Physical Science Technician

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level(s) in which you are applying: GS-06: Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-06 level, one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service that included: Collecting soil samples and preparing them for analysis; Maintaining detailed records of experimental data; and Operating specialized equipment in a laboratory setting. OR Education: One full year of graduate education in physical science, soil science, chemistry, or other directly related field. (Must submit transcripts.) OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above that total 100% when combined. Determine the total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determine the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (Must submit transcripts.) GS-07 Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-07 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service that included: Assisting with soil sample management, laboratory processes, and soil data collection and distribution; Helping update and support a laboratory information management system by providing software updates and correcting malfunctions; and Applying appropriate procedures and techniques when managing databases that contain soil analytical data. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) OR Education: One full year of graduate education in physical science, soil science, chemistry, or other directly related field. (Must submit transcripts.) OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above that total 100% when combined. Determine the total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determine the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (Must submit transcripts.) GS-08 Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-08 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service that included: Collecting, organizing, and distributing laboratory data; Utilizing database applications such as Microsoft Access; Collecting and organizing soil analytical data for data modeling and assisting with data modeling procedures; and Working with a laboratory information management system to manage laboratory samples and soil analytical data collection. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) OR Education: Must have successfully completed a Master’s or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of graduate education in physical science, soil science, chemistry, or other directly related field. (Must submit transcripts.) OR Combination: A combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above that total 100% when combined. Determine the total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determine the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (Must submit transcripts.) IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). 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. The OPM Qualification Standards for this position can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Occupational-Series
This position is located in the Soil Research Branch Laboratory, National Soil Survey Center (NSSC), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in Lincoln, Nebraska. The primary purpose of the position and major duties performed are to facilitate laboratory analysis of soil samples and the collection, storage and use of analytical data through the operation of the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and laboratory databases.