Physical Science Technician

Summary Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource. This position is located in Buffalo, WY. Information about this location can be found here Buffalo, WY Pay may be adjusted due to 2026 general adjustments. Duties Assist the Natural Resource Specialists (NRS's) and Realty Specialists in addressing backlog of final abandonment and relinquishment inspections and general environmental surface inspections. Prepare maps of well locations and rights-of-way using the Public Land Survey System and global positioning coordinates to navigate to remote sites. Document field findings through written documentation and digital photography. Document field findings in databases. Coordination with oil and gas operators and right-of-way holders for corrective actions identified as a result of the inspections Requirements Conditions of employment U.S. Citizenship is required. Be sure to read the 'How to Apply' and 'Required Documents' Sections. You cannot hold an active real estate license: nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands. Direct Deposit Required. Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination. Your resume must contain enough information to show that you meet the qualification requirements as defined in the announcement. In addition, your responses to the questions must adequately reflect in your resume. You must be 18 years of age or older to be assigned to a hazardous position. You must pass a pre-employment physical. Qualifications In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume. No assumptions will be made about your experience. For GS-03: You must possess six (6) months of general experience. General experience is work that demonstrates: The applicant's ability to perform the work of the position to be filled, OR experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. -OR- 1 year above high school with course(s) related to the occupation, if required -OR- You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate undergraduate education. For GS-04: You must possess six (6) months of general experience AND six (6) months of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-03 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: Experience navigating with maps and GPS units to remote field locations. Ability to effectively communicate oral and written instructions to the public. Ability to clearly document inspection findings to brief the supervisor. General experience is work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position to be filled OR experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. -OR- 2 years above high school with courses related to the occupation, if required. -OR- You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate undergraduate education. For GS-05: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-04 level that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity as indicated by the following examples: Experience plotting coordinates in GIS. Generating maps and navigating with GPS units to remote field locations. Ability to effectively communicate oral and written instructions to oil and gas operators. Ability to clearly document inspection findings in written form. And database entry to brief the supervisor. -OR- 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, if required -OR- You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate undergraduate 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. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Physical Demands: The work is a mixture of sedentary work in the office and field work that involves some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing; walking over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; possibly recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities; or requiring lifting of moderately heavy items. Work Environment: The work involves a mixture of work in the office which is well lit, heated, and air conditioned and where normal safety precautions are adequate, and work in the field under conditions of inclement weather or other discomforts where normal safety precautions must be observed. Education In addition to the experience requirements described in the Qualifications section of this announcement, you must meet the Individual Occupation Requirements of this position as follows:Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Examples of qualifying specialized experience include work in the fields of astronomy, physics, geophysics, chemistry, hydrology, health physics, engineering, electronics, geology, oceanography, and metallurgy. Experience as a laboratory mechanic or in a trade or craft may be credited as general or specialized experience when the work was performed in close association with physical scientists or other technical personnel and provided intensive knowledge of appropriate scientific principles, methods, techniques, and precedents. or Education and Training: For GS-3: Successful completion of l year of study that included at least 6 semester hours in any combination of courses such as physical science, engineering, or any branch of mathematics, except financial and commercial mathematics. For GS-4: Successful completion of 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as those shown above for GS-3. For GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (a) with major study in an appropriate field of physical science, or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as those shown above for GS-3.Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7.If using education to qualify, you must submit copies of all transcripts or a list of college courses that include hours and grades from an accredited U.S. college/university. See Required Documents section for more information. Additional information DOI uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit E-Verify. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered for Selective Service Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of the Interior. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee. This position is not eligible for Telework. All positions may not be filled or they may be filled at different times depending on budget, hiring needs, and requirements. These positions are temporary and are expected to last for up to 6 months. These positions have no promotion potential, if you want to be considered for a higher grade you must apply for the higher grade. If selected from this announcement you may be rehired for identical positions without further competition based on work needs, funding, or any other condition of employment. If selected from this or a similar competitive, seasonal announcement, your appointment may be creditable for consideration under PL-114-47, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA)?. The Act allows certain individuals, who have or had time-limited appointments at land management agencies, to compete for any permanent position in the competitive service under "internal" merit promotion procedures. For more information, see the section under Eligibility, which starts with Question #15 (Q15. Who is eligible for appointment under these provisions?). 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.