About This Position
This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD Workforce to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. About the Position: Incumbent serves as senior geologist on projects and studies in support of civil works, including both dam and levee projects, military construction, and HTRW projects, providing geologic expertise in support of design, construction, and operation activities
Qualifications
Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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).
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Basic Requirement for Geologist: A.
Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in geology, plus 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. Combination of Education and Experience: Course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. (Note: Acceptable experience may have been gained through geological field or laboratory work that provided a means of obtaining professional knowledge of the theory and application of the principles of geology and closely related sciences, e.g., geophysics, geochemistry, or hydrology. Such work generally must have involved making close observations, taking samples, handling various types of instruments and equipment, assembling geologic data from source materials, and analyzing and reporting findings orally and in writing.
In some situations, professional scientific experience in other fields may be accepted in part as professional geological experience. Such experience must have been preceded by appropriate education in geology or by professional geological experience and must have contributed directly and significantly to the applicant's professional geological competence. To receive credit for geological experience obtained in positions that are not full-time professional geological positions, the applicant is responsible for indicating clearly the actual time or percentage of time devoted to geologic duties within such positions, and for giving adequate descriptions of the geologic functions.)
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: To qualify at GS-12, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade/level (GS-11). Specialized experience is defined as: (1) Experience applying geologic principles, methods, and techniques for geotechnical portions of studies, construction, operation, design, and/or resolution of a wide range of problems for military construction, civil works, and HTRW projects. (2) Experience directing and/or performing complex geologic and/or hydrogeologic field investigations which includes subsurface investigation, pumping tests, and slug tests. (3) Experience interpreting or analyzing, and/or documenting geologic, hydrogeologic, and geophysical information as it applies to specific study and design problems for civil work, military construction, and HTRW projects.
Major Duties
Plans, directs and/or performs complex and highly technical geotechnical field investigations.
Applies geologic principles, methods, and techniques for geotechnical portions of studies, construction, operation, design, and resolution of a wide range of problems for military construction, civil works, and HTRW projects
Plans, directs and/or performs complex hydrogeologic field investigations including subsurface investigation, pumping tests, and slug tests to determine hydrogeologic stratigraphy and aquifer properties.
Analyzes field data to determine extent of contamination in groundwater and soils. Reviews groundwater and contaminant transport modeling reports.
Plans, directs, and/or performs field investigations to obtain data to structurally characterize soil and/or rock in foundations for structures, excavations, and slope stability analysis.
Interprets, analyses, and documents geologic, hydrogeologic, and geophysical information as it applies to specific study and design problems for civil work, military construction, and HTRW projects.
During site visits, consults with the Resident Engineer in solving complex geologic problems such as the proper development of a quarry from the standpoint of obtaining the best rock materials with the least amount of burden and waste.
Participates in periodic general inspections of existing district dams and makes unscheduled inspections as required in order to evaluate geology related problems.
Education
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/
How You Will Be Evaluated
Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.
Veterans and Military Spouses will be considered along with all other candidates.
Additional Information
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. Direct Deposit of Pay is required. Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet. This is a Career Field 18- Engineers & Scientists position. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
Situational telework may be available according to agency policy. Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement. When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable.
Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction.htm for more information. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest. Enhanced Annual leave and credit for Non-Federal Service may be authorized.
For more information: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/leave-administration/#url=Fact-Sheets Advanced In-Hire Rate may be authorized. For more information: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-administration/fact-sheets/superior-qualifications-and-special-needs-pay-setting-authority/ Relocation/Recruitment/Retention Incentive may be authorized. For more information: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/recruitment-relocation-retention-incentives/ Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) may be authorized.
For more information: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/student-loan-repayment/
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 03/24/2026 to receive consideration To begin, click Apply to access the online application.
You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12907593).
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section.
You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted.
Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position.
Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete. It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated.
For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
Required Documents
The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist for Public Announcements. As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
1.
Your resume: Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement.
If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position. Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood.
The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume. If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy. For additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.
- Other supporting documents: Cover Letter, optional Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable This position has an individual occupational requirement and/or allows for substitution of education for experience. If you meet this requirement based on education you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses This position requires a job-related license or certification.
You MUST submit a copy of your license or certification with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses
NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you.
You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application.
You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.