Summary
This position is located in the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Southeast Area, Southeast Watershed Research Unit with one vacancy in Tifton, Georgia.
The purpose of the work is to perform a wide variety of analyses that involve developing and conducting specific experiments, analyses and measurements in support of the research project objectives. The incumbent provides over-sight and direction to technical support staff.
Responsibilities
- Applies the professional concepts and methods of hydrology.
- Applies the procedures of data collection, statistical analysis and interpretation of hydrology and climatology experiment data to plan, schedule and coordinate the collection, compilation and evaluation of data, and serve as a technical consultant.
- Makes recommendations on the design and implementation of experiments that provide answers to research problems in the area of hydrologic processes.
- Prepares results of findings from experiments for inclusion in manuscripts, technical reports, oral presentations, and progress reports.
- Operates field equipment for water quality experiments such as pressure transducers for measuring water depth, rain gauges, data loggers, water samplers, and climatic instruments.
- Provides oversight on preventative maintenance and repairs (e.g. rain gages, radio telemetry equipment, stream flow gages, automated stream and ground water samplers).
Travel Required
Occasional travel – You may be expected to travel for this position.
Supervisory status No
Promotion Potential 11
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a US Citizen or US National.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
- Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
- Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
- Direct Deposit – Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution
- Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
- May be required to travel to other locations when needed for meetings or field activities.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid state driver?s license.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
Basic Requirements:
Degree: 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 course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics. Calculus and physics, as described above, are requirements for all grade levels.
OR
Combination of education and experience: Course work as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
AND
In addition to the basic requirement above, all applicants must meet the following minimum qualifications:
Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are:
At the GS-07:
Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-05 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience assisting in research or experiment related to hydrology; collecting scientific data related to hydrology; and operating scientific equipment used for hydrology research or experiments.
OR
Education: Completion of one full year of progressively higher level graduate education, if related. Related degrees may include civil engineering, geological science, earth science, or hydrology.
OR
Superior Academic Achievement as demonstrated by a bachelor’s degree in a related field from an accredited college or university with one of the following. NOTE It is your responsibility to ensure your application clearly states how you meet one of the provisions: A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher based on a 4.0 scale for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last 2 full years of undergraduate study; a GPA of 3.5 or higher based on a 4.0 scale for required courses completed in a major field of study, or those courses completed in a major field of study during the last two years of undergraduate study; class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision of the college; or membership in a national Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies.
OR
A combination of education and specialized experience as described above.
At the GS-09:
Qualifying experience for GS-09 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-07 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience assisting in research or experiment related to hydrology; collecting and analyzing scientific data related to hydrology; and operating scientific equipment used for hydrology research or experiments.
OR
Education: Completion of two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to master’s degree, or master’s or equivalent graduate degree, if related. Related degrees may include civil engineering, geological science, earth science, or hydrology.
OR
A combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above.
At the GS-11:
Qualifying experience for GS-11 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-09 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience conducting and planning research or experiments related to hydrology; collecting and analyzing scientific data related to hydrology; and operating and maintaining scientific equipment used for hydrology research or experiments.
OR
Education: Completion of three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, if related. Related degrees may include civil engineering, geological science, earth science, or hydrology.
OR
A combination of education and specialized experience as described above.
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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Working Environment:
Work is performed in field and office settings. Seasonal field work will expose the incumbent to extremes in weather conditions, pollen, dust and other outdoor elements. The work area may include exposure to environments such as a laboratory involving moderate risks or discomforts from regular and recurring exposure to irritant chemicals that require special safety precautions or protective clothing; or an outdoor environment involving moderate discomforts such as exposure to rain, cold/hot weather, and icy streams and rivers that may require special safety precautions and gear, such as life jackets, safety boots, waders, and reflective rainwear.
Physical Demands:
The position requires intensive periods of time working with computers, data and reports. Extensive field work may be required to install instrumentation, collect data, and perform routine maintenance. Seasonal demands frequently occur, and the incumbent must adjust accordingly. Travel by vehicle is required to field sites and further travel may be required to attend meetings. The work requires some physical exertion such as long periods of standing; walking over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activity; or recurring lifting of moderately heavy items weighing less than 23 kilograms (under 50 pounds) such as lifting and carrying data collection and monitoring devices.
Education
Additional information
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. Final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at time of job offer.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran’s preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants’ quality of experience and the extent they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies:
- Applies Technology to Tasks
- Hydrology
- Research
Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Those determined to be in the best qualified category will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.
Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.
Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the “Apply” button to the right.
To view the application form, visit:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10862364
Background checks and security clearance
Security clearance Not Required
Drug test required No
Position sensitivity and risk Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Required Documents
The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Resume that includes:1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) other qualifications.
If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
If claiming veteran’s preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions.If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.Veteran’s preference must be verified prior to appointment.Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran’s preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
If claiming 10-point veteran’s preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans’ Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on veterans’ preference visit FEDSHIREVETS
Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
Benefits
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. Learn 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 to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. – 4:00p.m., Monday – Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this.
To begin, click “Apply” and follow the instructions to complete the Assessment Questionnaire and attach your resume and all required documents.
NOTE: If a document is resubmitted, it replaces the previous submission, which means the previous document is no longer available to the Human Resources Office. If you are adding to, rather than replacing a previous submission, you must upload both the old document and the new document. You must verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the Agency’s staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency’s staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Applicants may combine all like required documents (e.g. SF-50s or veteran docs) into one or more files and scan for uploading into the application. Each file must not exceed 3MB. Grouping like documents into files will simplify the application process. Documents must be in one of the following formats: GIF, JPEG, JPG, PDF, PNG, RTF, or Word (DOC or DOCX). Uploaded documents may not require a password, digital signature, or other encryption to open.
Agency contact information
Sindy Leon
Phone 703-259-9356
Email [email protected]
Address
Agricultural Research Service
141 Experimental Station Road
Stoneville, MS 38776
US
