Geologist

Summary

About the Position: Serves as an Engineering Geologist on projects and studies in support of major civil works including both dam and levee projects.

Duties

• Applying geotechnical and geological principles to plan and perform field investigations for foundations, excavations, or slope stability.
• Analyzing slope stability, seismic characterization, and seepage to prepare detailed design reports or risk analyses.
• Utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and related technology to develop digital data, mapping products, and georeferenced databases for spatial analysis.

Conditions of employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• Obtain and maintain a valid state driver's license.
• 25% temporary duty travel
• Position may involve fieldwork on evenings and/or weekends.
• Work requires climbing, stooping, bending and standing for long lengths of time. Requires the ability to lift soil and rock samples and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Some portions of work are performed in a field setting sometimes involving high hazard in precipitous terrain, varying and extreme weather conditions.
• Work might involve entering confined, high voltage or other hazardous areas, driving a variety of vehicles on unimproved roads.
• Some portions of the work require use of hard hats, steel-toed boots, hearing protection, eye protection, and respirator. Remainder of work is in an office setting.
• Incumbent is required to know, comply with, and promote prescribed safety rules and regulations.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

• Current Civilian Employees of the Command
• Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
• Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
• Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473
• Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
• Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
• Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
• Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
• Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
Basic Requirement for a Geologist:
A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in geology, plus 20 additional semester hours in any combination of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological science, structural, chemical, civil, mining or petroleum engineering, computer science, planetary geology, comparative planetology, geophysics, meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, physical geography, marine geology, and cartography.
OR
B. Combination of Education and Experience: Course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. (Note: Acceptable experience may have been gained through geological field or laboratory work that provided a means of obtaining professional knowledge of the theory and application of the principles of geology and closely related sciences, e.g., geophysics, geochemistry, or hydrology. Such work generally must have involved making close observations, taking samples, handling various types of instruments and equipment, assembling geologic data from source materials, and analyzing and reporting findings orally and in writing. In some situations, professional scientific experience in other fields may be accepted in part as professional geological experience. Such experience must have been preceded by appropriate education in geology or by professional geological experience and must have contributed directly and significantly to the applicant's professional geological competence. To receive credit for geological experience obtained in positions that are not full-time professional geological positions, the applicant is responsible for indicating clearly the actual time or percentage of time devoted to geologic duties within such positions, and for giving adequate descriptions of the geologic functions.)This position has selective placement factor which must be met prior to employment and for continued employment.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes independently planning and executing geotechnical investigations, geologic mapping, developing engineering geology designs for civil works projects, and utilizing geographic information systems (GIS) for spatial analysis and geologic documentation. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11).
Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.
Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-11).

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.