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Salary for GS-09: $59,165 (Step 01) to $76,915 (Step 10)
Salary for GS-11: $71,583 (Step 01) to $93,056 (Step 10)
NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.
The selectee will be entitled to a cost of living allowance (COLA) of 2.86% in addition to the salary. COLA may be subject to change at any time.
08/31/2020 to 09/18/2020
$59,165 - $93,056 per year
GS 9 - 11
FEW vacancies in the following location:
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Occasional travel - Overnight travel of up to 3 nights per month may be required.
Yes—Relocation expenses are authorized.
Permanent
Full-Time
Competitive
12
No
Yes
USGS-SAC-20-10896314-DE-ML
577490200
As a Geophysicist within the Volcano Science Center's Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), some of your specific duties will include:
Maintenance and curation of Earthquake Catalog:Please Note: The duties listed above are for the GS-11 level. For the lower grade level, incumbent will perform a wide range of tasks described in the above duties, but at a lower level of work designed to further develop and refine the knowledge and skills of the incumbent. Assignments will typically combine productive work with on-going training and instruction. Supervision received at the lower level will be closer with oversight and review being provided more frequently.
Physical Demands
Occasional field work is conducted in remote regions of Alaska and is often performed in rugged, remote terrain with high levels of exposure to wind, cold, rain, snow, and other elements commonly found in mountainous areas. Incumbent may occasionally be required to carry objects weighing 50 to 60 pounds over short distances and through rough and uneven terrain.
Work Environment
Work is performed in an office and occasionally in field settings. Helicopter-supported field work requires special training (including water-ditching) and use of required clothing and other personal protection devices. Field work is in remote mountainous terrain and involves exposure to situations including a range of extreme weather and temperature conditions. Bears also present a hazard and may require carrying a firearm for protection. Field work is conducted on land, in the air, and at sea, Survival and safety skills are required due to potential hazards working in remote locations.
Key Requirements:
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.).
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)
In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-09 level:
2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education (36 semester hours, 54 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a master's degree in geophysics or other directly related field of study or master's or equivalent graduate degree in geophysics or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.
**OR One year of appropriate professional experience in geophysics that is equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service.
Examples of such experience include performing a variety of observations, computations, compilations and analyses to map out the distribution of earthquake activity and objectively measure its size in terms of earthquake magnitude. This work experience would have involved following established methods and procedures in seismology, or detailed instructions; using some judgment in applying basic principles and procedures in seismology, and would have required a good general working knowledge of the principles and the theories of geophysics or physics, and mathematics and a good knowledge of the methods and techniques involved in the investigation and measurement of seismological phenomena.
**OR A combination of successfully completed progressive graduate level education as described above that is beyond the first year of graduate study and professional experience, as described above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE GRADUATE EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE)
In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-11 level:
3 years of progressively higher level graduate education (54 semester hours,81 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a Ph.D. degree in geophysics or other directly related field of study or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in geophysics or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.
**OR One year of appropriate professional experience in geophysics that is equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service.
Examples of such experience include independent responsibility for a well-defined study or for a phase of a larger study that required the planning and carrying out of routine seismological work, including the analysis and archiving of seismic data. This work would have required the individual to select and make minor adaptations to procedures and accepted practices and handle unexpected conditions arising in the normal course of the work such as troubleshooting in the presence of incomplete and apparently contradictory seismic data. At this level, the Geophysicists would have a sound working knowledge of the principles of seismology and the ability to independently perform moderately difficult and responsible scientific work.
**OR 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)
Other Information:
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
--Vacancy Related Questions: As part of the online application process, you will need to respond to a series of questions designed to assess your possession of the following knowledge skills, abilities and/or competencies:
Required documents may be: (1) faxed to the Agency Contact listed in the vacancy announcement; or (2) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (3) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments; or (4) hand delivered to the servicing Human Resources Office listed in the vacancy announcement.
Transcripts
--If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide ALL unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) or list of course work, 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:
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.
--Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Most libraries, employment offices, and all USGS personnel offices can provide access to the Internet. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.
--Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement: 1)Click the blue "Apply Online" button. 2)If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile. 3)As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application. 4)Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen. 5)Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy. 6)Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below. 7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
--If you are rated as one of the most highly qualified candidates, you will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 30-45 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified via email of the outcome. You can also go to "My Account" within USAJOBS to review your Application Status.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/577490200. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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