Geologist (Map Editor)

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Reston (VA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Reston, VA seeks a Geologist (Map Editor) to review and edit scientific publications and geologic maps. The role requires applying geology expertise to ensure accuracy, clarity, and consistency across maps and text, and to manage multiple publishing projects.

The position emphasizes professional editing, cross-checking, and collaboration with authors and team members to meet publication standards and deadlines.

Qualifications

• Review and edit a wide variety of scientific and technical publications.
• Use geology knowledge to review geologic maps and accompanying materials.
• Perform editing, copyediting, proofreading, and cross-checking of draft publications.

Responsibilities

• Review maps and text, illustrations, structures, explanations, and tables for technical accuracy.
• Ensure layouts meet standards and data are presented clearly.
• Provide professional reviews and communication to authors and team members.
• Serve as a project manager, balancing multiple products and tracking progress.

Skills

Editing & proofreading

Copyediting

Technical editing

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in geology

Job description

Summary

You will serve as a Geologist (Map Editor) for the Science Publishing Network.

Summary

You will serve as a Geologist (Map Editor) for the Science Publishing Network. Pay will vary based on grade level and/or duty location for which you're selected. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate. This announcement is only open to the first 100 applicants. Once the application limit has been reached, the announcement will automatically close at 11:59 pm EST on the day the limit is reached, regardless of the established closing date. This job is open to The public U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S. Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants. Clarification from the agency This announcement is open to United States Citizens; U.S. Nationals; and Career transition eligibles (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL). Duties

Help

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Review and edit a wide variety of scientific and technical publications (from geologic maps to multichaptered technical products) that deliver the results of USGS's multidisciplinary science to the public.
• Use professional knowledge of geology to critically review geologic maps and accompanying materials for their adequacy, clarity, consistency of data presentation, and correctness and validity of geologic interpretations.
• Perform substantive and technical editing, copyediting, proofreading, and cross-checking of all components of draft publications, ensuring correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, plain language, and other editorial standards.
• Review maps and accompanying text, illustrations, structure cross sections, explanations, and tables for technical accuracy, clarity, consistency, organization, and format.
• Review and inspect proofs to eliminate errors and to ensure that instructions have been followed, information product layouts meet accepted standards, data are presented clearly, and the job is complete.
• Provide diplomatic, clear, and professional reviews, advice, and communication to authors, managers, and other team members.
• Serve as a project manager, balancing multiple products at a time, and track and monitor progress through a multistage, digital publishing workflow to meet tight deadlines.
• Work individually and as part of a team to prepare and release map products and other publications.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This Probationary Period Is An Extension Of The Appointment Process And Therefore Requires The Agency To Determine If Continued Employment Would Advance The Public Interest, Meet The Organization Goals And Mission Of The Agency, And/or Otherwise Promote The Efficiency Of The Service. In Determining If Your Employment Advances The Public Interest, The Agency Will Consider

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-09/03/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine the number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Basic Educational Requirement AND/OR Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying.

Basic Educational Requirements

In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one of the following:

• A. Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in geology. In addition to the geology course work included in the degree, it must also have included or been supplemented by 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. You must submit transcripts.

-OR-

• B. Combination of education and experience: combination of education and experience which includes 24 semester hours or equivalent in geology plus 20 additional semester hours or equivalent in a combination of courses specified in choice 1, plus appropriate experience and/or additional education totaling 4 years.

-AND-

To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience must include: assisting higher-level geologists in carrying out geologic assignments, compiling information and data onto geologic maps, writing up the results of the assignments, fact-checking, and ensuring that the written report matches the data and information collected. Additional examples of such experience may include copyediting geologic reports from other geologists into a larger compilation report; editing a regular newsletter, journal, or other professional communication product for public dissemination; or reviewing and editing other people's maps and text as part of preparing these products for publication. This work experience would have involved reviewing submitted work for technical mistakes not only in the geology, but also grammar, spelling, and punctuation; using some judgment in applying editorial style and consistency across multiple products from different authors; and would have required a good working knowledge of the principles of writing and editing, including sentence structure, overall organization and clarity, and editorial style.. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

• Education: Successful completion of at least 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in the fields described in the question above. You must include transcripts.

-OR-

• Combination of education and experience: A combination of successfully completed higher level graduate education and specialized experience to meet the total qualification requirements for the grade level specified above. You must include hours per week and transcripts.

Volunteer Experience: 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.

Education

This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification

Additional information Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement. Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

Work is sedentary, but frequent trips to other offices for consultations require mobility. Frequently handles large pieces of paper (42" x 58") singly or in rolls weighing as much as 20 pounds. Requires prolonged work over a light table or drafting table (sitting or standing) to check color proofs, layouts, and large illustrations. Requires the ability to handle high stress levels from the pressure of deadlines, volume of work, and challenges from authors. Work is done in an office. Requires prolonged focus, attention to detail, and the ability to manage frequent interruptions by colleagues, visitors, and telephone and video calls.

All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.

The duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster.

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.

Help

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g. resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of any additional assessment(s) required for this position.

Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

Candidates Will Be Rated And Ranked Using Category Rating Procedures. These Procedures Place Candidates With Veteran's Preference Above Non-preference Eligibles Within Each Category. Veterans With a Service-connected Disability Of At Least 10 Percent Are Listed In The Highest Quality Category, Except When The Position Being Filled Is Scientific Or Professional At The GS-09 Grade Level Or Higher. Under Category Rating, Candidates Will Be Rated And Ranked Into The Following Categories

• Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
• Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Communication and Relationship Building
• Geologic Mapping
• Scientific Publishing and Project Management
• Technical Editing

If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, the agency will expand the group of candidates in accordance with the pre-announced supplement strategy and 5 CFR 332.402(f).

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessment(s), including a structured resume review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.

Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.

Required Documents

• Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates in month-year format (include month/day/year format if needed for 52 weeks of experience), and indicate hours worked per week (or full-time). Your resume must clearly show how long you have held each grade/rank. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications. Your 2-page resume must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements. If you have federal experience, you should include series, and grade for each position held, and if experience is part of a career ladder position, you must clearly distinguish the job duties and length of time working for each grade level. More information on how to write a Federal Resume: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include
• Complete All Required Assessments.
• All college transcript(s), if qualifying based on education. Please submit both undergraduate and graduate level transcripts, as applicable.
• Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable. Veterans must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (member 4 copy) or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF15. If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF15, and if applicable, a completed SF15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.va.gov/records/ or call 1-800-827-1000. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty, 2) under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active-duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, & 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
• Interagency Career Transition (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): You MUST submit proof of eligibility including 1) copy of the agency notice, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc.; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be well qualified. For more information visit: USAJOBS Help Center - Career Transition Programs (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).

Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - you must remove your image from all documents.

Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing offices.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Agency contact information

Christine Jewett

Email [e-mail] Address SPN

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive

Mail Stop 600

Reston, VA 20192

US