US Geological Survey Looking for Interdisciplinary Research Civil Engineer OR Research Geophysicist at Woods Hole, MA Full Time

BASIC REQUIREMENTS for Civil Engineer GS-0810: Applicants must meet the requirements outlined in either A or B below to satisfy the basic requirements for Civil Engineer/Hydraulic Engineer, all grade levels.

A. Degree: professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. **OR

B. ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF QUALIFYING: In lieu of meeting the specific educational requirements listed above, applicants may substitute four years of college level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. This knowledge and understanding must be equivalent to that provided by a full 4-year professional engineering curriculum. ***The adequacy of such background MUST be demonstrated by one of the following: 1. Professional Registration – Current registration as a professional engineer by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration; or 2. Written Test – Evidence of having successfully passed the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination, or the written test required for professional engineering registration; or

(**NOTE: Applicants who have passed the EIT examination and have completed all the requirements for either (a) a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology (BET) from an accredited college or university that included 60 semester hrs. of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences, or (b) a BET from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology (ABET) may be rated eligible for certain engineering positions at GS-5. Eligibility is limited to positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of the engineering technology program. Applicants for positions that involve highly technical research, development, or similar functions requiring an advanced level of competence in basic science must meet the basic requirements specified in paragraph “A” above.) 3. Specified Academic Courses – Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in “A” above: i.e., differential and integral calculus and courses in five of the seven areas of engineering science or physics as listed under “A” of the basic requirements above as (a) through (g). The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in “A” above; or 4. Related Curriculum – Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field, e.g., physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a degree in engineering, provided you also have at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT for Geophysicist, GS-1313: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Geophysicist, all grade levels. A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor’s or higher degree that included at least 30 semester hours in mathematics (including calculus) and the physical sciences (geophysics, physics, engineering, geology, astronomy, meteorology, electronics, etc.). **OR

B. A combination of education and experience – at least 30 semester hours in mathematics (including calculus) and the physical sciences (geophysics, physics, engineering, geology, astronomy, meteorology, electronics, etc.), plus appropriate experience and/or additional education for a total of 4 years. The education or combined education and experience must be comparable in type, scope and thoroughness to that acquired through successful completion of a 4-year course of study as described in “A” above.

For GS-12:

In addition to the basic education requirements as stated above, applicants must have one year of appropriate professional experience that is equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service.

Examples may include: being well-versed in the standard theory and practices related to the geotechnical/geosystems analysis of rocks and soils to support studies of energy resources and/or geohazards, proceeding without technical instruction or guidance in applying these techniques to measurement of conventional index properties, grain characteristics (such as specific surface, grain size distribution), and hydraulic, geotechnical, and geophysical characteristics of bulk sediments and/or other Earth materials; receives assignments of energy- or hazard-related engineering or design tasks or measurements with a general indication of the types of results expected and must identify the modifications to approaches or instrumentation to address challenges, the kinds of data that must be acquired and the necessary standards, and the criteria for fulfilling the assignment, as well as produce presentations and published professional papers that disseminate and interpret the results; and originates engineering designs and accompanying evaluative numerical models for unique laboratory cells capable of storing and testing soils at hydrostatic pressures higher than 10 megapascals. Some examples are: (1) using computer-aided design principles to develop novel instrumentation for analysis of multiphase natural samples (presence of gas, gas hydrate, and/or fluids, including petroleum), taking into consideration safety, water and gas control, and compatibility with existing instrumentation; (2) applying finite, discrete, or boundary element modeling to geosystems problems or to assess engineering designs; (3) overseeing machining and later laboratory testing of pressure cells and other tools designed to manipulate sediment cores under reservoir hydrostatic (exceeding 10 megapascals) or effective pressures; (4) providing expert engineering advice on borehole measurements and sampling in permafrost or marine gas hydrate reservoirs; (5) conducting and interpreting laboratory geotechnical measurements acquired on sediments retrieved from multiphase reservoirs; (6) carrying out laboratory experiments and/or numerical modeling on the flow of fluids and heat through fractured rock.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.

Other Information:

• Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
• Interdisciplinary Position – This is an interdisciplinary position that may be filled as a Research Civil Engineer or a Research Geophysicist.
• The full performance level for a Research position is GS-15; however, promotion eligibility is dependent upon the scientific contributions of the incumbent as evaluated by a peer panel.
• Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) may compete for civil service jobs. Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only in very limited circumstances where there are no qualified citizens available for the position.
• USGS employees are subject to Title 43, USC Section 31(a) and may not: (a) have any personal, private, direct or indirect interest in lands or mineral wealth of lands under survey; (b) have any substantial personal, private, direct or indirect interests in any private mining or mineral enterprise doing business with the United States; or (c) execute surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations.
• The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.
• DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
• The Department of the Interior (DOI) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.
• THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

Agency Benefits
:

• USGS has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework in accordance with the DOI Telework policy and with supervisor approval. The official worksite for the selectee is the duty station identified in this vacancy announcement. The selectee will typically report to this duty location on a regular and recurring weekly basis.
• For additional information on our internal telework policy, please reference the Department of the Interior Telework Handbook at: https://www.doi.gov/telework/policies.
• Working for the U.S. Geological Survey offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; health, life, dental, vision, and long term care insurance, flexible spending accounts, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

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:

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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.