Hydrologic Sciences Technician (USGS) GS-1316-05

Duties:

Incumbent performs routine measurements of stage and discharge under a variety of field conditions applying established uniform methods. Observes and notes hydraulic or environmental conditions. Computes and checks surface-water records from field data where hydrologic conditions are stable. Plots discharge measurements and estimates short periods of missing records. Develops simple preliminary stage-discharge and/or velocity index curves and ratings. Reviews gage-height data and discharge measurements to check methods and accuracy of computation. Prepares basic material for publication, including maps, tables, and other illustrative material. Prepares plots, drafts, or sketches from surveying field notes. Verifies the accuracy of data summaries. Performs routine water-level and discharge measurements from wells and springs to collect data. Computes and checks ground-water records from field data where conditions are fairly stable. Plots water-level measurements. Collects well location and characteristic information. Performs routine field water-quality measurements such as water temperature, specific conductance, Ph, dissolved oxygen and alkalinity. Using well defined methods and procedures, processes samples and performs limited field or lab analyses of samples. Prepares and ships samples for lab analyses. Prepares summaries and basic data reports of field activities. Computes, processes, and checks routine sediment samples where established methods exist. Computes and checks straightforward measurements for analyses and computation. Enters sediment data into the water-quality and/or daily-values file using automated systems. Assembles and prepares data for tabulation and subsequent publication. Performs installation, maintenance, servicing, and troubleshooting of sensing, recording and communications equipment and instrumentation. Prepares repair logs on hydrologic instrumentation. Calibrates meters and analytical equipment using appropriate techniques and protocols. Assists in the construction and removal of gages and supporting structures. Applying established procedures, protocols, and standards assists in the construction, development, and abandonment of wells. Performs routine safety inspections of equipment and work areas. Assists in establishing vertical and horizontal datums. Flags high-water marks and documents their reliability. Measures and records routine crest-stage gage high-water marks. Operates a government motor vehicle as an incidental driver.

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.)

EDUCATION: One year of full-time academic study is 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business or technical school. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained in an accredited business, technical school, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent was a prerequisite.