Job Description

Summary

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


Salary is dependent on the duty location. First time hires to the Federal Government are typically hired at the Step 01. Duty Location pay information:


Anchorage, AK: $84,439 (Step 01) to $109,777 (Step 10)
Golden, CO: 83,265 (Step 01) to $108,251 (Step 10)


Open to current or former Federal employees: USGS-DEN-26-12923371-ST-CK

Learn more about this agency

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Duties

As a Geologist within the Geologic Hazards Science or the Volcano Science Center, some of your specific duties will include:

• Conduct landslide hazard assessments for multiple types of landslides including cascading landslide hazards, such as tsunami.
• Collect and analyze field data and remote sensing information about geologic features, systems, and processes that contribute to landslide hazards and risks.
• Evaluate the triggering conditions of landslides to support criteria for landslide forecasting or susceptibility products.
• Coordinate the collection of landslide data from USGS partners, including State Geological Surveys, the National Weather Service, U.S. Forest Service, and other Department of Interior bureaus.
• Communicate effectively with a wide audience. This includes supervisor, peers, scientists (both USGS and external colleagues), and support staff.
• Operate a government owned/leased vehicle as an incidental driver.

Physical Demands : During emergency response periods, training of personnel on new equipment, or field work, the scientist may be expected to hike distances of several kilometers over uneven terrain while carrying equipment. Field work may require working in remote field sites with limited to no services. Field work may require the use of proper personal protective gear, working in dusty, hot, humid, and extreme cold environments, occasional off-road driving of 4-wheel drive vehicles, traveling to remote field sites in helicopters or small fixed wing planes, and/or boats. Lifting of equipment and objects weighing up to 20 kilograms may be necessary.



Work Environment : Field work may involve encounters with dangerous fauna and flora, and other wilderness dangers. International field work may be conducted in culturally hostile areas. Geology position with duties that involve subsurface investigation require geologists to work near drill rigs and heavy equipment. Geology positions with duties that involve construction support require geologists to work near heavy equipment and construction hazards. Some work is carried out in proximity to explosives.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Key Requirements :

• Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.

• Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.

• Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.

• More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.

• Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.

• Selectee subject to successful completion of a pre-employment medical exam.

Are There Any Special Requirements for This Position?

• Taking and passing a pre-employment medical examination at Federal expense is required due to the physical demands of this job.
• You will be required to operate a government-owned or -leased vehicle in the performance of your official duties. Applicants for this position must meet the following requirements: (1) possess a valid State driver's license, and (2) possess a safe driving record. If selected, you will be required to provide proof of a valid State license & a copy of your driving record.
• 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.

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.



REQUIREMENTS CONTINUED IN THE QUALIFICATIONS SECTION :

Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS CONTINUED :


This probationaryperiod 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.


This probationaryperiod 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 periodyour employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.



QUALIFICATIONS :

Experience: One year of work experience is twelve months working full-time (at least 35-40 hours per week). Part-time experience can be pro-rated (i.e., a year at 20 hours per week is credited as 6 months of experience). If your position consisted of mixed duties, experience credit is given for the percentage of time that you spent on qualifying duties (i.e., if you held a position for 2 years, full-time, consisting of 25% personnel work and 75% budget work, and then applied for a budget position you could calculate your experience as follows: 2 yrs = 24 months. 24 months x 75% [percentage of time spent on budget duties] = 18 months of qualifying experience.)

Undergraduate Education: A year of undergraduate education is 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours or the equivalent of college study. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent was a prerequisite.

Graduate Education: In the absence of specific graduate program information, a year of graduate education is 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours of graduate level college course work, or the number of credit hours the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT :


Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Geologist, all grade levels.

A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in geology. In addition to the geology course work included in the degree, it must also have included or been supplemented by 20 additional semester hours in any combination of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological science, structural, chemical, civil, mining or petroleum engineering, computer science, planetary geology, comparative planetology, geophysics, meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, physical geography, marine geology, and cartography; OR

B. A combination of education and experience-course work as shown in "A" above (24 semester hours or the equivalent in geology plus 20 additional semester hours or the equivalent in any combination of courses as specified in "A" above), plus appropriate experience and/or additional education for a total of 4 years. 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.(CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE)

MINIMUM REQUIREMENT:


In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for GS-11 grade level:

One year of appropriate professional experience in geology that is equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service. This experience must be directly related to the duties of the position and have equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for successful performance. Experience for this position is defined as:

• Collecting and analyzing data to evaluate landslide hazards, including the use of computer programming to implement assessment procedures.
• Conducting field investigations and using remote sensing data to identify and monitor landslide activity.
• Applying and modifying numerical models and geospatial analysis methods to improve the understanding of landslide processes.
• Collaborating within multidisciplinary teams to facilitate landslides data collection.
• Communicating scientific information to both technical and general audiences in written and oral formats.

OR

Three years of progressively higher level graduate education (54 semester hours, 81 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a Ph.D. degree in geology or other directly related field of study or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in geology or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position to be filled;



OR

A combination of successfully completed graduate level education as described above that is beyond the second year of progressive graduate study and professional experience, as described above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE GRADUATE EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE)

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.
• Foreign Education: 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:

Additional information

Other Information :

• Duty location: It is anticipated that one position will be filled in the Geologic Hazards Science Center in Golden, CO, and one position will be filled in the Volcanic Science Center in Anchorage, AK.
• This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies in the advertised office or other U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 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.
• Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) may compete for civil service jobs. Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only in very limited circumstances where there are no qualified citizens available for the position.
• USGS employees are subject to Title 43, USC Section 31(a) and may not: (a) have any personal, private, direct or indirect interest in lands or mineral wealth of lands under survey; (b) have any substantial personal, private, direct or indirect interests in any private mining or mineral enterprise doing business with the United States; or (c) execute surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations.
• 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.
• Department of Interior (DOI) uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit
• 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 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:
• 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.

Benefits

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.

B asis 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.



Narrative Responses Assessment Required: If you meet the basic qualification and eligibility requirements of this position, you will be contacted via email after the vacancy announcement closes and given 5 calendar days to submit narrative responses to questions specific to this announcement. The email will include the instructions and deadline in which the responses must be submitted. Subject-matter experts will use these narrative responses to further evaluate your knowledge, skills, abilities as they directly relate to the duties of this position. Failure to submit this information upon request will result in your disqualification from further consideration. The Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities that are being evaluated are:

• Conducting landslide hazard assessments. In your response, explain the types of data you have collected and analyzed, how you have used computer programming to support or implement elements of a hazard-assessment procedure, the types of landslides you have worked with, and your understanding of cascading landslide hazards.
• Conducting landslide hazard assessments that involve collecting and analyzing geologic field data and remote sensing information. In your response, discuss your field investigation experience, the types of remote sensing data you have used to evaluate hillslope erosion, mass wasting, and other slope-stability-related processes, and how you have applied these methods to identify or track landslide activity.
• Evaluating landslide triggering conditions and advancing landslide process understanding. In your response, explain how you have used or modified numerical models and geospatial analysis methods to develop landslide forecast, susceptibility, or risk products. Include specific examples of datasets, tools or languages (for example, Geographic Information Systems, Python), how you calibrate/validate models, and how your results have informed decisions or products.
• Coordinating landslide data collection. In your response, explain how you have worked as part of teams of scientists, engineers, and technical support personnel to facilitate data collection among federal, state, and/or local partners, and detail your role in compiling and performing quality control on datasets.
• Communicating and documenting landslide-related science for diverse audiences, including scientific peers, external partners, and the general public, in both oral and written formats. In your response, provide specific examples of final technical products you have produced (such as technical reports or datasets), your role in developing them and the intended audience; explain how you tailor messages for different stakeholders while maintaining clarity, accessibility, and scientific rigor. Outline how partner or peer feedback shaped final products.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED CONTINUED IN THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS SECTION :

Required Documents

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED CONTINUED:


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:



REQUIRED DOCUMENTS :


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



Resume


Resumesare required and will be limited 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. 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. You are highly encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or other written form, then you must describe your job-related qualifications, including beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience; hours worked per week; month and year of employment for each job title listed; annual salary; and description of job duties. Include name and address of employer; supervisor name; and telephone number. Additional information on what to include can be found here.



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


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, grades received, and graduation date (if applicable), by the closing date of this announcement, or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.



Veterans' Preference Eligibles


If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.


If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans' preference and that your character of military service is honorable.


If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., 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, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders. Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans' preference.


Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the VetGuide.



Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) & Inter-agency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Eligibles


If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP 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 for CTAP and 5 CFR 330 Subpart G for ICTAP 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.

If you are a CTAP or ICTAP 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/ICTAP please click here.

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

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.

Agency contact information

Ted Wilder

Phone

303-236-9571

Email

[email protected]

Address

GEOLOGIC HAZARDS SC
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.

Overview

Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

04/07/2026 to 04/21/2026

Salary

$83,265 - $109,777 per year

Pay scale & grade

GS 11

Locations

Few vacancies in the following locations:

Anchorage, AK

Golden, CO

Remote job

No

Telework eligible

Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel an average of 3 nights per month for this position.

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Appointment type

Permanent

Work schedule

Full-time

Service

Competitive

Promotion potential

12

Job family (Series)

• 1350 Geology

Supervisory status

No

Security clearance

Not Required

Drug test

No

Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process

• Credentialing

Financial disclosure

No

Bargaining unit status

Yes

Announcement number

USGS-DEN-26-12923358-DE-CK

Control number

864154000

Job Tags

Permanent employment, Full time, Part time, Work experience placement, Work at office, Local area, Immediate start, Remote work, Relocation, Trial period, Flexible hours, Night shift

Similar Jobs