Cartographic Technician (Seasonal)

National Park Service • El Portal, CA

3d

About The Position

Seasonal Cartographic Technician positions assist permanent staff with duties involved in developing cartographic products. The typical season runs from March through October, but may vary due to weather, project needs, or funding. Anticipated entry on duty is March–April 2027. The announcement is open to the first 50 applicants or until October 26, 2026, whichever comes first.

The position involves field data collection and the compilation, analysis, and presentation of spatial and non-spatial information. Work is usually performed in an office, with outdoor field work in varied climatic and terrain conditions. The work includes extended periods at computer terminals and drafting tables, along with some bending, crouching, lifting, climbing, and reaching. Employees must wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards; a uniform allowance is provided.

The role may be filled under a temporary seasonal appointment not to exceed 1,560 hours rather than 1,039 hours, depending on the park and program. Employment may end at any time because of funding changes, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations. Some positions may be covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Must pass a background investigation and receive favorable adjudication.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered for Selective Service.
• Must participate in Direct Deposit.
• Must successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• Must wear a uniform and comply with uniform standards.
• Must be at least 18 years old, or at least 16 and meet one of the listed education, vocational training, school-authority, or student-employment conditions.
• For GS-07 qualification through experience: at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 level in Federal service, including technician work compiling, reducing, storing, retrieving, analyzing, and reporting data or resource management information, or relevant cartographic, engineering, or biological technician work applying GIS/GPS practices alongside knowledge of GIS software, hardware operations, and equipment.
• For GS-07 qualification through education: at least one full year of graduate-level education (18 semester hours) in courses directly related to the work, such as cartography, astronomy, geodesy, photogrammetry, oceanography, computer science, land surveying, geophysics, or remote sensing.
• A combination of qualifying specialized experience and related graduate study may be used: six months of specialized experience and nine semester hours of related graduate study, with the combined qualifying percentages totaling at least 100 percent.
• Applicants claiming qualifying experience must document hours worked per week. Part-time experience must include hours to allow prorating.
• Applicants substituting education for experience must submit transcripts. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable initially; selected candidates who qualify using education must provide official transcripts before starting work.
• Foreign education must be evaluated by a private organization specializing in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and deemed equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs.
• The resume must not exceed two single-sided pages and must clearly describe duties and responsibilities, employment dates by month and year, and full-time/part-time status or hours worked per week. Only the resume submitted in the Resume document section will be used for qualification and rating purposes.
• All qualifications must be met by the announcement closing date, October 26, 2026.

Responsibilities

• Visit field sites to gather information using accepted field mapping techniques, which may include GPS, total stations, tape and compass, alidade and plane table, or combinations of these methods.
• Independently input routine and complex spatial and non-spatial digital data into draft format, field compilation, CAD, or GIS.
• Use GIS, GPS, CAD, and related programs and technology to analyze data and recommend appropriate courses of action to meet park objectives.
• Produce user-ready original or derived thematic maps in variable formats and media, at various scales, with appropriate symbols, legends, and title blocks.
• Perform routine hardware maintenance and move equipment.
• Record and measure map data using a computer mouse and large drafting tables.

Benefits

• A uniform allowance is provided.
• Federal employees and their families have access to a range of benefits; specific eligibility depends on position type and other factors.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed