Geographer Full Time NEW

What General Information Do I Need To Know About This Position?

GS-12 Salary: $102,415 (Step 01) to $133,142 (Step 10)

NOTE: First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01.

This job is open to

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Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

Open only to current USGS employees serving on perm competitive service appts; OR current USGS employees, regardless of current status, who are elig for consideration under a noncompetitive auth such as those specific to 30% disabled vets, Individuals with Disabilities, Pathways Interns & Recent Grads who are elig for noncomp conversion, etc.

Duties

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As a BGN Senior Researcher within the Cartographic Data Services, some of your specific duties will include:

• Coordinates Board of Geographic Names (BGN) research activities ensuring pertinent name information is extracted and compiled from Federal, State, and private sources for use in preparing case briefs and special research projects.
• Directs the production of case briefs of new name and name change proposals for publication in the Docket List and submittal to the BGN. Performs final review of case briefs, the Docket List, and Decision List for accuracy of coordinates, description, format, and compliance to BGN policies.
• Serves as senior technical liaison to current and prospective Federal, State, and private partners regarding the geographic names project. Represents the geographic names project at meetings with senior USGS managers and with partners.
• Advises on project activities as affected by other NGP and USGS projects; negotiates and coordinates work related changes that affect the project or its work relationships and operations in relation to other project efforts.
• Supports the BGN Domestic Names Committee (DNC) Executive Secretary in the development and documentation of annual work requirements and supporting contract support documentation.

Conditions of Employment for this Position:

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This Probationary Period Is An Extension Of The Appointment Process And Therefore Requires The Agency To Determine If Continued Employment Would Advance The Public Interest, Meet The Organization Goals And Mission Of The Agency, And/or Otherwise Promote The Efficiency Of The Service. In Determining If Your Employment Advances The Public Interest, The Agency Will Consider

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual’s employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Key Requirements

• Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
• 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 applicant’s successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• 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.
• If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Qualifications

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Geographer, all grade levels.

• Degree in geography; or related physical or social science such as geology, meteorology, economics, statistics, sociology, anthropology, political science, history, cartography, computer science, urban studies, or planning that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields.
• A combination of education and experience– courses equivalent to a major in geography, or a related field that included at least 24 semesters hours in geography or related fields, as shown in “A” above, plus appropriate experience and/or additional education. 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:

Education

In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet the following to qualify for the GS-12 level:

• One year of appropriate professional experience in geography that is equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service.

Examples of such experience may include: 1) coordination of research of geographic name conflicts, and proposals to name unnamed features, or to change the existing names of features; 2) presentation of geographic name conflicts, proposals to name unnamed features, or to change the existing names of features to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names/Domestic Names Committee; 3) serves as a recognized expert on the Principles, Policies, and Procedures U.S. Board on Geographic Names/Domestic Names Committee.

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

Education

• 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, knowledge, and skills 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 completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit:https://www.usgs.gov/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-federal-jobs

Additional information

Other Information

• This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies in the advertised office or other U.S. Geological Survey offices in the local commuting area
• Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.
• Identification of promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. Promotion will depend upon administrative approval and the continuing need for and performance of higher-level duties.
• 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.
• As part of the application process, a series of four short essay questions will be included. Applicants must certify that their own words were used to answer the questions.
• Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

• Resume Length: Please limit your resume to no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
• Basis of Rating: Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the result of the assessment required for this position. Your responses must be substantiated by your resume. If you do not respond to the application questions you may be rated ineligible.

Resume Review Assessment Required: If you meet the eligibility and basic qualification requirements for this position subject-matter-experts will perform a structured review of your resume to evaluate your knowledge, skills, abilities, and competences as they directly relate to the duties of this position.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and awards during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. If referred, all relevant documents including performance appraisals and awards submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.

Due Weight for Performance

• Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. Due weight for performance applies to federal and non-federal work. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.
• NOTE: If it is determined that you have rated yourself higher than is supported in your description of experience and/or education as described in your resume/application, or that your resume or application is incomplete, you may be rated ineligible, not qualified, or your score may be lowered.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12947517

Required Documents

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Required documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.

Resume

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

Supporting documents

• Upload any supporting documents identified in the Key Requirements section or included below as it applies to your eligibility. Supporting documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.

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.), 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.

Current Federal USGS Employees

• If you are a current career or career-conditional Federal US Geological Survey (USGS) employee, you must submit a copy of a recent SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action” documenting proof of competitive status within USGS, tenure, position title, occupational series, grade level and step by the closing date of this announcement, or you will not receive consideration.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) Eligibles If you are a CTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran’s preference points). For more information on CTAP please click here.

• If you are claiming CTAP 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 or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes:
• copy of the agency notice;
• your most recent Performance Rating; and
• your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

Eligibility for Special Appointing Authorities

If you are applying for this position based on eligibility under a special appointing authority, you must submit proof that supports your claim by the closing date of the announcement. If you fail to submit proof, you will not receive consideration under the special appointing authority. Below is a list of the most common authorities and the documentation requirements. If you’re eligible for an authority not listed, you are responsible for submitting documentation that’s appropriate for that specific authority. Additional information for all the authorities below can be found on the USAJobs Hiring Paths page.

Eligibilities Continued Under How To Apply

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.

How to Apply

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• Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. Most libraries, employment offices, and all USGS personnel offices can provide access to the Internet. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.
• Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement: 1) Click the blue “Apply Online” button. 2) If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile. 3) As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application. 4)Check the “Certification” box and click the “Apply for this position now!” button located at the bottom of the screen. 5)Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy. 6)Submit required documents. 7) If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.

Eligibilities Continued

• 30% or More Disabled Veteran – Submit a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy; and 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, etc.
• Individuals with Disabilities – Submit documentation issued by a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist; or any Federal agency, State agency, or an agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits.
• Military Spouse – Submit verification of active duty member of the armed forces (i.e. a copy of your spouse’s orders verifying currently on active duty and verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage); OR verification of the member’s 100% disability (official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later)); OR verification of the member’s death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
• Appointment of Certain Former Overseas Employees – Submit a SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that confirms your eligibility and a performance appraisal from that period.
• Peace Corps & VISTA – Former Peace Corps volunteers or VISTA members must submit their Certification of Volunteer Service. Present and former Peace Corps personnel must submit a SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that confirms their eligibility.
• Certain National Guard Technicians – Submit proof that confirms that you were involuntarily separated (other than by removal for cause on charges of misconduct or delinquency); you served at least 3 years as a technician; and are within 1 year of your separation date from service as a Guard Technician.
• Public Land Corps (PLC) – Submit the signed Certificate of Eligibility for Noncompetitive Hiring Status (PLC) issued by the PLC Coordinator for the organization where the creditable service was completed.

Agency contact information

Kathy Falino

Phone 703-648-7408 Email kathy_falino@ios.doi.gov Address CARTO DATA SRVCS

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive

Mail Stop 600

Reston, VA 20192

US

Next steps

• If you are rated as one of the most highly qualified candidates, you will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 30-45 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will be notified via email of the outcome. You can also go to “My Account” within USAJOBS to review your Application Status.

Fair and transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability New employee probationary period

Privacy Act Reasonable accommodation policy

Selective Service Signature and false statements

Social security number request