USDA hiring Physical Science Technician (Climate Change Fellows Program) in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States | LinkedIn (2024)

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RequirementsConditions of Employment

• You must be a US Citizen or US National
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected you will be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Subject to one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
• Direct Deposit: 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 at https://www.e-verify.gov/
• Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position.

QualificationsApplicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered:Specialized Experience GS-09: To qualify for the GS-09 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-08 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: Perform analytical tests on soil samples to develop interpretations and/or decision support tools.

ORGraduate level education substitution GS-09: Graduate education meets the specialized experience required only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. Two full years of graduate education or a master's degree meets the requirements for GS-9.

ORCombination of education and experience: A combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above meets the requirements for the GS-09. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Note: Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy.

Specialized Experience GS-10: To qualify for the GS-10 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: Perform and facilitate analytical tests on soil samples to develop interpretations and/or decision making; AND prepare data results for inclusion in scientific briefings, study papers, research manuscripts, or project reports.

Note: There is no education substitution for specialized experience at the GS-10 grade level.

Specialized Experience GS-11: To qualify for the GS-11 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-10 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: Perform and facilitate analytical tests on soil samples to develop interpretations and decision support tools; prepare data and results for inclusion in scientific briefings, study papers, research manuscripts, or project reports; AND implement quality control protocols to evaluate control data.

Note: There is no education substitution for specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level.

For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: General Schedule Qualification Standards (opm.gov)

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

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

You must submit a copy of your transcripts to include course number, title, completion and grade. 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. If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement.

Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information.

Failure to provide all of the required documents/information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Additional information

• Recruitment and/or relocation incentives for up to $20,000 with 2 year commitment may be authorized.
• The USDA Climate Change Fellows Program (CCFP) offers a time limited appointment in the Excepted Service under "Schedule A" hiring authority, as specified in 5 CFR 213.3102(r). Initial appointments for candidates may be for up to a 2 year period. Additional 1 year extensions may be made; however, the appointment cannot exceed a total of 4 years. Please note that an appointment in the CCFP confers no rights to further Federal employment in either the competitive or excepted service upon expiration of the appointment. Fellows interested in remaining with USDA at the end of their fellowship must compete and be selected for competitive service vacancies.
• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
• Promotion Potential: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.
• Physical Demands: The work requires some physical exertion such as long periods of standing, recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activity, or recurring lifting of moderately heavy items weighing less than 23 kilograms (under 50 pounds) such as lifting and carrying stream gauging weights, data collection and monitoring devices, or sample trays.
• Work Environment: The work area may include exposure to environments such as a laboratory involving moderate risks or discomforts from regular and recurring exposure to irritant chemicals that requires special safety precautions, protective clothing, and other gear as the situation warrants; or an area involving exposure to moderate risks or discomforts such as high levels of noise and vibration, dust, grease, uncovered moving parts of machinery, engine exhaust, or irritant fumes that requires protective clothing and gear and special safety precautions.
• PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following:
• If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted.
• If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline.
• This position is eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Current USDA policy includes telework for an 8 hour work day, 4 days per week; other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.
  

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.