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Hydrologic Technician

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The employee supports the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station in Parsons, WV. Selectee will serve as a technical assistant performing hydrology tasks in scientific studies of surface water, meteorology, sediment and debris production, and water quality for water resource and land management planning and design.

For more information about this position, contact Benjamin Rau at Benjamin.Rau@usda.gov

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
01/31/2023 to 02/13/2023
Salary
$37,696 to - $46,696 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 7
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Parsons, WV
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
7
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
23-RES-11802031-DP-APL
Control number
703297400

Duties

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  • Duties listed are at the full performance level of the position.
  • Perform hydrologic technician work in support of professionals engaged in scientific studies of surface water, meteorology, sediment and debris production, and water quality for water resource and land management planning and design.
  • Install and maintain the district hydrologic instrumentation; repair, calibrate, and service gages and recorders; perform all maintenance necessary to insure optimal operation of all equipment.
  • Prepare precipitation, sedimentation, and reservoir operation reports for transmittals to higher authority and other agencies
  • Prepare correspondence relating to the request for or transmittal of hydrologic data, or any other matters relating to the district?s instrumentation programs.
  • Compile and analyze hydrologic data for use in studies or reports, and furnish data to district elements and outside agencies.
  • Contact and confer with Federal, State, and local agencies to exchange data and coordinate stream gaging and rainfall data collection.
  • Make sketches of locations, dimensions, layouts, and modifications; coordinate with design personnel and applicable agencies.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • The work involves moderate risks and discomforts, such as dust, smoke, irritant chemicals, cold weather, and high noise levels. Employee required to use protective clothing and gear, such as steel-toed boots, hard hats, ear plugs, and respirator.
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov

Qualifications

To qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

For the GS-1316-5: Applicants must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 in the Federal service.
To qualify, your resume must reflect 52 weeks performing two out of three of the following tasks: Compiling and tabulating technical data which serves as a base for more complex technical studies made by hydrologists, other physical science specialists or higher-level technicians; Assembling data from streamflow records and sediment sample records and loading on computer; Tabulating and plotting data on prepared maps showing location of observation stations.
OR
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with a major that includes at least 24 semester hours in an appropriate field of science, engineering, construction drafting, surveying, physical science, biology, or mathematics, or industrial technology. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university;
OR
A combination of education and experience that together meets the qualifications requirements for this position. The education must have been completed in an accredited college or university.

For the GS-1316-6: Applicants must have one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 in the Federal service.
To qualify, your resume must reflect 52 weeks performing three out of the five of the following tasks: Preparing water data for statistical analysis; Computing mean daily parameters from water monitoring equipment records and charts, and making corrections based on field observation notes; Preparing maps, hydrographs, profiles, and well locations; Installing, adjusting, inspecting, and servicing water quality sampling equipment, well-recorders, and other instruments for the collection of ground and surface water data; and checking gage settings to ensure continuing accuracy of the records obtained from instruments.
OR
one full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position and in an appropriate field of science, engineering, construction drafting, surveying, physical science, biology, or mathematics, or industrial engineering. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university;
OR
combinations of graduate level education that is directly related to the position and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

GS-1316-07: Applicantsmust have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-06) in the federal service.
To qualify, your resume must reflect 52 weeks performing three (3) out of five (5) of the following: Modify hydrologic data collection stations or install new stations to augment or improve existing instrumentation. Prepare streamflow, and groundwater level reports. Modify and/or repair parts on a variety of hydrologic gauges, instruments and other equipment. Repair, calibrate, and service water quality sampling equipment and recorders. Install and maintain the unit's hydrologic instrumentation. Hydrologic instrumentation may include measurement devices related to stream flow, stream water quality, groundwater, soil moisture, precipitation and meteorology climate.
OR
One full year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of successfully completed graduate level coursework that is directly related to the work of the position (such as: engineering, construction drafting, surveying, physical science, hydrology, ecology, geology, or geomorphology). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.
OR
A combination of graduate level education that is directly related to the position and specialized experience. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

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.

Work Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning day, month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary, or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate, or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.

Education

See above for education substitutions for specialized experience.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the Veteran's Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA).

PROMOTION POTENTIAL: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied or guaranteed.

This is a not a bargaining unit designated position.

Government Housing may be available for rent on a short term basis while selectee is seeking permanent housing.

This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.

The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-and-leave-flexibilities-for-recruitment-and-retention/

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated in accordance with the category rating procedure as defined in the USDA Demonstration Project Plan. Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be placed in the Eligible category. You will be further evaluated against criteria for placement in the Quality category. This evaluation is based on the level of your experience, education, and/or training as determined by your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. Individuals with veterans' preference are listed ahead of applicants who do not have veterans' preference within each category.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11802031

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