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Geophysicist - DIRECT HIRE

Department of the Army
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
This job announcement has closed

Summary

About the Position: Plans and develops field data collection, processing and Quality Assurance methods and procedures.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
02/13/2025 to 02/28/2025
Salary
$49,960 to - $106,543 per year

See Additional Information for salary ranges.

Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 11
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Phoenix, AZ
Sacramento, CA
Hill AFB, UT
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational/Unscheduled Telework only.
Travel Required
75% or less - Business Travel (TDY) is approximately 60% of the time.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CERI256190438840HW
Control number
831178300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This is a DIRECT HIRE position.

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Duties

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  • At the full-performance level, Geophysicist, GS-1313-11, the duties will be as follows:
  • Analyzing geophysical anomalies by planning and executing complex studies and developing a geophysical GIS database.
  • Plans, directs and evaluates geophysical investigations by conducting field studies.
  • Reviews and interprets with supervision aerial imagery and other remote sensing data for evaluating Ordnance and Explosive Waster (OEW) requirement and for locating buried ordnance.
  • Defines geological and ground water characteristics for widely varying locations with geographic regimes ranging from relatively simple to highly complex.
  • Maintains knowledge of current state and federal regulations concerning hazardous waste management facilities.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • Must obtain and maintain a valid state issued driver's license.
  • Incumbent may be required to occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.
  • May require long periods standing, walking over rough, slippery, uneven or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, climbing, etc.
  • May require exposure to varying weather and environmental conditions.
  • Requires annual and special medical examinations as part of a medical surveillance program.
  • Requires to know, comply with and promote prescribed safety rules and regulations outlined in EM 385-1.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education AND/OR experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement for Geophysics:

A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) that included at least 30 semester hours in mathematics (including calculus) and the physical sciences (geophysics, physics, engineering, geology, astronomy, meteorology, electronics, etc.).

OR

B. Combination of Education and Experience: Courses, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you MUST also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

GS-07 - Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes assisting with geophysical or geological investigations, gathering a variety of geophysical data and/or assisting in the preparation of reports, maps, charts, etc. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05).

OR

Education: One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: physical sciences (geophysics, physics, engineering, geology, astronomy, meteorology, electronics, etc.)

OR

Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above. Superior Academic Achievement is based on:
(1) Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR
(2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.; OR
(3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org/).

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages.

GS-09 - Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes assisting with geophysical or geological investigations, gathering and reviewing a variety of geophysical data and/or preparing and presenting data by means of maps, charts, graphs, profiles, and plates. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07).

OR

Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: physical sciences (geophysics, physics, engineering, geology, astronomy, meteorology, electronics, etc.)

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages.

GS-11 - Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes performing geophysical investigations that involve the collection, processing and evaluation of geophysical data to be applied in the characterization of subsurface features. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).

OR

Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: physical sciences (geophysics, physics, engineering, geology, astronomy, meteorology, electronics, etc.)

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • One year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • This is an Engineers & Scientists (Construction) Career Field position
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • Hill AFB, UT - GS-07: $49,960 - $64,952 Per Annum; GS-09: $61,111 - $79,443 Per Annum; GS-11: $73,939 - $96,116 Per Annum
  • Phoenix, AZ - GS-07: $52,260 - $67,943 Per Annum; GS-09: $63,925 - $83,101 Per Annum; GS-11: $77,343 - $100,541 Per Annum
  • Sacramento, CA - GS-07: $55,380 - $71,999 Per Annum; GS-09: $67,741 - $88,062 Per Annum; GS-11: $81,960 - $106,543 Per Annum
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances MAY BE authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.
  • May be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level, upon meeting time-in-grade and qualifications, until at the full-performance level of GS-1313-11.
  • Incentives MAY BE paid if the selecting official determines it is in the best interests of the government.
  • Further consideration from this announcement may take place up to 90 days beyond the closing date of the announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

Basis for Rating: Direct Hire Authority (DHA) for Certain Personnel of the DoD Workforce is open to all U.S. Citizens. The category rating, veterans preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

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