As a Geophysicist within the Geologic Hazards Science Center, some of your specific duties will include:

• Performs data acquisition for a real-time, continuous geomagnetic monitoring network.
• Performs retrieval, processing, modeling, and archiving activities for geomagnetic time-series data.
• Applies geophysical approaches to use, maintain, and design/develop geomagnetic software/programs and/or instrumentation.
• Works as part of a team of scientists, engineers, and technical
  support personnel to maintain near real-time operation of a network of magnetic observatories and provide data to program stakeholders.
• Operates a government owned/leased vehicle as an incidental driver.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Some of the work takes place in an office or laboratory setting; no special physical effort is required. During emergency response, training of personnel on new equipment, or field work, the scientists may be expected to hike distances of several kilometers over uneven terrain while carrying equipment. Field work may require use of proper personal protective gear, working in dusty, hot, humid, and extreme cold environments, occasional off-road driving of four-wheel-drive vehicles, traveling to remote field sites in helicopters or small fixed-wing planes and/or boats. Lifting of equipment and objects weighing up to 20 kilograms may be necessary.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Most work takes place in an office or laboratory setting, with adequate heat, light, and ventilation. Office conditions do not require special safety precautions. Field conditions may include extreme heat or cold, rain or snow, and hazardous conditions such as exposure to extreme temperatures, noxious or toxic gases, ice, or flooding. Field work may occasionally also involve encounters with snakes, bears, and other wilderness dangers. International field work may be conducted in culturally hostile areas. Note: positions involving field work under arduous conditions and those involving on-site emergency response require a pre-employment medical examination to ensure that the applicant can perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the position, with or without accommodation.

Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
2. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
3. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
4. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
5. Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.
6. Selectee subject to successful completion of a pre-employment medical exam.

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?

• 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.
• 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.
• 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 driver's 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.

Qualifications

Definitions:

EXPERIENCE: One year of work experience is twelve months working full-time (at least 35-40 hours per week). Part-time experience can be pro-rated (i.e., a year at 20 hours per week is credited as 6 months of experience). If your position consisted of mixed duties, experience credit is given for the percentage of time that you spent on qualifying duties (i.e., if you held a position for 2 years, full-time, consisting of 25% personnel work and 75% budget work, and then applied for a budget position you could calculate your experience as follows: 2 yrs = 24 months. 24 months x 75% [percentage of time spent on budget duties] = 18 months of qualifying experience.)

UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION: A year of undergraduate education is 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours or the equivalent of college study. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent was a prerequisite.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: In the absence of specific graduate program information, a year of graduate education is 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours of graduate level college course work, or the number of credit hours the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full time study. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Geophysicist, all grade levels.

A. 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 at least 30 semester hours in mathematics (including calculus) and the physical sciences (geophysics, physics, engineering, geology, astronomy, meteorology, electronics, etc.).

**OR

B. A combination of education and experience -- at least 30 semester hours in mathematics (including calculus) and the physical sciences (geophysics, physics, engineering, geology, astronomy, meteorology, electronics, etc.), plus appropriate experience and/or additional education for a total of 4 years. The education or combined education and experience must be comparable in type, scope and thoroughness to that acquired through successful completion of a 4-year course of study as described in "A" above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE)

For GS-11:

In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet A., B., or C., below to qualify for the GS-11 level:

A. 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education (54 semester hours,81 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in geophysics or other directly related field of study that provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of this position..

**OR

B. One year of appropriate specialized experience in geophysics that is equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service.

Examples of such experience include carrying out routine geophysical work involving installing, calibrating, operating, repairing, and maintaining instruments and systems that record and collect geophysical data, particularly geomagnetic data and/or retrieving, processing, modeling, analyzing, and archiving geophysical time-series data utilizing knowledge of electronics, computers, and software. This work would have required the individual to select and make minor adaptations to procedures, routines, and accepted practices and handle unexpected conditions arising in the normal course of the work. At this level, Geophysicists have a sound working knowledge of the principles of geophysics, especially geomagnetic theory, and the ability to independently perform moderately difficult and responsible scientific work.

**OR

C. A combination of successfully completed graduate level education as described above that is beyond the second year of progressive graduate study and professional experience, as described above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE GRADUATE EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE)

For GS-12:

In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must have one year of appropriate professional experience in geophysics that is equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service.

Examples of such experience include designing, testing, and building instruments, systems, or software that record, collect process geophysical time-series data, particularly geomagnetic data. Such work usually involved intensive investigations into recognized phenomena and adapting conventional methods and techniques beyond clear precedents to establish novel approaches that improve instruments, systems, or software, drawing upon skills and knowledge of geophysics, mathematics, and/or engineering. At this level, Geophysicists have a very good knowledge of the principles of geophysics, especially geomagnetic theory, and their application, and the ability to independently perform scientific work of considerable difficulty.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.

Conditions of Employment for this Position:

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1- year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, 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 your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

How you will be evaluated

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

--Basis of Rating:

Category rating will be used in the ranking and selection process for this position. The quality categories are (Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified). Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., two-page resume, supporting documents) and the result of the assessment(s) required for this position. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.

--Structured Resume Assessment: If you meet the eligibility and basic qualification requirements for this position, subject-matter-experts (SMEs) will perform a structured review of your resume to evaluate your knowledge, skills, abilities, and competences as they directly relate to the duties of this position. SMEs will review ONLY two (2) pages of your resume.

The assessments will evaluate you on the following general/technical competencies required to perform the job; please do not provide a separate written response:

• Geomagnetic Data Processing and Analysis
• Geomagnetic Instrumentation Operation
• Geomagnetic Instrumentation Development
• Geomagnetic Monitoring Operations
• Teamwork, Communication, and Documentation

--NOTE: If it is determined that your resume or application is incomplete, you may be rated ineligible or not qualified.

--Resume Length: 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

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12849579

Required documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.

Resume

--Resumes are required and will be limited 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. You are highly encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or other written form, you must describe your job-related qualifications, including: beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience; hours worked per week; month and year of employment for each job title listed; annual salary; and description of job duties. Include name and address of employer; supervisor name; and telephone number. Additional information on what to include can be found here.


Supporting documents

--Upload any supporting documents identified in the Key Requirements section or included below as it applies to your eligibility. Supporting documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments

Transcripts

--This position requires specific educational course work to qualify. You are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.), which includes semester hours earned and grade received, by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.

Veterans' Preference Eligibles

--If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.

--If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans' preference and that your character of military service is honorable.

--If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders. Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans' preference.

Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) & Inter-agency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Eligibles

--If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, the Servicing Human Resources Office must receive proof by the closing date of this announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330 Subpart F for CTAP and 5 CFR 330 Subpart G for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes:

• copy of the agency notice;
• your most recent Performance Rating; and
• your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

If you are CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference points). For more information on CTAP/ICTAP please click here.

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