized or prescribed operations involving one or more stages of the map or chart making process (e.g., orienting stereo plotting instruments to develop expertise, compiling less difficult map or chart manuscripts, or drafting and scribing maps or charts); OR

B. Successful completion of 1 year of successfully completed graduate level education (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours or the equivalent) in cartography or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position; OR

C. Superior Academic Achievement based on undergraduate study (CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT); OR

D. Equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education, as described above, and professional experience, as described above (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE GRADUATE EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE).

All applicants must meet qualification and eligibility requirements 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

  • This position is being filled under the Pathways Recent Graduate Program that affords developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs.
  • 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.

--Basis of Rating:

You will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position.  If you meet the basic eligibility and qualification requirements, your on-line responses to the application questions will determine your placement in the appropriate quality group (i.e., Best Qualified or Qualified).  These responses must be substantiated by the resume.  Veterans’ preference rules apply.

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

Information Management

Written Communication

Interpersonal Communication

Leadership & Supervision

Technology Application

Pressure/Deadlines

Project/Project Management


To preview questions please click here.

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