Hydrologic Technician.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Fairview Township (York County); On-site; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Geological Survey seeks a Hydrologic Technician to support surface water, groundwater, and water quality data collection in field settings.

You will install, maintain, and operate monitoring equipment, perform data entry and QA, and assist with data analysis. The role involves travel to field sites and physical work in varying weather conditions.

Qualifications

• Specialized experience or education required; see announcement details.
• Experience collecting hydrologic data and operating monitoring equipment.
• Ability to enter, edit, and verify hydrologic data in databases.

Responsibilities

• Surface Water: measure stages and discharge with approved methods.
• Ground Water: collect water-level data from wells and springs.
• Water Quality: measure temp, pH, DO, conductivity, alkalinity.
• Instrumentation: install, maintain, and configure sensors and gear.
• Data Management: input and analyze data; monitor sampling frequencies.

Skills

Hydrologic field data collection

Water quality measurements

Instrument maintenance

Data entry & QA

Field safety practices

Education

Science coursework

Graduate education in science

Tools

Hydrologic monitoring equipment

Data management software

Job description

Duties

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

• Surface Water: Performs a wide variety of stage and discharge measurements using appropriate techniques, equipment and protocols.
• Ground Water: Performs wide variety of water-level and discharge measurements from wells and springs selecting appropriate techniques, equipment and protocols.
• Water Quality: Performs field measurements such as water temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen and alkalinity.
• Instrumentation: Installs, maintains, services, and assists in the configuration of a variety of sensing, recording, and communications equipment and instrumentation.
• Data Management: Enters, retrieves, edits, and analyzes hydrologic data using one or more of several databases, spreadsheets, and graphics software programs. Monitors water-quality sampling frequencies for timely data collection and reports discrepancies.

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
• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• A physical examination will be required, or a statement regarding physical ability will need to be completed.
• You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 10 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

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-08/19/2026-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 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 Requirements For Hydrologic Technician, GS-1316

Specialized experience: Technician or aid in engineering, earth, physical, or natural science, forestry, soil conservation, or surveying; Trades or crafts work in maintenance or construction of facilities or equipment related to hydrology; Drafting; and/or Construction estimating. -OR- -OR- 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.

• AND- To qualify for this position at the GS-08 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 is defined as demonstrated experience: Collected hydrologic field data (such as streamflow, groundwater, water-quality, or sediment data) using established procedures, scientific methods, and hydrologic monitoring equipment; Operated, calibrated, maintained, or performed routine troubleshooting and repairs on hydrologic monitoring equipment or automated data collection systems following established procedures; Reviewed, computed, verified, or processed hydrologic data using established methods or software, identified data discrepancies, and documented or corrected errors in accordance with quality assurance procedures; Prepared, maintained, or reviewed field notes, calibration records, station records, or other technical documentation to ensure the accuracy, completeness, and traceability of hydrologic data; Entered, maintained, validated, retrieved, or updated hydrologic or other scientific data in electronic databases or information management systems while following established quality assurance and records management procedures. You must include hours per week worked.
• Education: Successful completion of at least one and one half years of graduate education (27 semester hours) that is directly related to the work of the position, with major study in any combination of scientific or technical courses. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Transcripts must be included. You must include transcripts.
• A Combination of education and experience.

Education

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.

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 requires agility and strenuous physical exertion. Must be able to lift over 50 lbs. Field conditions include heat or cold, rain or snow and conditions such as ice and flooding or exposure to irritant or toxic chemicals.

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,

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.

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.

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.