Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Hydrologist. Make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment.
Reclamation has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and you may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval.
Summary
Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Hydrologist. Make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment.
Performs a variety of work in water operations and management of reservoirs and water conveyance systems.
Schedules, collects, tracks, and verifies hydrologic data from analog and digital sources at multiple sites.
Plans, manages, and conducts water quality data collection and sampling, including sampling handling and shipping, while following scientifically accepted sampling and collection techniques and processes.
Plans, manages, and conducts snow surveys to formulate short and long-range runoff studies designed to produce comprehensive data used to show their impact to Project facilities.
Operates Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system computers to operate, adjust, and monitor canal and reservoir levels, canal structures, and provide general operation of the system.
Trains and instructs field technicians or other employees to perform hydrological data measurement and collection techniques.
You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
You must be suitable for federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
You must submit a resume and supporting documentation (see Required Documents).
You must submit eligibility documents for veterans' consideration (see Required Documents).
You must meet any minimum education and/or experience requirements (see Qualifications).
You must submit transcript(s) to verify education requirements (see Qualifications/Education).
You must maintain a valid State Driver's License at all times as the position requires operation of government vehicles on government and public roads. Failure to maintain a valid State Driver's License at all times will result in removal from the position.
You will be required to obtain a successful pre-employment physical examination by a licensed physician certifying your ability to perform the duties of this position. A physical exam may not be required if a comparable agency approved examination was performed within the last 12 months. The cost of the exam will be reimbursed by the agency.
Continue to the Additional Information section for the Condition of Employment For Probationary Period.
Qualifications
To be eligible for consideration, you must first meet the Basic Education Requirement for this position, having:
Degree: A degree in physical or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours 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 coursework must have included:
- at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and
- at least 6 semester hours in physics.
OR
Combination of education and experience: combination of education and experience-coursework equivalent to a major as described in A, including the required 30 semester hours, 6 hours of calculus, and 6 hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Specialized Experience
In order to be rated as qualified for this position, the HR Office must be able to determine that you meet the education and/or specialized experience requirement - this information must be clearly supported in the resume.
To qualify at the GS-09, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-07 level in federal service having demonstrated experience (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing at least 4 of the following: 1) assisting with field activities for hydraulic and environmental studies; 2) utilizing field equipment and instrumentation to collect hydraulic and hydrologic data; 3) compiling data to assist with analysis and reporting; and 4) computing rating tables 5) canal diversions and reservoir regulation 6) snow pack survey 7) gauging station maintenance. You may combine specialized experience and education to meet the minimum qualifications.
OR
Education: Successful completion of 2 years of graduate level education leading to a master's degree or a equivalent graduate degree in hydrology or other directly related fields of study.
OR
Combination: Successful completion of a combination of graduate level education and professional experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.
To qualify at the GS-11, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-09 level in federal service having demonstrated experience (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing at least 5 of the following: 1) updating hydrologic curves for reservoir operations 2) utilizing field equipment and instrumentation to collect hydraulic and hydrologic data; 3) compiling data to provide input for analysis and reporting; and 4) identifying and adapting new flow measurement technologies 5) determining appropriate instruments for flow measurement, groundwater monitoring, water level measurement and other measurement parameters at new and existing gauging stations and locations 6) canal diversion and reservoir regulation 7) snow pack and runoff analysis 8) water supply forecasting 9) ground water studies.
OR
Education: Successful completion of 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in hydrology or other directly related fields of study.
OR
Combination: Successful completion of a combination of graduate level education and professional experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.
To qualify at the GS-12, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-11 level in federal service having demonstrated experience (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing at least 6 of the following: 1) operation of complex canal, river or tributary system 2) utilizes various field equipment and instrumentation to collect hydraulic and hydrologic data; 3) snow survey, runoff and basin forecasts 4) analyzing and calculating flow characteristics 5) river or reservoir regulation operation planning 6) hydrologic or hydraulic modeling 7) irrigation water use & management 8) analysis of adequacy of water supplies from surface or subsurface sources 9) hydraulic data collection, process and analysis 10) water quality data collection and sampling 11) short and long range reservoir studies 12) evaluate facility or waterway capacities and operation.
In order to be rated as qualified for this position, the HR Office must be able to determine that you meet the education and general work experience requirement - this information must be clearly supported in the resume.
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 meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors if applicable, by 03/25/2026.
Education
This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. Non-submission will result in being rated not-qualified for the position.
You will be required to provide official college transcripts to verify educational qualifications, if selected. An official transcript must be sent directly from the University's Registrar's office and must be provided from the institution awarding the degree. Academic transcripts certified by notary publics are NOT official. Official transcripts must be submitted prior to reporting to work as a condition of employment. Failure to submit official transcripts may be grounds for dismissal or rescission of the job offer.
Accreditation: Only education from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education is acceptable to meet education requirements or to substitute for experience, if applicable. For additional info, refer to the Office of Personnel Management and U.S. Department of Education.
Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For additional info, refer to the U.S. Network for Education Information.
Additional information
Condition of Employment for Probationary Period: By accepting this position, you must serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period. During this time, the agency will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment serves the public interest. This period extends the appointment process and requires the agency to determine if your employment supports the public interest, aligns with agency goals and mission, and promotes service efficiency. In making this determination, the agency will consider:
your performance and conduct.
the needs and interests of the agency.
whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information, visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS) expenses or first-post-of-duty relocation expenses are authorized, as applicable, with the exception of the Guaranteed Home Sale Provision. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), signed into law December 2017, suspends the moving expense deduction and the exclusion from income of qualified employer reimbursements of moving expenses that was allowed under previous tax laws. Employer reimbursements for moving costs are now generally taxed at the same rate as ordinary income.
Related Non-Federal experience or related experience as retired members of the uniformed services may be credited towards computing entitlement to leave accrual, at managerial discretion, providing that experience meets certain criteria. This provision allows new employees to earn annual leave at a higher rate than would otherwise be allowed. (5 Code of Federal Regulations, 630). For information, visit: Creditable Service for Annual Leave
DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including applicant rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/
This position is designated as a MODERATE RISK Public Trust position. It requires a fully completed and favorably adjudicated Public Trust Suitability Background Investigation (T2S or T2RS or equivalent) that is current (within the last 5 years). This is a condition of employment..
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify registration with the Selective Service System or that the applicant is exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Go to: https://www.sss.gov
This is a bargaining unit position.
Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
Category rating and selection procedures will be used to evaluate applications from this announcement. If an applicant meets the basic qualification requirements, his/her on-line responses to the vacancy assessment questionnaire will be used to determine the quality and extent of his/her experience, education, training, etc., for placement in one of the following categories: 1) Best Qualified, 2) Well Qualified, and 3) Qualified. Qualified candidates will be assigned a numerical score on a scale of 70-100. The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher). The assessment questionnaire will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide to the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Hydraulic Engineering
Hydrology
Research
In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessment(s), including a minimum qualifications assessment and a subject matter expert resume review (second phase). These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.
Your answers will be verified against information provided in your resume. Your resume must clearly support the responses to all the questions by addressing experience, education, and/or training relevant to this position. You must make a fair and accurate assessment of your qualifications. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than what is apparent in the description of your experience, competencies, skills, and/or education/training (or that your resume/application is incomplete), you could be rated ineligible or your score could be lowered.
Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies with the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s). Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. You may choose to have your information shared with other agencies when applying for this position. If an agency requests a copy of a certificate you are on, you will be notified.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Please submit the supporting documents outlined below applicable to your claimed eligibility status and the position and grade to which you are applying. Failing to submit required documents will result in non-consideration due to an incomplete application package.
RESUME: You must submit a resume that demonstrates how skills and experiences through job duties meet the qualifications and requirements listed in the job announcement to be considered for the job. Each job experience must include dates of employment including start and end dates (month and year), work schedule (full-time or part-time), and hours worked per week. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.For more information, click here.
TRANSCRIPTS: Required for candidates using education as a basis for qualifications.
VETERANS: If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service. If claiming disability preference, you must also submit the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15. For more information, click here.
CAREER TRANSITION PROGRAMS: Permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. You must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including selective factors, education and experience requirements) and score at least 85.0 on the assessment questionnaire as established, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For more information, click here.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Applications (resume, assessment questionnaire, and supporting documentation) for this vacancy MUST be received online BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, DC time) on 03/25/2026. To apply, click the blue APPLY ONLINE button at the top of the page.
Do not submit photographs with the application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - applicant must remove any images from badges, licenses, etc.
Ephrata Field Office
Bureau of Reclamation
Ephrata Field Office
32 C Street NW
Ephrata, WA 98823
US
Next steps
Upon successful submission of the application packet, you will receive a confirmation email from USAJOBS. If you do not receive this email confirmation, the application has not yet been accepted by the system.
After all application packages have been received, resumes and supporting document(s) will be reviewed to ensure applicants meet the basic qualification requirements. Each applicant who meets the basic qualifications will be further evaluated on the information provided in the resume, application questionnaire, and other assessment criteria identified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section above. Best-qualified applicants will be referred to the selecting official. After making a tentative job offer, a suitability and/or security background investigation will be conducted. A final job offer is typically made within 40 days after the deadline for applications. Applicants should monitor their status for positions with the Bureau of Reclamation by regularly checking their public status notifications in the USAJOBS profile.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Please submit the supporting documents outlined below applicable to your claimed eligibility status and the position and grade to which you are applying. Failing to submit required documents will result in non-consideration due to an incomplete application package.
RESUME: You must submit a resume that demonstrates how skills and experiences through job duties meet the qualifications and requirements listed in the job announcement to be considered for the job. Each job experience must include dates of employment including start and end dates (month and year), work schedule (full-time or part-time), and hours worked per week. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.For more information, click here.
TRANSCRIPTS: Required for candidates using education as a basis for qualifications.
VETERANS: If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service. If claiming disability preference, you must also submit the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15. For more information, click here.
CAREER TRANSITION PROGRAMS: Permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. You must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including selective factors, education and experience requirements) and score at least 85.0 on the assessment questionnaire as established, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For more information, click here.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Applications (resume, assessment questionnaire, and supporting documentation) for this vacancy MUST be received online BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, DC time) on 03/25/2026. To apply, click the blue APPLY ONLINE button at the top of the page.
Do not submit photographs with the application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - applicant must remove any images from badges, licenses, etc.
Ephrata Field Office
Bureau of Reclamation
Ephrata Field Office
32 C Street NW
Ephrata, WA 98823
US
Next steps
Upon successful submission of the application packet, you will receive a confirmation email from USAJOBS. If you do not receive this email confirmation, the application has not yet been accepted by the system.
After all application packages have been received, resumes and supporting document(s) will be reviewed to ensure applicants meet the basic qualification requirements. Each applicant who meets the basic qualifications will be further evaluated on the information provided in the resume, application questionnaire, and other assessment criteria identified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section above. Best-qualified applicants will be referred to the selecting official. After making a tentative job offer, a suitability and/or security background investigation will be conducted. A final job offer is typically made within 40 days after the deadline for applications. Applicants should monitor their status for positions with the Bureau of Reclamation by regularly checking their public status notifications in the USAJOBS profile.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
