General Information: In order to be eligible to receive consideration for this position, you must be able to: (1) report to the duty station location listed in this vacancy announcement, if selected; and (2) be available to work the schedule identified.

Duties

The USGS Arizona Water Science Center is seeking associate, undergraduate, graduate level student working towards a degree in Hydrology or Physical Science to gain practical experience ingathering and analyzing basic hydrologic data. As a Student Trainee (Hydrology) you will serve in a trainee capacity, performing routine and recurring development assignments to acquire knowledge and understanding of functions, principles, practices, and methods used in the area of Hydrology. Duties include: Collect Scientific Data Compute/Analyze Data Infrastructure Maintenance Scientific Instrumentation Physical Demands: The work regularly requires considerable dexterity, agility, and strenuous physical exertion such as that needed to: climb, or work from, tall ladders or scaffolding; work in areas where footing is treacherous such as on slippery river banks, in steep or rocky terrain, and in fast-moving water; lift heavy objects weighing 23 kilograms (over 50 pounds) or more; crouch or crawl in constricted areas; and defend oneself or others against physical attack. Work Environment: The work regularly involves moderate risks or discomforts associated with visiting field sites with limited access, under adverse weather or flooding conditions, or exposure to irritant or toxic chemicals. Work may require the use of special clothing or gear such as masks, coats, boots, goggles, respirators, or life jackets. Salary: Tuscon, AZ: GS-04: $36,009 (Step 01) to $46,808 (Step 10); GS-05: $40,288 (Step 01) to $52,371 (Step 10); GS-06: $44,910 (Step 01) to $58,385 (Step 10) Yuma, AZ: GS-04: $35,373 (Step 01) to $45,982 (Step 10) GS-05: $39,576 (Step 01) to $51,446 (Step 10) GS-06: $44,117 (Step 01) to $57,354 (Step 10) Glendale, AZ: GS-04: $36,948 (Step 01) to $48,028 (Step 10) GS-05: $41,338 (Step 01) to $53,736 (Step 10) GS-06: $46,081 (Step 01) to $59,907 (Step10) NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.

Requirements

Qualifications

Eligibility Requirements In order to be eligible for an appointment under the Pathways Internship Program: You must be a student accepted for enrollment or enrolled in a degree or certificate program on a full- or half-time basis as defined by the school (certificate program means post-secondary education, in a qualifying educational institution, equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study that is part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum); AND Enrollment is with a qualifying educational institution such as a high school or state-approved homeschool; or accredited technical or vocational school; a 2- or 4-year college or university; a graduate or professional school (e.g., law school, medical school); or a post-secondary home school curriculum; AND Students currently enrolled must be in good academic standing maintaining a 2.0 grade point average on a cumulative basis; AND The duties of this position should be related to your academic or career goals. You must continue to meet these eligibility requirements throughout the duration of your appointment under the Pathways Internship Program. Students who successfully complete the internship program may be eligible for conversion to a permanent appointment or a term (1-4 years in duration) appointment without further competition. Eligibility requirements for conversion: must be a U.S. Citizen; complete at least 640 hours of work experience acquired through the Internship Program (*may waive up to a total of 320 hours under specific conditions); successfully complete your degree or certificate requirements from a qualifying institution; meet the qualification requirements for the position to which you will be converted; meet agency-specific requirements as outlined in the Participant's Agreement; and must have performed successfully in your position as documented through performance evaluations. *NOTE: To learn more about the conditions under which a portion of the work experience hours may be waived, visit https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/students-and-recent-graduates. Qualification Requirements This internship is geared toward students majoring in one of the following areas of study: (insert preferred major(s) e.g., the life sciences, the physical sciences, environmental science, geology, chemistry, business administration, finance, information technology, etc.). For GS-04: Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-4 level: Six months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-3 level in the Federal service that is in or related to the duties of this position. NOTE: Excess specialized experience beyond the required 6 months may be substituted for general experience; i.e., one year of creditable specialized experience will meet the requirements for 6 months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience. General experience is any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position to be filled, OR experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation for which the applicant is applying. Specialized experience may include work as a 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; or construction estimating if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. Examples of GS-3 level work assignments include: 1) Performing minor repairs at gaging stations, to water level recorders and other equipment used in hydrologic investigations; 2) Assisting in making measurements of stream flow or making simple current meter measurements on small streams; 3) Recording routine measurements of water levels at specified observations wells; 4) Collecting water quality samples and assisting in making laboratory determinations of water quality parameters by predetermined methods; 5) Maintaining and assisting in readying current meters and sampling equipment for field work. For examples 1-5, a designated authority made assignments by giving complete, explicit oral and/or written instructions at the beginning of each assignment, covering work methods, available equipment, procedures, reference guidelines, etc. Recurring assignments were carried out within well-established procedures, with minimal instruction and were only infrequently spot checked or observed by a designated authority. Less routine assignments were occasionally checked in progress or upon completion. **OR applicants may substitute successful completion of two full years of study that included at least 12 semester hours, or the equivalent, in any combination of courses such as engineering, industrial technology, construction drafting, surveying, physical science, biology, or mathematics. **OR a combination of successfully completed post-high school education and specialized and/or general experience may be used to meet the qualification requirements for the GS-04 level. NOTE: When crediting education to meet any part of the experience requirement, such education must include the appropriate number of directly related credit hours required in any combination of courses such as engineering, industrial technology, construction drafting, surveying, physical science, biology, or mathematics. When crediting this education, you must prorate the number of hours of directly related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE) For GS-05: Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-5 level: 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 as a 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; or construction estimating 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 assignments include: 1) Making adjustments and minor repairs to water level recorders, or other equipment used in water investigations; 2) Following well-defined methods and designated formulas; computing, extracting, compiling, and presenting geological or hydrologic data in prescribed tabular or graphic form; 3) Computing mean daily gage heights from water stage record charts, editing record tapes, and making corrections based on field notes. For examples 1-3, the work assignments involved familiar conditions, concepts, and methods that were made in terms of the objectives to be achieved without explicit instruction as to work methods. Assignments involving new, more difficult, or unfamiliar areas of work were given with more specific guidance. Explicit instructions were provided for solving technical problems involving unfamiliar conditions, methods, or concepts. QUALIFICATIONS CONTINUED IN EDUCATION SECTION

Education

• 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.
• Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-federal-jobs .

QUALIFICATIONS CONTINUED

**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 science (i.e., geology, chemistry, physics, geophysics, biology, ecology, mathematics, soils, forestry, meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, physical science, atmospheric science) engineering, construction, or industrial technology, or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours, or the equivalent, in any combination of courses such as engineering, industrial technology, construction drafting, surveying, physical science, biology, or mathematics.

**OR 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 appropriate number of directly related semester hours, or the equivalent, in any combination of courses such as engineering, industrial technology, construction drafting, surveying, physical science, biology, or mathematics. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION & SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE)

For GS-06:

Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-6 level:

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 as a 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; or construction estimating if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position.

Examples of GS-05 level work assignments: 1) Computing mean daily gage heights from water stage record charts, editing record tapes, and making corrections based on field observation notes; 2) Preparing maps showing well elevations and depth to water, hydrographs, profiles, and well locations. For examples 1-2, the work assignments involved some technical problems not previously encountered; problems involving concepts and methods for which guides and precedents existed, were resolved independently. General oral instructions relative to the time to be allotted to certain functions, expected time of completion of assignments, possible technical problems which may be encountered, and approaches that may be used in resolving these problems were provided. Other examples of GS-05 level work assignments include: 1) Installing, adjusting, inspecting, and servicing crest-stage indicators, well-recorders, and other instruments for the collection of ground and surface water data; and checking gage settings to ensure continuing accuracy of the records obtained from instruments; 2) Making technical studies of hydrologic data collected in the field, and preparing material for publication, such as, drafts, maps and other illustrative material; applying datum corrections to gage height records allowing for periods of ice effect, temperature variations, and precipitation; and plotting hydrographs and analyzing differences in hydrographs with earlier records, and making necessary changes. For examples 1-2, routine assignments that involved familiar conditions, concepts, and methods were made in terms of the objectives to be achieved without explicit instruction as to work methods. Assignments involving new, more difficult, or unfamiliar areas of work were given with more specific guidance. Explicit instructions were provided for solving technical problems involving unfamiliar conditions, methods, or concepts.

**OR applicants may substitute successful completion of 1 year of appropriate graduate level education (18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours or the equivalent) in hydrology or other field of study directly related to the work of this position for the required 1 year of specialized experience if it provided 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.

Contacts

• Address FIELD OFFC - TUCSON 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Mail Stop 600 Reston, VA 20192 US
• Name: Kyle Althouse
• Email: [email protected]