Physical Scientist.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Reston (VA); Remote; USD 72,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, VA seeks a qualified physical scientist to conduct technical studies and analyses of mineral resources and industries.

Responsibilities include collecting and synthesizing data on mineral investment and trade, preparing reports on production, reserves, and policies, and communicating findings to government, industry, and the public. The role involves field visits and evaluating economic factors in mineral development.

Qualifications

• Basic Educational Requirement and/or Specialized Experience for the series.
• To qualify at GS-11: one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 in physical science work related to mineral industries, investment, production, processing, and trade.

Responsibilities

• Conducts technical, economic, and statistical studies and analyses of mineral resources and industries for assigned countries and regions.
• Collects, evaluates, and synthesizes data on mineral investment, production, consumption, processing, and trade from domestic and international sources.
• Prepares reports, publications, and analyses on mineral industries, evaluating production, trade, reserves, policies, investment climate, and laws affecting mineral development and mining.
• Provides technical information to government agencies, industry representatives, and the public; conducts field visits and prepares reports on mineral operations and government policies affecting mineral production and trade.
• Analyzes and evaluates mineral industry trends, government policies, and economic factors affecting mineral development, production, trade, investment, and supply.

Education

Physical science/engineering degree with 24 semester hours

Job description

Duties

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

• Conducts technical, economic, and statistical studies and analyses of mineral resources and industries for assigned countries and regions.
• Collects, evaluates, and synthesizes data on mineral investment, production, consumption, processing, and trade from domestic and international sources.
• Prepares reports, publications, and analyses on mineral industries, evaluating production, trade, reserves, mineral policies, investment climate, and laws affecting mineral development and mining.
• Provides technical information and expertise to government agencies, industry representatives, and the public; conducts field visits and prepares reports on mineral operations, industry developments, and government policies affecting mineral production and trade.
• Analyzes and evaluates mineral industry trends, government policies, and economic factors affecting mineral development, production, trade, investment, and supply.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• 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
• 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 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-11/06/2026-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.

This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. If you do not provide evidence that you possess the following selective factor(s), you will be rated not qualified.

Foreign Language Requirement

• Arabic
• Chinese
• German
• Hindi
• Indonesian
• Portuguese

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

• 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.

-OR-

• B. Combination of education and experience: education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. You must include hours per week and transcripts.

-AND-

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience which may include independent responsibility for a well-defined study or for a phase of a larger study that required the planning and carrying out of routine physical science work related to mineral industries, minerals investment, development, mining, production, processing consumption, and trade related to minerals of a country or countries. This work would have required the individual to select and make minor adaptations to procedures and accepted practices and handle unexpected conditions arising in the normal course of the work. At this level, physical scientists have the ability to independently perform moderately difficult and responsible scientific work. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

• Education: Successful completion of at least Three years of progressively higher-level graduate education (54 semester hours, 81 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a Ph.D. degree in physical science or other directly related field of study or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in physical science or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position to be filled. You must include transcripts.

-OR-

• Combination of education and experience: To combine education and experience, first take the percentage of qualifying education required for the grade level. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week and transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience which may include planning and executing complex physical science studies, which usually involved intensive investigations into recognized phenomena concerning mineral industries; minerals investment, production, processing consumption, and trade related to minerals; and other aspects related to mineral development, mining, and industry of various countries. This work typically involved conventional methods and techniques though it required going beyond clear precedents, and required adapting methods to the problems at hand and interpreting findings in terms of their scientific significance. At this level, physical scientists have the ability to independently perform scientific work of considerable difficulty. 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 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.

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.

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 and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

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.