Hydrologic Technician (Field Assistant)

Duration of Appointment: This is a temporary excepted service position not-to-exceed 1 year but may be extended without further competition. Employment may not exceed 1039 hours in a service year. All qualified applicants with or without Federal status may apply and be considered. Appointment to this position however will not convey permanent status in the Federal service.

As a Hydrologic Technician (Field Assistant) within the Arizona Water Science Center some of your specific duties will include:

• Collect surface-water ground-water and quality-water data from gaging stations wells or Quality Water monitoring stations.
• Perform laboratory analysis of water samples to determine specified sediment chemical or biological concentrations or physical characteristics.
• Operate a government motor vehicle as an incidental driver.

Physical Demands: The work regularly requires considerable dexterity agility and strenuous physical exertion such as that needed to: climb or work from tall ladders or scaffolding; work in areas where footing is treacherous such as on slippery river banks in steep or rocky terrain and in fast-moving water; lift heavy objects weighing 23 kilograms (over 50 pounds) or more; crouch or crawl in constricted areas; and defend oneself or others against physical attack.

Work Environment: The work is performed in a laboratory or field environment. Field work involves moderate or sometimes extreme exposure to the discomforts of rain cold/hot weather and rapidly running or icy streams and rivers. Special safety precautions are required in many cases and the employee may typically wear life jackets special safety boots waders and special handling gear. If selected you will be required to complete a pre-employment physical.

Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
2. Suitable for Federal employment as determined by background investigation.
3. Selectee must provide a valid state drivers license & safe driving record.
4. Selectee subject to successful completion of a pre-employment medical exam.
5. Housing will not be provided.
6. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.

Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position

• Because this position requires travel for official business the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicants successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• Applicants for this position must meet the following requirements: (1) possession of a valid State drivers license and (2) possess a safe driving record. If selected you will be required to provide proof of a valid State License and a copy of your driving record.
• Taking and passing a pre-employment medical examination at Federal expense is required due to the physical demands of this job.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify at the GG-07 level:

Possess 2 year 9 months of field survey party experience. Experience with a field survey party includes activity associated with making and recording geologic hydrologic biologic or topographic field observations; collecting geologic biological or water samples for laboratory analysis; applying accepted data collection techniques and methods in the performance of field work in support of scientific investigations; and using a variety of surveying instruments and electronic or mechanical instrumentation in the making and recording of field measurements and observations designed to collect data for physical/ biological science investigations. Only time actually spent in the field can be credited when qualifying individuals under the field party experience option.

OR

Possess 5 years sub-professional experience. Sub-professional experience is defined as technical work performed in support of field or laboratory investigations relating to the biological sciences physical sciences or closely related disciplines which provided basic knowledge or skills in gathering recording and assembling scientific or engineering data; using scientific instruments to measure angles degrees weights strengths intensities etc.; setting up and operating test apparatus and manipulating quantitative data. Experience may include assisting professional employees with such duties as calibrating and operating measuring instruments mixing solutions making chemical analyses setting up and operating test apparatus and compiling and processing scientific data. Experience as a laboratory mechanic or in a trade or craft may be credited as experience when the work was performed in close association with physical or biological scientists or other technical personnel and provided a good working knowledge of appropriate scientific principles methods and techniques.

OR

Possess 5 years college study (with 18 hours of graduate level course work or equivalent) plus 3 months of lab or field work experience

Definitions of Experience:

Field Survey Party - Experience with a field survey party includes activity associated with making and recording geologic hydrologic biologic or topographic field observations; collecting geologic biological or water samples for laboratory analysis; applying accepted data collection techniques and methods in the performance of field work in support of scientific investigations; and using a variety of surveying instruments and electronic or mechanical instrumentation in the making and recording of field measurements and observations designed to collect data for physical/ biological science investigations. Only time actually spent in the field can be credited when qualifying individuals under the field party experience option.

Sub-professional Experience - Sub-professional experience is defined as technical work performed in support of field or laboratory investigations relating to the biological sciences physical sciences or closely related disciplines which provided basic knowledge or skills in gathering recording and assembling scientific or engineering data; using scientific instruments to measure angles degrees weights strengths intensities etc.; setting up and operating test apparatus and manipulating quantitative data. Experience may include assisting professional employees with such duties as calibrating and operating measuring instruments mixing solutions making chemical analyses setting up and operating test apparatus and compiling and processing scientific data. Experience as a laboratory mechanic or in a trade or craft may be credited as experience when the work was performed in close association with physical or biological scientists or other technical personnel and provided a good working knowledge of appropriate scientific principles methods and techniques.

Professional Experience - Professional work experience in the physical and biological sciences may be credited in lieu of or in conjunction with sub-professional experience as defined above.

Please note that if qualifying based on education; unofficial transcripts MUST be submitted as part of the application in order to receive consideration.