Research Hydrologist

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Department of Agriculture

Job Summary

The incumbent serves as a Research Hydrologist at the Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory (SEWRL), Tifton, Georgia. Incumbent's research focuses on building an understanding of hydrologic processes within agricultural basins of the Southeastern Coastal Plain region and the impacts of spatial and temporal variations in land use and management patterns on water routing, quantity and quality in these basins.

Major Duties

  • Conducts a research program that enhances understanding of hydrologic processes within agricultural basins of the Southeastern Coastal Plain region.
  • Conducts a research program that enhances understanding of the impacts of spatial and temporal variations in patterns of land use and management on water routing, quantity and quality in these basins.
  • Identifies and quantifies factors affecting surface and subsurface flow from plot to watershed scales.
  • Conceives, plans, executes, and reports research and works with crop and watershed modelers.
  • Improves representations of hydrologic routing on erosion, crop nutrient and water availability, and agrichemical budgets in integrated models for agroecosystems.
  • Serves as a member of multidisciplinary Long Term Agroecosystems Research (LTAR) cross-site teams that synthesize information on ecosystem services and disservices within agriculturally-dominated landscapes.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Basic Requirements

Degree: physical or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics. Calculus and physics, as described above, are requirements for all grade levels. OR Combination of education and experience: course work as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Evaluation of Experience: Acceptable experience must have included performance of scientific functions related to the study of water resources, based on and requiring a professional knowledge of related sciences and the consistent application of basic scientific principles to the solution of theoretical and practical hydrologic problems. The following is illustrative of acceptable experience: field or laboratory work that would require application of hydrologic theory and related sciences such as geology, geo-chemistry, geophysics, or civil engineering to making observations, taking samples, operating instruments, assembling data from source materials, analyzing and interpreting data, and reporting findings orally and in writing. In some cases, professional scientific experience that is not clearly water resource experience maybe acceptable if such experience was preceded by appropriate education in hydrology or by professional hydrology experience. Applicants with related experience in hydrology gained through earlier Federal Government employment might have gained that experience in one or more occupational series. Such series include Soil Conservation, GS-457; Forestry, GS-460; Soil Science, GS-470; Civil Engineering, GS-810; Chemistry, GS-1320; Meteorology, GS-1340; and Geology, GS-1350. Comparable non-Federal experience may be given similar credit. Additional Requirements In addition to meeting the basic requirements described above, applicants must also meet additional qualification requirements as stated below. GS-12: Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service or possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or possess an equivalent combination of graduate level education and experience. Graduate education must be directly related to the work of the position and must have equipped applicants with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled.The specialized experience requirements for the GS-12 level of this position are: Experience conducting hydrologic research related to water flow, routing, and/or availability within small plots, whole fields, or watersheds; presenting research findings at regional and national meetings or conferences; publishing research results in peer-reviewed scientific journals related to hydrology. GS-13: Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience requirements for the GS-13 level of this position are: Experience conducting research related to hydrology, geomorphology, meteorology, soil water availability to crops, or surface or groundwater availability/acquisition; working with crop and/or watershed modelers to improve representations of hydrologic routing on erosion, crop nutrient and water availability within and provided by agricultural landscapes; publishing research results in peer-reviewed scientific journals that demonstrate a history of collaboration across multiple scientific disciplines to integrate hydrologic processes for improved understanding of anthropogenic impacts on water availability and quality 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.

To be considered for this position, you must submit a one-page abstract of your MS thesis and/or Ph.D. dissertation. Also, submit a list of names, addresses, and phone numbers of persons familiar with your stature, contributions, recognition; any honors or awards received; memberships in professional or honor societies; invitations to make presentations at scientific/technical meetings; scientific society office and committee assignments; presentations (other than invitation); and publications. Applicants must be available to report for duty at the time a selection is made. Selections are typically made within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Pay Range

$76,721.00 - $118,603.00

More information...

End Date: 

Friday, April 17, 2020