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Hydrologist, GS-1315-09/11/12 (DEU-LL)

Department of the Interior
Geological Survey
This job announcement has closed

Summary

What General Information Do I Need To Know About This Position?
GS-09 Salary: $56,459 (Step 01) to $73,398 (Step 10);
GS-11 Salary: $68,309 (Step 01) to $88,801 (Step 10);
GS-12 Salary: $81,875 (Step 01) to $106,442 (Step 10);

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

There are two vacancies; however, this announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies if they become available.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
05/04/2020 to 05/18/2020
Salary
$56,459 to - $106,442 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 09 - 12
Location
Portland, OR
FEW vacancies
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Overnight travel of 1-3 nights per month may be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Relocation expenses are authorized.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Announcement number
SAC-2020-0221
Control number
567284600

Duties

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As a Surface Water Hydrologist within the Oregon Water Science Center, some of your specific duties will include:

  • Serves as a project leader by planning, conducting, and reporting on interpretive hydrologic studies that typically require modification of established procedures and extensive collection, interpretation, analysis, and evaluation of hydrologic data.
  • Develops procedures for conducting interpretive studies and provides training to others using on the modification of established standards and methods to ensure adequate treatment and thorough consideration of anomalous study conditions or situations.
  • Prepares reports of findings for complete hydrologic interpretive studies summarizing the results of hydrologic investigations and technically reviews parts of reports prepared by project team members.
  • Develops project proposals and makes recommendations for initiation of new projects to higher level management.
  • Operates a motor vehicle as an incidental driver.

Above duties are for the GS-12 level. For the lower grade levels, incumbent will perform a wide range of tasks described in the above duties, but at a lower level of work designed to further develop and refine the knowledge and skills of the incumbent. Assignments will typically combine productive work with on-going training and instruction. Supervision received at the lower level will be closer with oversight and review being provided more frequently.

Physical Demands:

The work requires frequent physical exertion while conducting field portions of project work and with inspection of ongoing operations, including walking over rough, rocky, or uneven terrain; lifting and carrying equipment and supplies; and wading in streams in all types of weather.

Work Environment:

The work involves some degree of risk when conducting on-the-ground assessment of operations as well as exposure to moderate discomfort from such extremes as heat, cold, and inclement weather.

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.
  • Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.
  • Selectee subject to successful completion of a pre-employment medical exam.
  • More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?

  • Pre-employment medical exam at Federal expense is required.
  • You will be required to operate a government-owned or -leased vehicle in the performance of your official duties. Applicants for this position must meet the following requirements: (1) possess a valid State license, and (2) possess a safe driving record. If selected, you will be required to provide proof of a valid State license and a copy of your driving record.
  • 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

  • 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/hydrologist-gs-1315.
  • If you are qualifying based on specialized experience, in addition to the basic education requirements listed in the link above, you must have 1-year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service.
    • GS-09: One year of appropriate professional experience in hydrology that is equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service. Examples of such experience includes performing a variety of observations, computations, compilations and analyses in assisting higher level Hydrologists in carrying out hydrologic assignments. This work experience would have involved following established methods and procedures, or detailed instructions; using some judgment in applying basic principles and procedures, and would have required a good general working knowledge of the principles and the theories of hydrology
    • GS-11: One year of appropriate professional experience in hydrology that is equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Examples of such experience includes independent responsibility for a well-defined study or for a phase of a larger study that required the planning and carrying out of routine hydrologic 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, Hydrologists have a sound working knowledge of the principles of hydrology and the ability to independently perform moderately difficult and responsible scientific work.
    • GS-12: One year of appropriate professional experience in hydrology that is equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service. Examples of such experience includes planning and executing complex hydrologic studies, which usually involved intensive investigations into recognized phenomena. This work typically involved conventional methods & 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, Hydrologists have a very good knowledge of the principles of hydrology and their application, and 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:

Compute/Analyze Data, Program/Project Management, Collect Scientific Data, Technical Reports, Modeling Knowledge, Written Communication, Interpersonal Communication, and Information Technology.

--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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