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Student Trainee (Physical Science Technician)

Department of the Interior
Geological Survey
This job announcement has closed

Summary

General Information

To be eligible for this position, you must be able to: (1) report to the duty station location listed in the announcement, if selected; and (2) be available to work the schedule identified.

Salary:

  • $31,250 (Step 01) to $40,974 (Step 10);
NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
03/29/2021 to 04/05/2021
Salary
$31,250 to - $40,974 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 4
Location
Saint Petersburg, FL
Few vacancies
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Internships - This is a temporary appointment not to exceed 1-year that may be extended as long as the individual continues to meet the eligibility requirements of the Program and the employing office has a continuing need.
Work schedule
Part-time - 16-32 Hours per week; during school breaks and summer period, full time hrs may apply.
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
4
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
USGS-PATH-21-11027806-TI-SS
Control number
593378100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to all qualified students who are U.S. Citizens and meet the eligibility requirements for the Pathways Internship Program as described below.

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Duties

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The USGS St Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center is seeking undergraduate student working towards a degree in Physical Science to gain practical experience in; Attention to Detail, Creative Thinking, Data Interpretation, Data Management, and Information Management.

As a Student Trainee Physical Science Technician you will serve in a trainee capacity, performing routine and recurring development assignments to acquire knowledge and understanding of functions, principles, practices, and methods used in the area of Physical Scientist.

Duties include:

  • Performs a variety of aid and technical assignments.
  • Assists with research projects including the oversight of field data collection and the preparation of drawings, graphs, or charts using project data.
  • Provides support for the production or publication of databases and data collections.
  • Performs data entry and analyses within GIS programs and associated analytical toolsets.
  • Operates various types of laboratory equipment and computer software.
  • Assists in providing administrative support duties, including locating and compiling research data; organizes and maintains files and records; and prepares correspondence, reports, and briefs materials.
  • Assists project chief, analytical staff, and other staff as necessary.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

  1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
  2. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
  3. The entire period served under the Intern Program counts as a trial period.
  4. Housing will not be provided.
Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?
  • This position is eligible for non-competitive conversion to a term or permanent position in the competitive services. There is no guarantee for conversion. The anticipated target position will be Physical Scientist Technician with full performance level of GS-11; however, the target position and FPL may change based on the need of the organization at that time. Interns must meet the qualification requirements for the position to which converted.
  • If selected, you will be required to provide official transcripts &/or letter from the school stating you are enrolled in a degree/certificateprogram on at least a half time basis in good standing and your expected graduation date.
  • 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

This position is being filled under the Pathways Internship Program which is designed to provide students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with paid work opportunities in agencies to explore Federal careers while still in school.

Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible for an appointment under the Pathways Internship Program:

  • You must be a student accepted for enrollment or enrolled in a degree or certificate program on a full- or half-time basis as defined by the school (certificate program means post-secondary education, in a qualifying educational institution, equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study that is part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum); AND
  • Enrollment is with a qualifying educational institution such as a high school or state-approved homeschool; or 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; AND
  • Students currently enrolled must be in good academic standing maintaining a 2.0 grade point average on a cumulative basis; AND
  • You must continue to meet these eligibility requirements throughout the duration of your appointment under the Pathways Internship Program.

Qualification Requirements

This internship is geared toward students majoring in one of the following areas of study: Physical Science, Engineering, or any branch of mathematics, except financial and commercial mathematics.

For GS-04:

Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-4 level:

Six months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-3 level in the Federal service that is in or related to the duties of this position. NOTE: Excess specialized experience beyond the required 6 months may be substituted for general experience; i.e., one year of creditable specialized experience will meet the requirements for 6 months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience.
General experience is work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position to be filled, OR experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation.

Qualifying specialized experience for GS-4 and above may include work in the fields of astronomy, physics, geophysics, chemistry, hydrology, health physics, engineering, electronics, geology, oceanography, and metallurgy. Experience as a laboratory mechanic or in a trade or draft may be credited as general or specialized experience when the work was performed in close association with physical scientists or technical personnel and provided intensive knowledge of appropriate scientific principles, methods, techniques, and precedents

**OR Successful completion of 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as physical science, engineering, or any branch of mathematics, except financial and commercial mathematics.

**OR A combination of successfully completed post-high school education and specialized and/or general experience may be used to meet the qualification requirements for the GS-04 level.

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.
Agency Benefits:

Additional information

  • USGS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework in accordance with the DOI Telework policy and with supervisor approval. The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis.
  • For additional information on our internal telework policy, please reference the Department of the Interior Telework Handbook at: https://www.doi.gov/telework/policies.
  • Students who successfully complete the internship program may be eligible for conversion to a permanent appointment or a term (1-4 years in duration) appointment. Eligibility requirements for conversion: must be a U.S. Citizen; complete at least 640 hours of work experience acquired through the Internship Program (*may waive up to a total of 320 hours under specific conditions); successfully complete your degree or certificate requirements from a qualifying institution; meet the qualification requirements for the position to which you will be converted; meet agency-specific requirements as outlined in the Participant's Agreement; and must have performed successfully in your position as documented through performance evaluations. There is no guarantee for conversion. *NOTE: To learn more about the conditions under which a portion of the work experience hours may be waived, visit http://www.usgs.gov/humancapital/sw/studentinterns.html.
  • Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
  • 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: All applicants who meet the basic eligibility and qualification requirements will be referred to the selecting official in veterans' preference order.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11027806

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