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Physical Scientist

Department of the Interior
Geological Survey
Earthquake Science Center
This job announcement has closed

Summary

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

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

Salary Information:

  • Seattle, WA: $92,123 (Step 01) to $119,760 (Step 10)
  • Moffett Field, CA: $102,489 (Step 01) to $133,236 (Step 10)
NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01

There is one vacancy in each location. Additional positions may be filled if they become available.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
04/18/2023 to 05/04/2023
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$92,123 to - $133,236 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Locations
Moffett Field, CA
FEW vacancies
Seattle, WA
FEW vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Overnight travel of up to 2 nights per month may be required.
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-SAC-23-11678774-DHA-ML
Control number
720127200

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Duties

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As the Assistant Communication, Education, Outreach, and Technical Engagement (CEO&TE) Coordinator for the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system within the Earthquake Science Center, some of your specific duties will include:

  • Develops and maintains strategic partnerships with ShakeAlert system stakeholders throughout the West Coast with a focus on interaction with state, county, and local emergency management agencies.
  • Serves in a leadership role in the ShakeAlert Joint Committee for Communication, Education, Outreach, and Technical Engagement (JCCEO&TE) which is comprised of officials in federal, state, and local agencies in developing and implementing long-term, integrated public ShakeAlert CEO&TE protocols and plans to maximize the effectiveness of ShakeAlert system's capabilities.
  • Conveys complex scientific and technical information about earthquake hazards and the ShakeAlert system and its uses to non-technical audiences.
  • Represents USGS through public presentations, meetings with stakeholders, and other events regarding ShakeAlert EEW and other USGS earthquake hazard products, research, and monitoring activities.
  • Coordinates the dissemination of ShakeAlert CEO&TE products which includes but is not limited to working with investigators to publish results in journals and other peer-reviewed documents and developing and maintaining distribution mechanisms via websites, etc.
  • Operates a government vehicle as an incidental driver.
Physical Demands and Work Environment:
The work is largely sedentary in nature, but some travel is required. Work is performed in a shared office setting and will require regular interaction with the CEO Coordinator in person and/or via web conference. Travel is required for conferences, stakeholder meetings, and coordination with the other USGS offices primarily on the west coast.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:
The candidate selected must be available for 24-hour duty rotations in order to serve as the primary communications contact for 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. Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.
  5. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
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.
  • If selected you may be asked to provide information regarding your COVID-19 vaccination status for the purposes of implementing workplace safety protocols, such as those related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.
  • 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 planning and executing complex physical science studies, which usually involved intensive investigations into recognized phenomena. This work typically involved conventional methods and techniques though it required going beyond clear precedents and required adapting methods to the problems at hand and interpreting findings in terms of their scientific significance. At this level, physical scientists have the ability to independently perform scientific work of considerable difficulty.


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

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 STEM direct hire authority for Physical Scientist,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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