Physical Scientist (Seasonal)

National Park Service•Whiskeytown, CA

18d

About The Position

This is a temporary seasonal Physical Scientist appointment expected to last no more than 1,039 hours. The typical season lasts no more than six months between March and November, though timing may vary with weather, project needs, or funding. The anticipated entry-on-duty period is April–May 2027. The position may be filled at the GS-07 or GS-09 level. Employment may end at any time because of funding fluctuations, project needs, employee performance, or other considerations. Occupancy of government quarters may be required; housing may be available but is not guaranteed. The position collects field data for natural or cultural resource inventories and monitoring programs; operates and troubleshoots monitoring installations; and supports scientific and management reporting. Fieldwork may involve GPS/GNSS equipment and mobile mapping applications. At GS-09, the work also includes designing and developing geospatial data products. The role requires the specified physical science education and grade-level experience or qualifying graduate education, and may involve vehicle operation, training, travel, and work on-call or outside regular hours. Work takes place indoors and outdoors in all types of weather, potentially in hazardous or rugged locations. Physical work may include strenuous activity, while research and report writing require sustained concentration and writing. Flying in fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters is possible. A uniform may be required, and a uniform allowance will be provided.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
Must meet the basic education requirement: a degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics including 24 semester hours in physical science or related engineering science; or equivalent education including those hours plus appropriate experience or additional education.
For GS-07, must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-05, qualifying graduate education, or an allowable combination of directly related experience and education.
For GS-09, must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-07, qualifying graduate education, or an allowable combination of directly related experience and education.
Must submit transcripts when required to demonstrate the basic education requirement or qualify through education.
Must provide a resume of no more than two pages with duties, dates of employment, and hours worked; only the resume submitted in the designated Resume section will be used for qualification and rating.
Must pass a background investigation and favorable adjudication, complete employment verification through E-Verify, and participate in direct deposit.
Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered for Selective Service.
Must meet the stated minimum age requirements for employment and for operating government vehicles.
A valid driver's license is required if operating a government or private motor vehicle as part of official duties.
May be required to complete training, operate a four-wheel-drive vehicle, and obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
May be required to wear a uniform and comply with National Park Service uniform standards.
May be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime, or shift work.
Physical demands may include standing, walking, climbing, and lifting or carrying heavy objects; some duties take place in physically dangerous settings.
Must be able to concentrate and write for extended periods for documentary research and report writing.

Responsibilities

Collect field data for basic natural or cultural resource inventories and monitoring programs that assess resource status, trends, or condition.
Operate and troubleshoot natural resource or physical science monitoring installations, including power supplies, dataloggers, sensors, and calibration.
Assist in preparing management and scientific reports on protection, mitigation, restoration, inventory, monitoring, and research activities.
Collect and record field data using mapping-grade or survey-grade GPS/GNSS equipment, such as Trimble, and mobile devices and applications, such as Collector for ArcGIS.
At GS-09, design and develop geospatial data outputs and products, such as paper maps, web mapping applications, graphics, and reports.