Interdisciplinary (Geographer or Physical Scientist)

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Sioux Falls (SD); On-site; USD 148,000 - 192,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at the EROS Center seeks a Project Manager and Coordinator for land-change monitoring activities. Expect possible overnight travel 1-2 nights per month and requirement to obtain a government travel card.

The GS-15 level offers a salary from $147,945 to $192,331, with First time hires starting at Step 1. Open to the public and eligible Federal candidates. Includes mission-driven responsibilities and governance over MRLC collaborations.

Qualifications

• Specialized experience in land-change monitoring, assessment, and projection.
• Ability to plan, budget, coordinate work statements, and monitor program delivery.
• Experience working with external partners and presenting to management.

Responsibilities

• Serves as technical expert and project manager for land-cover monitoring at USGS EROS.
• Oversees development of national-scale land-change monitoring products; guides methodologies.
• Coordinates with external partners; represents USGS in meetings and reports.

Skills

Project management

Remote sensing

Stakeholder communication

Education

Geography or related field degrees

Combination of education and experience

Job description

Summary

You will serve as the Project Manager and Coordinator for land-change monitoring activities at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 1-2 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.

GS-15: 147,945 (Step 1) to $192,331 (Step 10). First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.

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; and to United States Citizens, U.S. Nationals, and Career transition eligibles (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL).

Duties

• Serves as technical expert, principal focal point and project manager for land-cover monitoring, assessment, and projection activities at USGS EROS. Includes planning, preparing budget requirements, identifying appropriate work statements, designing prototypes, coordinating work assignments with other projects, and monitoring completion of work.


• Executes project development, guidance, and oversight of operational landscape monitoring activities, with a focus on the development of cutting-edge national-scale land-change monitoring, assessment, and projection products. This includes oversight of research into new and improved methodologies for updating project products and engineering and overseeing research-to-operations.


• Provides project coordination and communication with external partners and stakeholders. Serves as primary USGS EROS support for the Multi-Resolution Landscape Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium. Facilitates cooperation and coordination among USGS and external partners. Publishes scientific and technical reports, participates in professional meetings, symposia, and conferences, and participates in special task forces and study groups.


• Serves as a recognized, authoritative expert on remote sensing and land cover mapping for resource monitoring and assessment to US Government agencies and other organizations. Advances the application of remote sensing technologies to actionable land-change monitoring, assessment, and projection activities. Leads a dynamic agenda of modernization across the Federal Civil Land Characterization community.

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/.


• A financial disclosure report will be required within 30 days of appointment.


• 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-09/01/2026-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.

Basic Educational Requirements

GS-0150

• A. Degree: geography; or related physical or social science such as geology, meteorology, economics, statistics, sociology, anthropology, political science, history, cartography, computer science, urban studies, or planning that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields. You must submit transcripts.


• B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

GS-1301

• A. Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics. You must submit transcripts.


• B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Specialized Experience Requirement

You must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

• Operational experience in remote sensing-based land-change monitoring, assessment, and/or projection.


• Project management expertise, including defining project scope and direction, management of timelines and deliverables, contract management, and financial tracking and planning.


• Communication and interpersonal skills to work across agency boundaries, conduct technical presentations, technical reviews, and formal presentations to executive and other levels of management.


• Partnering with other agencies or entities in collaboration for co-development of land-change monitoring strategies and data.


• Organizational strategic planning; advising on project direction, project and partner synergies, implementing operational efficiencies.

You must include hours per week worked.

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 does not allow substituting education for experience. 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. If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive.

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.

This is an interdisciplinary position. Position may be filled by: Geographer GS-0150 or Physical Scientist GS-1301.

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.

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. Open in a new window Learn more about federal 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.

Evaluation

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.

The evaluation process may include a structured resume review and other assessments. 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.

Evaluation 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.

Competencies

• Decision Making


• Leadership


• Program Management