Research Hydrologist

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Completion of a three-year probationary period required in accordance with the USDA Demonstration Project Authority. During this time, employee's conduct and performance will be monitored to determine if employee will be retained.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.

To qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.



This is a research scientist position and is classified under the scientist career plan. Research scientists have open-ended promotion potential. Research accomplishments and their impact on the duties and responsibilities of positions are evaluated periodically. The grade level is limited only by the individual's demonstrated ability to perform research of recognized importance to science and technology. Final grade level will be determined by a peer review panel. The purpose of the initial review panel is to determine the grade level upon entry into a position. Candidates being considered for this research position should provide a list of publications for which you have been an author, co-author, or contributor. If providing curriculum vitae, please incorporate all resume requirements identified in the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section of this announcement or submit a supplemental resume which includes all information required in addition to the curriculum vitae.



Work Experience: Your resume must clearly document the following for each block of work experience; the beginning month and year the work assignment started and ended; the hours worked per week; position title, and series and grade if applicable; and description of duties performed. This information must be provided for each permanent, temporary or seasonal appointment/work assignment or volunteer work and should be clearly documented as a separate block of time. Incomplete, inaccurate or conflicting work history may not be credited for qualifications purposes. This can result in an applicant not being considered for the position.



To ensure consideration for this position, attach both graduate and undergraduate transcripts. Provide course descriptions to clarify content of coursework as necessary.



Basic Requirement for Hydrology Series (1315):

Degree: physical or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics. Calculus and physics, as described above, are requirements for all grade levels.

OR

Combination of education and experience: course work as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.



In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.



GS-12: One year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11). Specialized experience at this level is defined as:

• Conducting the full cycle of scientific research (including identifying research topics, defining study objectives, organizing and conducting the research, interpreting the results, and presenting the findings in the form of reports, demonstrations, manuscripts, and other appropriate technology transfer activities) in one or more of the following areas: stream, riparian, tropical (Puerto Rico location only) and/or watershed hydrology to examine the ecohydrological responses to management practices such as fuels treatment, grazing, burning and restoration activities being conducted in riparian, forest, and/or rangeland ecosystems.
• Using advanced analytical tools such as geographic information systems, spatial statistics, and computer simulation models.
• Disseminating research findings at conferences or scientific meetings and publishing results in peer-reviewed journals as the lead (first) author.

--OR--



Conferred Ph.D. degree that included scientific research in areas related to the work of the position. Qualifying graduate education includes research in hydrology, forest hydrology, shrubland hydrology, watershed science, erosion and sedimentation, geomorphology, vegetation management, forestry, tropical hydrology (Puerto Rico only). To qualify based on education, your transcripts must show the conferral of your Ph.D.



GS-13: One year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12). Graduate level education alone is not qualifying at this grade level. To qualify at this grade, you must possess the specialized experience listed below.Specialized experience at this level is defined as:

• Leading and conducting a body of scientific research (including identifying research topics, defining study objectives, organizing and conducting the research, interpreting the results, and presenting the findings in the form of reports, demonstrations, manuscripts, and other appropriate technology transfer activities) in one or more of the following areas: stream, riparian, tropical (Puerto Rico location only) and/or watershed hydrology to examine the ecohydrological responses to management and restoration activities being conducted in riparian, forest, and/or rangeland ecosystems.
• Development of novel assessments of the impacts of land use on water, sediment and nutrient fluxes using advanced field and laboratory measurement techniques, or the development of new tools and technologies, including computer simulation models or analysis techniques.
• Funding scientific research by submitting proposals for and securing competitively awarded external research grants.
• Publishing research in peer-reviewed scientific journals as the lead (first) author and presenting research findings at major professional conferences/scientific meetings.

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.