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General Information About This Position?
This is a term appointment not to exceed 13 months/years with possible extensions up to a total of 4 years without further competition. Appointment to this position will not convey permanent status in the Federal service.
Salary:
GS-5 : $39,817 (Step 1) to $51,761 (Step 10);
GS-6 : $44,385 (Step 1) to $57,701 (Step 10);
NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.
11/28/2022 to 12/09/2022
$39,817 - $57,701 per year
GS 5 - 6
Few vacancies in the following location:
No
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Not required
No
Term
Full-time
Competitive
7
No
No
USGS-DEN-22-11719475-DE-PL
690702900
As a Physical Science Technician at Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center (GGGSC), some of your duties will include:
Key Requirements:
Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-5 level:
Possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 level in the Federal service that is in or related to the duties of this position. Specialized experience may include work in the fields of astronomy, physics, geophysics, chemistry, hydrology, health physics, engineering, electronics, geology, oceanography, and metallurgy if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position.
Examples of GS-4 level work: 1) Under close supervision and review, serves as a trainee acquiring a familiarity with laboratory and/or field environment. Analyzes, evaluates, consolidates and reports findings. Uses a large number of delicate and exacting steps and/or elaborate instruments. Possess little or no practical experience in the work but may possess theoretical knowledge related to the position gained through formal technical training; 2) Applies a limited amount of experience in accomplishing the work. Receives oral instructions concerning work methods, available equipment, and procedures to be followed on new tasks. Uses some written guides. Work is checked in progress and upon completion for adequacy and accuracy. Methods are fairly well established; makes procedural readjustments; selects auxiliary equipment and methods due to sample size, limitations of equipment, etc.; 3) Receives general oral instructions as to timeframes, anticipated technical problems, and possible sources of additional guidance. Written guides are available but do contain gaps and deviations where the technician is expected to decide possible alternatives. Work is rarely checked in progress but is checked for adequacy and accuracy at end of assignment or phase. Performs one or a few routine procedural tasks where work methods and techniques are well established. Arranges work sequences, adjusts equipment, and recognizes deviations in results obtained.
**OR Applicants may substitute successful completion of a full four year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (a) with major study in an appropriate field of physical science, or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours, or the equivalent, in any combination of courses such as physical science, engineering, or any branch of mathematics, except financial and commercial mathematics.
**OR Possess a combination of successfully completed post-high school education and specialized experience may be used to meet the qualification requirements for GS-5. Only progressive education in excess of the first 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours (i.e., beyond the first two years) of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement, assuming the education includes the required number of directly related semester hours, or the equivalent, in any combination of courses such as physical science, engineering, or any branch of mathematics, except financial and commercial mathematics.
Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-6 level:
Possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service that is in or related to the duties of this position. Specialized experience may include work in the fields of astronomy, physics, geophysics, chemistry, hydrology, health physics, engineering, electronics, geology, oceanography, and metallurgy if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position.
Examples of GS-5 level work: 1) Applies a limited amount of experience in accomplishing the work. Receives oral instructions concerning work methods, available equipment, and procedures to be followed on new tasks. Uses some written guides. Work is checked in progress and upon completion for adequacy and accuracy. Applies skill and knowledge in gathering significant data. Analyzes, evaluates consolidates and reports findings. Uses a large number of delicate and exacting steps and/or elaborate instruments; 2) Receives general oral instructions as to timeframes, anticipated technical problems, and possible sources of additional guidance. Written guides are available but do contain gaps and deviations where the technician is expected to decide possible alternatives. Work is rarely checked in progress but is checked for adequacy and accuracy at end of assignment or phase. Methods are fairly well established; makes procedural readjustments; selects auxiliary equipment and methods due to sample size, limitations of equipment, etc.; 3) Possesses long-term experience and/or additional education/training which results in being well versed in technical work. Supervisor is frequently gone or unavailable. Often called upon to act as a "troubleshooter" in the solution of technical problems. Makes some decisions without guidance. Performs one or a few routine procedural tasks where work methods and techniques are well established. Arranges work sequences, adjusts equipment, and recognizes deviations in results obtained.
**OR Applicants may substitute successful completion of 1 year of appropriate graduate level education (18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours or the equivalent) in physical science or other field of study directly related to the work of this position for the required 1 year of specialized experience, provided it demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of this position.
**OR Applicants may substitute a combination of appropriate specialized experience (as described above) and appropriate graduate level education (as described above) that is beyond the first 1/2 year of progressive graduate study to meet the qualification requirements.
You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.
Reasonable Accommodation Requests:
If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire.
Other Information:
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Basis of Rating: You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the occupational questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. Category rating will be used in the ranking and selection process for this position. The quality categories are Best Qualified, Well Qualified and Qualified. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Required documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
2. Other supporting documents:
Reasonable Accommodation
If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/images/5/59/USAHireAccommodationRequestForm41418.pdf.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements (https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_System_Requirements)
6. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application, including the invitation to take the USA Hire assessment. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated.
For information on what each Application Status means, visit:
https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
CONTINUED FROM ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SECTION
Agency Benefits:
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/690702900. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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