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Hydrological Technician

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

These positions are a part ot the Southwest Alaska Network (SWAN). Please visit find a park for additional park information.

These positions are full time, temporary positions not-to-exceed 1039 regular hours (about 6 months) in a service year. Positions may be terminated sooner or extended depending on management needs. Individuals selected under this vacancy announcement are eligible for rehire in subsequent service years.

The typical seasonal period is May through October, but varies due to weather conditions, project needs, or funding. Anticipated Entry on Duty: May, 2018

This job announcement is open to receive applications from the first 300 applicants. The job announcement will remain open until either the quota of 300 applicants, or 01/22/2018 is reached. All applications submitted by 11:59 (EST) on the closing day will receive consideration, even those that exceed the 300 applicant limit.

Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. All travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the sole responsibility of the selected employee.

Government housing may be available.

Applicants may be moved between duty stations within the SWAN.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
01/16/2018 to 01/22/2018
Salary
$18.70 to - $23.16 per hour

Salary includes 5.30% COLA

Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 7
Location
King Salmon, AK
2 vacancies
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Temporary - 1039 hours
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Announcement number
AK-1537-AKRO-18-10116557-DE
Control number
488656500

This job is open to

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Duties

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The National Park Service (NPS) serves as a steward for the preservation of America's national parks and their resources. In 1998, the NPS initiated a natural resource Inventory and Monitoring Program. The purpose of the program was to develop a baseline inventory of significant natural resources in national parks, and to monitor these natural resources over time. The program includes more than 270 national parks organized into 32 networks. The Southwest Alaska Network (SWAN) consists of five Alaskan parks (Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, Alagnak National Wild River, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve).

The SWAN is hiring seasonal crew leader (GS-7) and crew member (GS-5) positions responsible for implementing its freshwater monitoring protocol in the field. The protocol covers a range of water quality and water quantity parameters (e.g., temperature, pH, turbidity, stage, discharge) measured in lakes and streams using various types of equipment (e.g., sondes, temperature loggers, pressure transducers, ADCPs). Previous motorized boat handling experience is a plus. For more information regarding SWAN freshwater monitoring, please see http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/swan/monitor/freshwater.cfm.

Some specific duties of the jobs include:

  • Collecting various types of hydrologic data in the field using standard methods, practices and procedures;
  • Calibrating, programing and operating electronic water quality/quantity data recording devices;
  • Conducting basic maintenance and ensuring equipment is in proper working order;
  • Using standard computer software to input, retrieve, organize and summarize data;
  • Undertaking quality control procedures to identify gaps and inconsistencies in data;
  • Developing written summaries of routine phases of water resource investigations for inclusion in broader reports;
  • Working with diverse individuals under a variety of conditions, including remote wilderness settings.
Additional GS-7 duties:
  • Conducting basic statistical and spatial analyses;
  • Producing technical and non-technical written reports and oral presentations summarizing routine phases of water quality investigations.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.

  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • This position is subject to drug testing based on the collateral duty requiring firearms in the back-country or other locations for non-law enforcement reasons such as protection from animals.
  • You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license.
  • Motorboat operation is required.
  • You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 14 nights per month.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

Specialized Experience: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level in Federal service that is directly related to the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience for this position include the following types of duties: collecting field data for natural resource-based projects or studies; calibrating, programing and maintaining hydrologic monitoring equipment such as water quality sondes; using standard computer software applications to store, retrieve, organize and summarize data; communicating monitoring results in writing.

OR

Education: Successfully completed a four year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with (a) major study in an appropriate field of science, engineering, construction, or industrial technology, or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following course: engineering, industrial technology, construction drafting, surveying, physical science, biology or mathematics.

OR

Combination of Experience and Education: To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours (or equivalent), in excess of the first 60 semester hours earned towards your degree, and divide by 60 semester hours (or equivalent). Then take the number of months of full time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the two percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent in order to meet this description.

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must possess at least one of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

Specialized Experience: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 level in Federal service that is directly related to the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience for this position include the following types of duties: collecting field data for natural resource-based projects or studies; calibrating, programing, maintaining and troubleshooting hydrologic monitoring equipment such as water quality sondes; using computer software applications (including specialized hydrologic database software) to store, retrieve, organize and summarize data; performing preliminary statistical and spatial analyses on hydrologic datasets; communicating monitoring results, orally and in writing.

OR

Education: At least one year (18 semester hours or equivalent) of graduate level course work. Coursework must be directly related to the position.

OR

Combination of Experience and Graduate Level Education: To combine education and experience, first take the number of semester hours or equivalent earned towards a graduate degree and divide by 18 semester hours or equivalent. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.

Volunteer Experience: 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.

You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies".

Education

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document that you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Click the following link for more information, https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Alternate_Application_Information.

How you will be evaluated

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

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
You will be evaluated on the following competencies:
  • Applies Technology to Tasks
  • Hydrology
  • Manages and Organizes Information
  • Teamwork
  • Technology Application

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