Physical Science Technician (Field Assistant)

Geological Survey

Vancouver, WA

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JOB DETAILS

SALARY

SKILLS

Analytical Chemistry, Background Investigation, Biology, Credit and Collections, Crushing, Data Collection, Data Processing, Driver's License, Environmental Work, Government, Grinding, Hydrology, Instrumentation, Laboratory, Laboratory Analysis, Lift/Move 100 Pounds, Lifting Equipment, Manual Dexterity, Mineral/Metal Mining, On Site Support, Past Due Accounts, Peace Corps, Physical Demands, Physical Science, Scientific Principles, Topography, Training/Teaching, Vehicle Driving, Volunteer Experience, Water Sampling, Web/Electronic Surveys

LOCATION

Vancouver, WA

POSTED

4 days ago

Summary What General Information Do I Need To Know About This Position? Salary: $21.03 hourly (Step 01) to $27.34 hourly (Step 10); NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01. Responsibilities Duration of Appointment: This is a temporary excepted service position not-to-exceed 1 year but may be extended without further competition. Employment may not exceed 1,039 hours in a service year. All qualified applicants, with or without Federal status may apply and be considered. Appointment to this position, however, will not convey permanent status in the Federal service. As a Physical Science Technician (Field Assistant) within the Water Mission Area, Volcano Science Center, some of your specific duties will include: Assisting in data collection projects, including prepping equipment and supplies for field work. Collecting environmental, rock, soil, and water samples. Installing or operating data collection equipment. Helping prepare sediment or rock samples which may include crushing, grinding, sieving, and weighing samples. Operating equipment to record routine measurements including weight, pressure, temperature, pH, and chemical concentrations. Assisting with occasional lab work which may include work with acids, bases, and solvents. Operating a government owned or leased vehicle as an incidental driver. Physical Demands: Laboratory work requires prolonged periods of standing and manual dexterity to operate equipment. Field work requires moderate to strenuous outdoor activities such as hiking, digging, lifting, and driving a vehicle. Work is physically demanding and includes walking, bending, climbing, and lifting of equipment and/or carrying samples up to 100 pounds when in the field, sometimes during adverse weather conditions. Work Environment: Field work involves moderate risks and discomforts, exposure to conditions such as rain, cold/hot weather, and rapidly running or icy streams and rivers. Laboratory work involves exposure to moderate risks or discomforts such as high levels of noise and vibration, dust, grease, exposed moving parts of machinery, or irritant fumes and chemicals. Work requires protective clothing, gear, and observance of safety precautions. Requirements Conditions of Employment Key Requirements: Applicants must be U.S. Citizens. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation. Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record. Selectee subject to successful completion of a pre-employment medical exam. Housing will not be provided. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information. Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position? 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. 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. Applicants for this position must meet the following requirements: (1) possession of a valid State driver's license, and (2) possess a safe driving record. If selected, you will be required to provide proof of a valid State License and a copy of your driving record. 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. Qualifications Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GG-05 level: 9 months field party experience; OR 3 years sub-professional experience; OR 3 years college study (equivalent 90 semester hours/135 quarter hours) plus 3 months of lab or field work experience. Definitions of Experience: Field Survey Party - Experience with a field survey party includes activity associated with making and recording geologic, hydrologic, biologic, or topographic field observations; collecting geologic, biological, or water samples for laboratory analysis; applying accepted data collection techniques and methods in the performance of field work in support of scientific investigations; and using a variety of surveying instruments and electronic or mechanical instrumentation in the making and recording of field measurements and observations designed to collect data for physical/ biological science investigations. Only time actually spent in the field can be credited when qualifying individuals under the field party experience option. Sub-professional Experience - Sub-professional experience is defined as technical work performed in support of field or laboratory investigations relating to the biological sciences, physical sciences, or closely related disciplines which provided basic knowledge or skills in gathering, recording, and assembling scientific or engineering data; using scientific instruments to measure angles, degrees, weights, strengths, intensities, etc.; setting up and operating test apparatus, and manipulating quantitative data. Experience may include assisting professional employees with such duties as calibrating and operating measuring instruments mixing solutions, making chemical analyses, setting up and operating test apparatus, and compiling and processing scientific data. Experience as a laboratory mechanic or in a trade or craft may be credited as experience when the work was performed in close association with physical or biological scientists or other technical personnel and provided a good working knowledge of appropriate scientific principles, methods, and techniques. Professional Experience - Professional work experience in the physical and biological sciences may be credited in lieu of or in conjunction with sub-professional experience as defined above. Please note that if qualifying based on education; unofficial transcripts MUST be submitted as part of the application in order to receive consideration. 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: There is currently only one vacancy to be filled; however, this announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies if they become available. USGS has determined that the duties of this position are not suitable for telework. The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position. 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. 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 within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. Agency Benefits: Temporary appointees expected to work at least 130 hours per month for at least 90 days will be eligible to enroll in a Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) plan. Individuals eligible under this rule receive the full government contribution to their premiums regardless of work schedule and will also be eligible to participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts and Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. Temporary appointees are not covered by the Federal Employee Retirement System and are ineligible for Federal life, dental, or vision insurance.

About the Company

Geological Survey

INDUSTRY

Other/Not Classified