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Survey Aid / Technician

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our greatest natural resource.

For information about the BLM, please visit Our website.

For information on the Buffalo Field Office, go to: Buffalo Field Office

For information on the city of Buffalo , go to: Buffalo WY

These positions are temporary and are expected to last for approximately 6 months. These positions have no promotion potential, if you want to be considered for a higher grade you must apply for the higher grade.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
02/07/2020 to 02/21/2020
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$13.32 to - $16.73 per hour
Pay scale & grade
GS 03 - 05
Location
Few vacancies in the following location:
Buffalo, WY
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Seasonal - This is a temporary appointment. These positions have no promotion potential.
Work schedule
Full-time - Work Schedule is full-time.
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
No - This is a temporary appointment. These positions have no promotion potential.
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
WY-TEMP-2020-0007
Control number
559288900

Duties

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Survey Aids / Technicians assist professional land surveyors in the measurement or determination of distances, elevations, areas, angles, land boundaries, and other features of the earth's surface. Assists Land Surveyors in setting survey monuments; this requires digging holes with shovels and rock bars for prolonged periods. Surveying work requires highly proficient operation of instruments and application of techniques to obtain the required skill and accuracy. Surveying duties frequently include physically demanding tasks such as prolonged walking with heavy packs of instruments and equipment, clearing timber and undergrowth, and driving vehicles over rough terrain. Positions may require frequent travel.

Physical Demands / Work Environment: The work is performed outdoors in rugged terrain; to include very steep, wet, muddy, rough, uneven or rocky surfaces; positions require physical exertions, such as, bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities. Individuals should be capable of working alone, or with other people, during early morning hours, night, or during the day.

If selected from this or a similar competitive, seasonal announcement, your appointment may be creditable for consideration under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA)​. The Act allows certain individuals, who have or had time-limited appointments at land management agencies, to compete for any permanent position in the competitive service under “internal” merit promotion procedures. For more information, see the section under Eligibility, which starts with Question #15 (Q15. Who is eligible for appointment under these provisions?).

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Direct Deposit Required
  • U.S. Citizenship is required
  • Read the "How to Apply" and "Required Documents" Sections
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license; nor can
  • you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Land
  • Security Clearance/Background Investigation is required.

Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the specialized experience as defined in the announcement or vacancy questions. In addition, your responses to the questions must be adequately reflected in your resume.

Qualifications

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirement - please be sure to include this information in your resume.

GS-03: Six months of general experience; examples of general experience may include working in any professional, technical, or other responsible field that provided you with a familiarity of land surveying techniques. OR Successful completion of 1 year of postsecondary education that included at least one course in surveying, engineering, industrial technology, construction, physics, drafting, forestry, geography, navigation, cartography, physical science, or mathematics. OR A combination of experience and education to meet the total experience.

GS-04: Six months of general experience and six months of specialized experience.  Examples of general experience may include working in any professional, technical, or other responsible field that provided you with a familiarity of land surveying techniques.  Examples of specialized experience: serving as rodman on surveys requiring special rodding procedures, using any of various types of rods, and selecting measuring or turning points in consideration of terrain and demands of the type of survey involved; and serving as pacer of a leveling party, going ahead of the party and determining in advance the positions the road crew will occupy so that shots will be balanced and instruments can be kept level. OR Successful completion of 2 years of postsecondary education that included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as those shown above for the GS-03 grade level. OR A combination of experience and education to meet the total experience.

GS-05: One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-4 level. Examples of specialized experience may include conducting surveys, typically with an assistant, using hand instruments such as hand levels and compasses, making simple traverse surveys using compass and tape, measuring small land areas, using rod, tape and hand level, to obtain rough estimates of yardage to be excavated; and performing recording assignments which require concentration and specialized skill such as that required in making manual computations that involve elementary arithmetic processes made complex by virtue of the number and variety of manipulations involved and the speed with which successive readings are called. OR Successful completion of a full four year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree with major study in an appropriate field such as surveying, engineering, construction, or that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as surveying, engineering, industrial technology construction, physics, drafting, forestry, geography, navigation, cartography, physical science or mathematics. OR a combination of experience and education to meet the total experience.

Additional information

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. To register or verify your registration go to the Selective Service System website.

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):  CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. Information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources website at CTAP or ICTAP. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration or that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) This vacancy is within your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility; 2) You apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) You are found well qualified for this vacancy. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.

CTAP and ICTAP eligibles will be considered well qualified if they fall within the Well or Best Qualified categories on the rating criteria for this position.

If tentatively selected for this position you will be required to complete and submit a OF-306 Declaration for Federal Employment prior to being appointed to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.

The person tentatively selected for this position is subject to completion of a favorable background investigation. Failure to satisfy the preliminary background check will result in cancellation of the tentative job offer. Failure to satisfy the full investigation requirements may be grounds for termination, once you are placed in the position.

A valid driver's license is required for these positions. If you are selected for one of these positions you must be 18 years old and have a current driver's license.

MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT: Employees required to operate a motor vehicle must be at least 18; otherwise, you must be at least 16 at the time you report for work.

A pre-employment physical may be required.

Overnight travel may be required on a regular and recurring basis and employee will be required to obtain and use a government charge card, when travel is necessary.

If you are selected for this position, prior to appointment, you may be subject to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use. If drug testing is required for this position, it will be provided at Government direction and expense. Once hired, you may also be subject to random drug testing during employment. This is in accordance with Executive Order 12564 and under the Department’s Drug Free Workplace Program.

This position is not eligible for Telework.

How you will be evaluated

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

Upon receipt of your complete application package, a review of your application will be made to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.  Your rating will be based on your responses to the Job Specific Questionnaire and the information stated in your resume. If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be placed in one of three categories:  Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified.  Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans.    In addition, interviews may be conducted for this position.  The interviews may be conducted on a pass/fail basis or may be scored.  The job specific questions relate to the following knowledge, skills and abilities required to do the work of this position:

GS-03:

  1. Knowledge of survey procedures which are either established, repetitive or which are specified at time of assignment sufficient to perform a variety of routine work.
  2. Skill in operating computer keyboards to enter and retrieve data from automated records.
  3. Ability to increase skill level in reading maps and using GPS to record and determine locations.

GS-04:

  1. Knowledge and experience of survey methods, techniques and procedures to complete survey assignments of substantial variety and complexity.
  2. Ability to read maps and use GPS to record and determine locations.
  3. Knowledge of computer capabilities to enter and retrieve data; produce reports; produce simple maps; and develop spreadsheets. 

GS-05:

  1. Knowledge and experience of survey methods, techniques and procedures to complete survey assignments of substantial variety and complexity.
  2. Knowledge of fundamental trigonometry and algebra sufficient to prepare field notes and check accuracy of survey.
  3. Knowledge of the operation, adjustment and maintenance of surveying equipment and instruments (transits, theodolites, EDMs, Global Positioning Systems) to operate, take measurements and conduct training.
  4. Knowledge of computer capabilities sufficient to produce reports with graphics; produce simple maps; develop spreadsheets; and enter, retrieve and manipulate data.

To preview questions please click here.

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