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Physical Scientist

Department of the Interior
Geological Survey
This job announcement has closed

Summary

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

The government-wide direct hire authority for Physical Scientist, GS-1301 is being used to fill this position.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
08/30/2021 to 09/11/2021
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$84,886 to - $122,884 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Locations
Moffett Field, CA
1 vacancy
Seattle, WA
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Travel may be required 1-2 nights per month.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
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-SASC-21-11095786-DE-LS
Control number
612063400

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Duties

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As a Physical Scientist within the Earthquake Science Center, some of your specific duties will include:

  • Assists with leading the effort to develop and execute training and education programs and materials to promote the public and institutional acceptance and ongoing implementation of the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System.
  • Develops new methods and products for dissemination of educational materials in a manner that is multidisciplinary, cost effective, and consistent with existing hazards education efforts.
  • Initiates, facilitates, and coordinates meetings, workshops, and other stakeholder interactions.
  • Leads a committee of officials in Federal, State, and local agencies in developing and implementing long-term public ShakeAlert communication, education, and outreach protocols and plans.
  • Coordinates with various USGS groups to ensure appropriate collaboration and teamwork is achieved, specifically issues surrounding media and Congressional relations.
  • Coordinates long-term interaction with ShakeAlert technical partners and CEO partners throughout the West Coast and other regions as needed.
  • Establishes cooperative agreements and technology transfer agreements that may require negotiation to reach compromise among the parties.
  • In coordination with the CEO coordinator, serves as the Shake Alert communications point of contact after earthquakes and other events involving ShakeAlert.
  • Operates a government vehicle as an incidental driver.
Note: Position requires availability for 24-hour duty rotations in order to serve as the primary communications contact for the ShakeAlert system. Also, in the event of an earthquake or other event involving ShakeAlert, the candidate must be able to work extended hours over the course of many days which might involve travel.

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. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
  4. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
  5. Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.
Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?
  • This vacancy is limited to the first 50 applications received and will close at midnight Eastern Time on the day this application limit is reached regardless of the closing date specified in this vacancy announcement. Any application received prior to midnight Eastern Time of the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. You are strongly encouraged to submit all required supporting documents at the time of application should the vacancy close earlier than stated in this announcement due to the applicant limit being reached. Supporting documents will not be accepted once the vacancy announcement closes.
  • 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

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-12:

In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet the following to qualify for the GS-12 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-11 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 program coordination ranging from facilitating working groups to overseeing multi-year projects involving several key stakeholders. This work typically involves the use of education and communication strategies and tactics, as well as the development of inclusive educational resources for diverse non-specialist and technical audiences. Experience in public outreach programs specifically in a STEM learning environment such as a school, museum, or park visitor center. Experience communicating about hazards (such as earthquakes, volcanoes, etc.) preparedness, mitigation, planning, response, and recovery. Experience in assisting with emergency management protocols, procedures, and structures. Experience working with complex issues to aid in planning and coordinating activities and response, as well as making adjustments when required.

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

Salary Information:

Seattle, WA: $84,886 (Step 01) to $110,356 (Step 10);

Moffett Field, CA: $94,523 (Step 01) to $122,884 (Step 10);

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

Other Information:

  • 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 Department of the Interior (DOI) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.
  • THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
Agency Benefits:

How you will be evaluated

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

--Basis of Rating: The government-wide direct hire authority for Physical Scientist, GS-1301 is being used to fill this position. All applicants who meet the eligibility requirements and minimum qualification requirements will be referred for consideration.

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