Geological Survey Logo
Position Title
Physical Science Technician
Agency
Geological Survey
Announcement Number
USGS-SAC-24-12421859-DE-MB Opens in new window
Open Period
Monday, June 3, 2024 to Friday, June 14, 2024
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
Please mark "YES" to all eligibility options below for which you wish to be considered. We can only verify eligibility options for which you claim and provide proper documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section of the announcement for specific requirements. (limit characters)
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. Are you a current Department of the Interior employee who meets the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service that makes you eligible under the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)?  If yes, please confirm that you meet all the following eligibility requirements:
  • This position is in the same local commuting area as the position of record from which you will be separated; and
  • This position is at a grade level no higher than the grade of the position of record from which you will be separated; and
  • This position has no greater promotion potential than the position of record from which you will be separated; and
  • You have a current performance rating of record of at least fully successful or the equivalent; and
  • You have not yet been separated. 
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3. Are you a current or former employee of a Federal agency (other than the Department of the Interior) who meets the definition of displaced from a position in the competitive service that makes you eligible under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)?  If yes, please confirm that you meet all the following eligibility requirements:
  • This position is in the same local commuting area as the position of record from which you were separated; and
  • This position is at a grade level no higher than the grade of the position of record from which you were separated; and 
  • This position has no greater promotion potential than the position of record from which you were separated; and
  • Your last performance rating of record was at least fully successful or the equivalent; and
  • You were separated from your position of record less than one year ago.    
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Preferences
1. Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location. (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Please select the responses to the questions below that best describes your experience as it relates to this position. (limit characters)
1. GS-10: Choose one answer that best describes your experience and education.
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2. Maintain accurate and up-to-date station descriptions, integrating new information from crew members' notes, maps, and log sheets, for use in future surveys, data processing, and reports. (limit characters)
3. Conduct detailed planning and preparation for GPS surveys and rapid modification of the planned field work due to changes in personnel, sites to be occupied, or equipment.
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4. Install, maintain and service sensing, recording and communications instrumentation and associated equipment.
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5. Plans and conducts installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of radio-telemetered analog seismic monitoring stations.
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6. Describe your experience working in a volcano observatory.
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7. Experience maintaining or repairing electronics or electrical systems outdoors.
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8. Utilize knowledge of basic equipment, materials, and techniques used in observatory work in order to operate the equipment safely, to make reasonable decisions if abnormalities occur, and to understand the sensitivity of various pieces of equipment to out-of-range voltage, current, and temperature conditions.
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9. Investigate and correct equipment failures, which may involve visual examination of the equipment and response or termination of the automated programs and the running of diagnostic computer programs to determine the reason for failure.
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Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
10. Do you have extensive experience installing and maintaining remote solar-powered GPS or seismic monitoring stations that utilize digital telemetry communications? (limit characters)
11. Short Answer:
Provide the date(s) and place(s) of employment as reflected in your resume in which you gained the experience using the tools identified in the previous question.
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Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
12. Do you have extensive experience in the construction, installation, operation, and maintenance of complex electronic geochemical or geophysical (seismic, GPS, infrasound, etc.) instrumentation for the purpose of monitoring volcanic activity? (limit characters)
13. Short Answer:
Provide the date(s) and place(s) of employment as reflected in your resume in which you gained the experience using the tools identified in the previous question.
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14. Conduct inspections, evaluations, and surveys of working environments, operations, procedures, equipment and processes to identify, analyze and evaluate potential hazards.
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15. Independently plan and execute field excursions to deploy and service equipment, acquire samples, and make relevant measurements in wilderness settings.
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16. Installs and operates spread-spectrum radios for transmitting digital data.
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17. Installs and operates very small aperture satellite systems for transmitting digital data.
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18. Please select all the statements below that apply to your knowledge and experience with configuring Nanometrics and Kinemetrics digitizers and seismometers?
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19. Train others. (limit characters)
20. Contacts Federal, State, local and private agencies or property owners to obtain access for installing monitoring stations. (limit characters)
21. Interface with instrumentation personnel, such as electronic technicians and instrument developers, to identify problems and requirements that relate to data collection and processing (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
22. I certify, to the best of my knowledge that all the information in my application is true, and that I have truthfully and accurately represented my work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education. I understand that providing false or fraudulent information may be grounds for not hiring me or for firing me after I begin work. I also certify that I have read the entire vacancy announcement; that I have reviewed my answers to the eligibility questions for accuracy; and that I understand what supporting documentation, if any, is required for submission and when it's due.
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