Hydrologic Technician

Clarification from the agency

This is a Merit Promotion announcement for current and former career and career conditional Federal employees, Career Transition eligibles (CTAP & ICTAP) and those who are eligible under the hiring paths listed above. Refer to Required Documents section for more information.

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Serve as Dam Tender at Friant Dam, conducting routine and emergency structural inspections and monitoring surrounding landforms.
• Operate and manipulate valves, gates, pumps, and other water-control structures to manage river and canal releases.
• Collect, record, and evaluate daily operational data including reservoir conditions, meteorological observations, releases to river/canal systems, and operational changes.
• Conduct water measurement and discharge measurements, applying diverse hydrologic methods to assess flows, identify unusual conditions, and troubleshoot discrepancies.
• Perform water quality collection and analysis, including field sampling, data evaluation, instrument calibration, and maintaining accuracy using emerging hydrologic and hydro-chemical methods.
• Maintain, calibrate, and verify hydrologic instrumentation used for flow measurement, water quality monitoring, meteorologic data collection, and specialized sensors.
• Collect physical and environmental data related to operating conditions, weather, and hydrologic behavior to support operational decisions.
• Advise and inform upper management team on significant changes in hydrologic, physical, or meteorological conditions affecting dam operations.
• Collaborate with external partners (e.g., California Parks & Recreation, SJRRP, PG&E, SCE, Friant Water Authority, local irrigation districts) to coordinate water delivery, environmental flows, recreation needs, and operational planning.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Pre-employment medical examination required.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• You are required to obtain and maintain a Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC).

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.

This probationary/trial 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/trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 09/17/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Individual Occupational Requirements AND Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying.

Individual Occupational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one of the following:

A. Specialized Experience: technician or aid in engineering, earth, physical, or natural science, forestry, soil conservation, or surveying, trades or crafts work in maintenance or construction of facilities or equipment related to hydrology, drafting, construction estimating.
-OR-
B. Education and Training (For GS-5 level only): Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with (a) major study in an appropriate field of science, engineering, construction, or industrial technology, or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as engineering, industrial technology, construction drafting, surveying, physical science, biology, or mathematics.

To qualify for this position at the GS-5 grade level:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: assisting with the collection and recording of hydrologic and meteorological data from rivers, streams, wells, and other water sources using established procedures and basic water measuring devices; operating motor vehicles, boats, and mobile equipment to access field sites and gather water samples, measure groundwater well depths, and collect data at gauging stations and delivery points; maintaining water accounting records, files, and maps, preparing observational reports, and summarizing data for use in studies and reports; using computer programs to enter, download, organize, and present field monitoring data in graphs, charts, and tables; performing routine maintenance, calibration, and minor repairs on hydrologic instruments following established safety and quality protocols; assisting with daily operational hydrologic and meteorological reporting under supervision; and developing knowledge of and complying with safety standards for field and boat operations while participating in safety meetings and job hazard analyses.
-OR-
Education: Successful completion of at least a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, if required
-OR-
Combination of education and experience as listed above.

To qualify for this position at the GS-6 grade level:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: performing advanced developmental assignments in hydrologic data collection, analysis, and reporting for water control systems; taking water measurements and collecting samples from a variety of surface and groundwater sites using standard procedures and extended training; operating, calibrating, maintaining, and servicing instruments and equipment to collect, measure, and record hydrologic and water quality data; applying sampling protocols and techniques to preserve the integrity of water quality samples; using mathematical formulae to compute measurements such as salinity, total dissolved solids, hardness, stream flow, discharge, water level, and turbidity; analyzing and interpreting data, identifying errors or missing information, and taking corrective action; utilizing computer applications such as spreadsheets and databases to manage, analyze, and report water quality and hydrologic data; supporting laboratory analysis of water samples by applying standard methods and safety protocols; and consistently developing cooperative working relationships and communicating technical information clearly.
-OR-
Education: One full year of graduate level education directly related to the work of this position as defined in the vacancy announcement.
-OR-
Combination of education and experience as listed above.

To qualify for this position at the GS-7 grade level:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-6 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: using a variety of water measuring devices to collect, compute, or process hydrologic data gathered from rivers, streams, wells etc.; using software applications to compute and generate hydrologic data, charts and reports, and installing and maintaining water measurement instruments and devices to assure accuracy of data collection.
-OR-
Education: One full year of graduate level education directly related to the work of this position as defined in the vacancy announcement.
-OR-
Combination of education and experience as listed above.

To qualify for this position at the GS-8 grade level:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: applying principles of basic hydrologic operations and various analytical instrumentation to collect, compute, or process hydrologic data gathered from rivers, streams, wells etc.; using software applications to compute and generate hydrologic data, charts and reports, conduct various phases of projects or operations; ensure compliance with rules or regulatory requirements; identify and correct deficiencies; conduct technical studies of hydrologic data collected.
-OR-
Education: Two full years of graduate level education or a master's degree directly related to the work of this position as defined in the vacancy announcement.
-OR-
Combination of education and experience as listed above.

To qualify for this position at the GS-9 grade level:
Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-8 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: preparing hydrologic data for operational studies; conducting various phases of projects or operations; performs hydrologic studies and analysis; ensuring accuracy of hydrologic data obtained; experience researching water rights, water usage, collecting current hydrologic data and using software applications to compute and analyze this data and present in reports, charts, graphs etc.
-OR-
Education: Two full years of graduate level education or a master's degree directly related to the work of this position as defined in the vacancy announcement.
-OR-
Combination of education and experience as listed above.

Volunteer Experience: 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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g. resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessment(s) required for this position. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of the USA Hire Assessment.

All qualified non-competitive applicants and the best-qualified Merit Promotion applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

DUE WEIGHT: Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, you must submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration or your score may be lowered. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.

The following documents are required and must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) -09/17/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement:

1. Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time). Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank. Resumes must not exceed 2 single-sided pages and resumes longer than 2 pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. 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. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. Resume Builder: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include
2. Complete All Required Assessment(s).
3. Performance Appraisals and Awards: All applicants must submit their most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and signed by a supervisor. If the performance appraisal is not dated within the last 18 months OR no performance appraisal is available, you must submit a statement as to why it is not available (including if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level).
4. All College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education.
5. Eligibility Documentation:
   • Current and former Federal employees must submit latest SF-50 (i.e. Promotion, Separation, Within Grade Increase (WGI)) showing tenure 1 or 2 in block 24, grade, and if applicable, an additional SF-50 showing the highest grade or promotion potential held. Time in grade will be determined by reviewing your resume and required SF-50s. If your SF-50 showing highest permanent grade held has an effective date within the past year, your resume must clearly show that you held that grade for one year. Do not submit award SF-50s.
   • Veterans Preference Documentation: Veterans eligible under VRA (GS-11 & below only), VEOA, 30% or more Disabled, or Disabled Veterans Enrolled in a VA Training Program must submit the most recent Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions (e.g. DD-214) as listed on the SF15. If you are a Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all documentation as listed on the SF15. You may request a copy of the VA letter from https://www.va.gov/records. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active-duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
   • Public Land Corps: You must provide a copy of your signed Certificate of Non-Competitive Eligibility and clearly state in your resume time served and duties performed on an appropriate conservation project.
   • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA): If you are applying under LMWFA, you must submit ALL Appointment AND Termination SF-50s for EACH appointment verifying the Position Occupied code 1-Competitive Service (block 34); AND Documentation of satisfactory performance for each period of temporary employment claimed, such as, performance evaluations, memorandum of record, whereas the supervisor(s) documented an acceptable performance level for a specified rating/employment period.
   • Special Appointing Authorities: If you are applying under a special appointing authority (i.e. Schedule A, Peace Corps, Military Spouses, etc.), you must submit appropriate documentation to verify your eligibility. If you fail to submit proof, you will not receive consideration. If you're eligible for an authority not listed, you are responsible for submitting documentation that's appropriate for that specific authority.
   • CTAP/ICTAP eligiblesMUST submit proof of eligibility including a copy of the agency notice, most recent performance rating, and most recent SF-50 showing your position, grade level, and duty location. For more information visit: Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).

Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

Do not submit photographs with your application package. Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents.

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