Salary: GS-03: $35,499 (Step 01) to $43,590 (Step 10) GS-04: $36,209 (Step 01) to $51,122 (Step 10) NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.

Duties

NOTE: 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. The USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center is seeking associate, undergraduate, graduate level student working towards a degree in Physical Sciences to gain practical experience in collecting data, analyzing data sets, programming, and other activities that support earthquake, landslide, and geomagnetic hazards research. As a Student Trainee (Physical Science) 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 characterization and mitigation of natural hazards (earthquakes, landslides, and geomagnetic disturbances). In most cases, you will work directly with scientists involved in mission-critical functions of hazard monitoring, assessment, and alerting. You will be paired with senior-level research scientists and then assigned tasks that help the senior researcher be more productive, finalize publications, conduct field work, review and analyze data sets, analyze hazard and models, and generally advance the science. You will assist with the development and distribution of information products such as debris-flow maps, finite fault models, earthquake catalog relocations, stress transfer mechanisms, earthquake summary posters, and tectonic summaries. Physical Demands & Work Environment The work is mainly sedentary but may require some walking and carrying of light items. For field work, employees may be required to carry heavy equipment (up to 50 pounds) such as batteries, battery packs, computers, and field equipment over uneven or rough surfaces. Field conditions may include extreme heat cold, rain, or snow, and hazardous conditions such as ice and flooding. Applicants selected for projects that require fieldwork, will be required to take and pass a pre-employment medical examination at Federal expense.

Requirements

Qualifications

This position is being filled under the Pathways Internship Program which is designed to provide students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with paid work opportunities in agencies to explore Federal careers while still in school. 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 You must continue to meet these eligibility requirements throughout the duration of your appointment under the Pathways Internship Program. Qualification Requirements This internship is geared toward students majoring in one of the following areas of study: the physical sciences, geology, engineering, computer science, and/or mathematics. Definitions: EXPERIENCE: One year of work experience is twelve months working full-time (at least 35-40 hours per week). Part-time experience can be pro-rated (i.e., a year at 20 hours per week is credited as 6 months of experience). If your position consisted of mixed duties, experience credit is given for the percentage of time that you spent on qualifying duties (i.e., if you held a position for 2 years, full-time, consisting of 25% personnel work and 75% budget work, and then applied for a budget position you could calculate your experience as follows: 2 yrs = 24 months. 24 months x 75% [percentage of time spent on budget duties] = 18 months of qualifying experience.) EDUCATION: One year of full-time academic study is 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business or technical school. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained in an accredited business, technical school, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent was a prerequisite. GRADUATE EDUCATION: In the absence of specific graduate program information, a year of graduate education is 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours of graduate level college course work, or the number of credit hours the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full time study. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. For GS-03: Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-03 level: A. Six months of general experience of any kind that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position; or experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation; **OR B. One full year of successfully completed education above the high school level that included at least 6 semester hours in courses such as physical science, engineering, industrial technology, construction drafting, surveying, physical science, biology or mathematics. For GS-04: Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-04 level: A. 6 months of experience in work which demonstrated your ability to perform the work of this position or that provided you with a familiarity with the occupation AND you must possess 6 months of specialized experience equivalent to GS-3 as described above. Qualifying specialized experience for GS-4 and above may include work in the fields of astronomy, physics, geophysics, chemistry, hydrology, health physics, engineering, electronics, geology, oceanography, and metallurgy. Experience as a laboratory mechanic or in a trade or draft may be credited as general or specialized experience when the work was performed in close association with physical scientists or technical personnel and provided intensive knowledge of appropriate scientific principles, methods, techniques, and precedents. Examples of GS-3 level work assignments include: 1) Performing simple analysis of water samples for specific conductance, PH, color, turbidity, chloride, and biochemical oxygen demand; 2) Recording analytical data for laboratory staff; 3) Assisting laboratory staff in the preparation of samples for more complex analysis; 4) Assisting in quality assurance operations including preparation of reference samples, standard solutions, reagents; 5) Receiving, inventory, packaging and shipping of laboratory and field sampling supplies to field offices and maintaining records of items and quantities to be shipped; 6) Cleaning laboratory equipment and glassware. **OR B. 2 years of study which included 12 semester hours in any combination of astronomy, physics, geophysics, chemistry, hydrology, health physics, engineering, electronics, geology, oceanography and metallurgy. **OR C. A combination of post-high school education and specialized and/or general experience which equates to 100% of the qualification requirement. You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.

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 .

Contacts

• Address GEOLOGIC HAZARDS SC 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Mail Stop 600 Reston, VA 20192 US
• Name: Desmond Hornbuckle
• Phone: 303-236-9557
• Email: [email protected]