U.S. nationals: Hydrologist

U.S. Forest Service (USFS)

Alabama, USA 🇺🇸

Alaska, USA 🇺🇸

California, USA 🇺🇸

Colorado, USA 🇺🇸

Montana, USA 🇺🇸

Minnesota, USA 🇺🇸

South Dakota, USA 🇺🇸

New Mexico, USA 🇺🇸

Wyoming, USA 🇺🇸

Overview

  • Accepting applications

Summary

The Recent Graduates Program affords developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs. Current students who are scheduled to graduate within nine months may also apply to these positions. However, these students cannot be appointed until after graduation and the official degree has been awarded and conferred.

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This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Recent graduate who has, within the previous two years, completed a qualifying Associate’s, Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate, professional, vocational or technical degree or certificate program. Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree due to military service obligation have up to six years after degree completion to apply.

Duties

  • The duties listed are at the highest grade level advertised (GS-07). Participates as a member of interdisciplinary teams working on land management planning, emergency burn rehabilitation, or other Forest projects.
  • Prepares and carries out water quality monitoring programs, including preparation of plans, collection and analysis of samples, and interpretation of data.
  • Prepares environmental analysis reports for restoration projects being considered for implementation.
  • Prepares reports of findings for assigned parts of interpretive studies summarizing the results of hydrologic investigations.
  • Collects, analyzes, and interprets watershed data for input to environmental reports.
  • Conducts water resource inventories following established procedures to assemble data bases required to support management programs and Forest planning.
  • The incumbent makes frequent contacts with other watershed professionals and professionals in other disciplines and occasional contacts with State and Federal agencies, permittees, and cooperators.
  • Contacts are made to exchange information with other specialists on interdisciplinary teams, to resolve problems, and to test theories and method concepts against peer groups concepts and procedures.
  • Collects and analyzes hydrologic data relating to one or more of the three disciplinary fields (ground-water, surface-water, quality-water), determining apparent reasons for data anomalies, and correlating the factors that affect the information.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be at least 16 years of age and meet education requirements.
  • Must be suitable for Federal employment as determined by a background investigation.
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National at the time of non-competitive conversion to a term or permanent position in the competitive service.
  • Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.
  • The incumbents of Recent Graduate positions may be reassigned/relocated to any geographical location where the employee’s services are needed as determined by management. Mobility agreement may be required.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period.
  • A signed participant agreement is required for employment under Pathways.
  • Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE.
  • The incumbents of Recent Graduate positions may be reassigned/relocated to any geographical location where the employee’s services are needed as determined by management. Mobility agreement may be required.

Qualifications

You are required to meet the eligibility requirements of the Recent Graduate program, as described below in order to be considered for this position. You must meet all the eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, go to: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1300/hydrology-series-1315/. The minimum qualification requirements for each grade level of this vacancy announcement are described below:

RECENT GRADUATES PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible, you must meet one of the following requirements:

Completed all requirements for an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two years of the closing date of this announcement of this announcement;
OR

If you are a current student who is in the process of completing your degree, academic documentation must accompany your application package to validate your upcoming graduation date (you must complete all degree requirements within nine (9) months of the application closing date to be considered a Recent Graduate) ;
OR

Due to military service obligation, you were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduate Program during any portion of the two-year eligibility period described above. This eligibility period cannot extend more than six years from the date on which the requirement for the academic degree or certificate was received.

You must possess the qualifications requirements identified below to be considered qualified for this position. Your application or resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.

Basic Requirement for the GS-1315 Hydrology Series:

Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor’s or higher degree that included a major field of study 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 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. Acceptable experience must have included performance of scientific functions related to the study of water resources, based on and requiring a professional knowledge of related sciences and the consistent application of basic scientific principles to the solution of theoretical and practical hydrologic problems. The following is illustrative of acceptable experience: field or laboratory work that would require application of hydrologic theory and related sciences such as geology, geo-chemistry, geophysics, or civil engineering to making observations, taking samples, operating instruments, assembling data from source materials, analyzing and interpreting data, and reporting findings orally and in writing. In some cases, professional scientific experience that is not clearly water resource experience may be acceptable if such experience was preceded by appropriate education in hydrology or by professional hydrology experience.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.

Specialized Experience Requirement:

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.

For the GS-05: The basic education requirements above are fully qualifying for the GS-5 grade level.

For the GS-07: Applicants must have one year specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Qualifying specialized experience includes two or more of the following:

  • Gathered, consolidated, and prepared data for charts, lists of study findings, and statistical tables;
  • Operated technical equipment or instruments to take readings and perform routine testing tasks, under the direction of a supervisor;
  • Assisted in the preparation of study reports, including assisting in the analysis of data and test findings.

OR

Successful completion of at least one year (18 semester/27 quarter hours) of graduate education leading toward a Masters degree or higher in a field that is directly related to this position.

OR

Superior Academic Achievement (go to this site determine if you are eligible: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and, which provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

OR

A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience as described above that together meets the qualification requirements for this position. The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Please note that Superior Academic Achievement cannot be applied unless you have graduated and have been awarded the degree (the final GPA is required). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Education

Education completed in foreign colleges and universities may be used if it has been accredited or evaluated by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

Note regarding certificate programs: A certificate program is defined as a post-secondary education, in a qualifying education institution, equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study that is part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum. While recently graduating from a certificate program may afford you Recent Graduate Program eligibility, it may not be sufficient in terms of qualification standards for the series and/or the grade level.

This position has a positive education requirement, as outlined above under basic qualifications. The term positive education requirement refers to an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) determination that the duties of a scientific, technical, or professional position cannot be performed by an individual that does not have the prescribed minimum education. For additional information on the qualification standards for the 1315 series, visit the OPM Qualifications Standard found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1300/hydrology-series-1315/.

POSITION INFORMATION:
This announcement is associated with the 2024 Society for Range Management (SRM) recruitment event. The targeted start date for these positions is Summer 2024.

If you have questions regarding duty locations in this announcement please email sm.fs.pathways@usda.gov. Please include the announcement number and the exact location(s) for which you have questions in your email.

The duty locations listed in this announcement include primary and alternate locations for available positions. You must select all duty locations for which you wish to be considered; final duty location for each position will be determined at the time of selection.

This position is being concurrently announced under Merit Promotion procedures as announcement number 24-NPT-SRM-1315-57-FS-HC. Current federal employees may apply to both announcements. This position may be filled at the GS-05 or GS-07 grade level with promotion potential to GS-09.

Positions filled from this announcement may be a bargaining or a non-bargaining unit position represented by either NFFE, AFGE or NAGE depending upon duty location.

Please click this link to see the Career Map for these positions

Add this url: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/30776d8798da41e3bd793a6aecd4b6e1?data_id=dataSource_1-18b81ee9dab-layer-7%3A802

Additional information

Salary wage as shown is for Rest of the U.S. For more information, refer to the Office of Personnel Management, Salary and Wages web page.

GOVERNMENT HOUSING: May beavailable.

DAYCARE AVAILABILITY: Daycare facilities are not available.

PROMOTION POTENTIAL: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. Recent Graduates are on a trial period for the duration of the program.

FIELD GOING: The applicant should expect that these are all primarily field going positions, with a significant amount of physically challenging field work in natural resource settings. This could involve use of Forest Service vehicles, tools, and Personal Protective Equipment; hiking, exposure to weather extremes and wildlife, and in some cases, working extended hours or shifts, evening work and/or spending some nights at remote locations. These are developmental positions. Some require the appointee to sign a mobility agreement, requiring relocation after the initial developmental period.

TRAINING/IDP: This position requires 40 hours of formal, interactive training per year. An Individual Development Plan (IDP) must be completed and approved by the supervisor within 45 days of appointment. A mentor must be assigned within 90 days of appointment.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS: Recent Graduates may be non-competitively converted to a term or permanent position in the competitive service after the successful completion of one year of continuous service. To be eligible for conversion, the Recent Graduate must meet the following:

  • Complete all requirements of the Recent Graduates program.
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National at the time of non-competitive conversion to a term or permanent position in the competitive service.
  • Receive a favorable recommendation by supervisor.
  • Meet the OPM Qualification Standards for the position to which the Recent Graduate may be converted. Conversion is not guaranteed and is based on the needs of the agency.
  • Meet any agency specific requirements as outlined in the Participant Agreement.
  • Perform the job successfully.

RECRUITMENT/RELOCATION INCENTIVE:

TELEWORK: This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.

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. 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 note, this position is targeted toward graduates who have been awarded their bachelor’s degrees or who have completed one full year of graduate level education.

This position has a targeted effective date of Summer 2024.

Before you submit an application for any of our vacancies, you should completely review the announcement and the requirements. You should only apply for position if you meet the required minimum qualifications AND program requirements described in the announcement. Do not apply to a duty location if you are not willing to accept or travel to that location.

If you have reviewed the announcement and believe that you meet both the minimum qualifications and the program requirements, you should document your experience and education in your resume. Since traditional resumes do not provide all the information needed to determine your status, you should create a more detailed resume to use when applying to Federal positions.

Please ensure that your resume contains your full name, permanent address, contact phone number and email address.

If you meet the eligibility requirements of the Recent Graduate program and the basic minimum requirements established for the position, you may be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Qualified individuals with veteran’s preference are listed ahead of individuals who do not have veteran’s preference.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12183010

Required Documents

The following documents must be submitted for your application package to be considered complete. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents are received within the required timeframes. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, illegible fax transmissions, delays in the mail service, system failure or downtime, etc. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

1. Resume that includes the following information: 1) job information for which you are applying; 2) contact information; 3) education with graduation/degree awarded date (actual or anticipated); 4) work experience including the work schedule and hours worked per week as well as dates of employment; and title, series and grade, if applicable; 5) supervisors phone number and e-mail address for each work period listed and whether or not we may contact them for reference checks; 6) References (minimum of two), and 7) other qualifications.

2. Proof of Graduation – Official academic documentation that verifies completion of degree or certificate within eligibility time limits of Recent Graduate program. This documentation may include: an official letter from the school’s registrar’s office confirming the completion of degree or certificate and the date completed; official or unofficial transcripts identifying the date and type of degree awarded; or a copy of the actual degree or certificate issued by the school. An unofficial copy of transcripts is sufficient with the application; however, if selected, an official college transcript will be required prior to appointment. Transcripts, both unofficial and official, or any other academic documentation, MUST include your full name, school name, current GPA/academic standing, past and current (if applicable) coursework, degree program, and degree conferral date. If your school does not provide transcripts or the transcript does not provide all the information listed above, you must include additional documentation from the school that meets these requirements. Note: If you are a current student who is in the process of completing your degree or certificate, you must complete all graduation requirements within nine months of the announcement/application closing date; the anticipated graduation date must be included on your resume. You must provide academic documentation with your application package that supports the graduation date listed on your resume. The documentation must meet the requirements outlined above.

3. College Transcripts – An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application. Transcripts MUST include your full name, school name, current GPA/academic standing, past and current (if applicable) coursework, degree program, and degree conferral date. If your school does not provide transcripts or the transcript does not provide all the necessary information listed above, you must include additional academic documentation from the school that meets these requirements. Education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university. Foreign education must be evaluated by an approved organization. For additional information, refer to the U.S. Department of Education web site at http://www.ed.gov. All transcripts must be in English or include English translation.

4. If claiming veteran’s preference, you must submit a Certificate of Release or Discharge of Active Duty (DD-214), 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. If claiming 10-point preference you must also provide 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. You will receive veteran’s preference based solely on the documentation provided with your application. For more information on veterans’ preference see https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/veterans/veterans-preference/

NOTE: You may update your application package for an open announcement. Log in to your USAJOBS account. Follow the USAJOBS prompts to navigate to your application package. If you have added or replaced a document(s), you must click on the Documents link at the top of the page then choose the document(s) from the Available Documents drop-down list.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.

How to Apply

For tips on how to apply and how you will be evaluated, please see the Agency Contact Information listed below.

Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.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 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.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 returned to Human Resources no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.

To begin, in USAJOBS click “Apply” and follow the instructions to attach your resume and supporting documents, complete the assessment questionnaire, and submit your application.

Note: You must indicate by your responses to the questionnaire, all categories of eligibilities for which you would like to be considered. You will only be considered for the eligibilities that you select.

Please view Tips for Applicants – a guide to the Forest Service application process.

Agency contact information

 HRM Contact Center

Phone

1-877-372-7248 X2

Email

HRM_Contact_Center@usda.gov

Address

USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center
DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
Albuquerque, NM 87109
US

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

POSITION TYPE

Full-Time

ORGANIZATION TYPE

Government

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

0-2 Years

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