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Interdisciplinary Research Geographer/Physical Scientist

Department of the Interior
Geological Survey
Earth Resources Observation Science Center
This job announcement has closed

Summary

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

This is an interdisciplinary position and is being advertised concurrently with the following announcements:
Open to all U.S. citizens under: USGS-RES-23-11924326-DE-KF

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
05/08/2023 to 05/26/2023
Salary
$82,830 to - $107,680 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Sioux Falls, SD
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel up to 2-3 nights per month for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15
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-RES-23-11924327-ST-KF
Control number
723853700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current or former Federal employees w/perm comp status; OR those eligible under a special or noncomp appointing authority (e.g., disabled, Pathways Interns & Recent Grads who are elig for noncomp conversion, etc.); OR current or former employees who are serving, or previously served, on temp or term appt in a land mgmt agency; OR veterans with preference or have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after approx 3yrs or more of continuous active service.

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Duties

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As an INTERDISCIPLINARY GEOGRAPHER/PHYSICAL SCIENTIST within the EARTH RESOURCES OBSERVATION SCIENCE CENTER, some of your specific duties will include:

- Serves as a research scientist contributing to the NASA-USGS Sustainable Land Imaging (SLI) program objectives by supporting Landsat Next mission research and development to substantially increase our knowledge of Earth system minerals and geology, aquatics, cryosphere and hydrology, agriculture, and/or vegetation ecology. This research position requires the incumbent to contribute specifically to the area of spectral remote sensing research as applied to instruments onboard the Landsat Next mission by using airborne or spaceborne imaging spectroscopy data from other Earth observation missions (often referred to a 'hyperspectral' or 'HSI').
- Independently plan the research approach, organize and execute the study, and interpret and report research results with input and discussion within the bounds of overarching research scope and objectives defined by the project PI and Integrated Science and Applications Branch Chief. Consults periodically with PI on progress, future plans, and decisions that may change the nature of the work.
- Exercises sound judgement, resourcefulness, and ingenuity in developing research pathways within the bounds of overarching research priorities defined by the project PI. May be required to revise existing theories, practices, and techniques to develop, test, and justify new ones, with problems studied characterized as complex.
- Disseminates research results and other information through seminars and meetings, by publishing scientific and technical reports in the open literature, participating in professional meetings, symposia and conferences, and participating in special task forces and study groups. Responsible for disseminating the latest research in scientific literature on land surface and/or aquatic processes and imaging spectroscopy. Collaborates with subject matter experts across the terrestrial remote sensing professional community.

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.
  6. Selectee subject to successful completion of a pre-employment medical exam.

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?

  • 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.
  • Driver's License/Driving Record - You will be required to operate a government-owned or -leased vehicle in the performance of your official duties. Applicants for this position must meet the following requirements: (1) possess a valid State license, and (2) possess a safe driving record. If selected, you will be required to provide proof of a valid State license & a copy of your driving record.
  • Pre-Employment Medical - Taking and passing a pre-employment medical examination at Federal expense is required due to the physical demands of this job.
  • 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.
  • If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Qualifications

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Geographer, all grade levels.

  1. Degree in geography; or related physical or social science such as geology, meteorology, economics, statistics, sociology, anthropology, political science, history, cartography, computer science, urban studies, or planning that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields.
  2. A combination of education and experience-- courses equivalent to a major in geography, or a related field that included at least 24 semesters hours in geography or related fields, as shown in "A" above, plus appropriate experience and/or additional education. 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.

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.

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:

Possess 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 experience may include: identifying, developing, and implementing methodologies for existing and prototype imaging spectroscopy science and application capabilities; acquiring, processing, analyzing, and interpreting hyperspectral imaging spectroscopy data from existing spaceborne, airborne, field and/or laboratory instruments for investigative use which could emulate future space-based measurement concepts; code development in cloud environments, spectral library usage and development, analysis ready data product architectures, and ability to collaborate with internal and external strategic partners; planning, executing, and publishing journal articles and publicly accessible data from complex imaging spectroscopy studies, some of which are collaborative in nature. This work typically involves conventional methods and techniques though it requires going beyond clear precedents by adapting methods to integrate research activities across multiple disciplines and interpret findings in terms of their scientific significance. At this level, research scientists have the ability to independently execute the research process of considerable difficulty and establish collaborations with subject matter experts across the terrestrial remote sensing professional community while conferring research plans with the supervisor or principal investigator at intermediate stages to assure that the approaches taken were effective and sound.

**OR Possess 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education (54 semester hours or 81 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a Ph.D. degree in geography, physical science or other directly related field of study or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in geography, physical science or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

**OR Possess a combination of successfully completed graduate level education as described above that is beyond the second year of progressive graduate study and professional experience, as described above.

Transcripts

--This position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) or list of course work, which includes semester hours earned and grade received, by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.

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.
  • The full performance level for a Research position is GS-15; however, promotion eligibility is dependent upon the scientific contributions of the incumbent as evaluated by a peer panel.
  • 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.

--Vacancy Related Questions: As part of the online application process, you will need to respond to a series of questions designed to assess your possession of the following knowledge skills, abilities and/or competencies: SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTATION, TEAMWORK, WRITTEN COMMUNICATION and INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION.

--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 are eligible, you will receive a numerical rating based on your on-line responses to the application questions. These responses must be substantiated by your resume. If you do not respond to the application questions you may be rated ineligible.

--Additional Assessment Required: If you meet the eligibility and basic qualification requirements for this position a subject-matter-expert will perform a structured review of your resume to evaluate your knowledge, skills, abilities, and competences as they directly relate to the duties of this position.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and awards during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.

--NOTE: If it is determined that you have rated yourself higher than is supported in your description of experience and/or education as described in your resume/application, or that your resume or application is incomplete, you may be rated ineligible, not qualified, or your score may be lowered.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11924327

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