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Hydrologist (Recent Graduate), GS-1315-05 (DB)

Department of the Interior
Geological Survey
This job announcement has closed

Summary

General Information

  • Salary: $35,208 (Step 01) to $45,773 (Step 10); NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
03/16/2020 to 07/01/2020
Salary
$35,208 to - $45,773 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 05
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Indianapolis, IN
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - Average of 6-8 nights may be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Recent graduates - Pathways Recent Graduate Appointment
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
11
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
PATH RES-2020-0049
Control number
562800100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to all qualified U.S. Citizens that meet the eligibility requirements for the Pathways Recent Graduates Program as described below.

Duties

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As a Hydrologist (Recent Graduate) within the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, some of your specific duties will include:

-Provide support on projects to gather basic hydrologic data on water quality and quantity and ecological samples for algae, invertebrates, and fish.

-Operate and maintain simple hydrologic instrumentation and equipment, including continuous water-quality monitors. 

-Collect, process, and compile data to be used in computations of water quality and quantity including data from continuous monitors, discrete water-quality samples, and ecological samples for algae, invertebrates, and fish.

-Provide support on water-quality projects including cleaning and preparation of field supplies and equipment. Order expendable supplies and ensure an adequate supply is available for sampling.

-Prepare churns and bottles for field work, including acid washing; Prepares and ships samples for lab analyses. 

-Operates a Government vehicle as an incidental driver.

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.
  • The duration of the Recent Graduates appointment is a trial period.
  • More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
  • Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.
  • Selectee subject to successful completion of a pre-employment medical exam.

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?

  • This position is subject to both pre-employment and random drug testing as a condition of employment. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test is received.
  • 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. 
  • The Recent Graduate Program lasts for 1 year.  Participants who successfully complete the Recent Graduate Program may be eligible for conversion to a permanent appointment or a term (1-4 years in duration) appointment without further competition. 
  • 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.
  • 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

Eligibility Requirements
In order to be eligible for an appointment under the Pathways Recent Graduate Program you must meet the following requirements:

  • You must be a recent graduate who has completed, within the previous two years, an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution such as an 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.  Note:  Certificate program is defined as post-secondary education in a qualifying educational institution equal to at least one academic year of full-time study that’s part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum. 
  • Veterans who were precluded from applying due to their military service obligation begin their 2-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty; however, eligibility for these veterans cannot exceed 6 years from the date on which the degree or certificate was obtained.  The date of release or discharge from active duty should be later than the date the degree or certificate was obtained. 

Qualification Requirements

For more information on basic qualifications, please click on the following: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/hydrologist-gs-1315.

For GS-05:

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Hydrologist, 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 or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours or the equivalent in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours or the equivalent in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours or the equivalent in physics. **OR

B. A combination of education and experience-course work as shown in "A" above (30 semester hours or the equivalent in any combination of courses as specified in "A" above which must include at least 6 semester hours or the equivalent in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours or the equivalent in physics), 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)

All applicants must meet qualification and eligibility requirements 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

  • This position is being filled under the Pathways Recent Graduate Program that affords developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs.
  • 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.

--Basis of Rating:

You will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position.  If you meet the basic eligibility and qualification requirements, your on-line responses to the application questions will determine your placement in the appropriate quality group (i.e., Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified).  These responses must be substantiated by the resume.  Veterans’ preference rules apply.

-- Vacancy Related Questions:  As part of the online application process, you will need to respond to a series of questions designed to assess your knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies:

-Collect Scientific Data

-Compute/Analyze Data

-Information Management

-Teamwork


To preview questions please click here.

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