Physical Science Technician.

These positions are located within the Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, duty stationed in Lakewood, Colorado.

Responsibilities

• Conduct field phases of geologic data collection projects.
• Calibrate, install, and maintain field instrument sites for monitoring magnetotellurics, seismicity, gravity, multi-spectral or hyperspectral remote sensing, and similar parameters.
• Prepare rock samples for geochemical (e.g., trace metal or isotope) or physical (e.g., thin section or mineral separation) analyses.
• Process and plot data using standard or specially developed computer software, including GIS software.
• Assist scientists during the office phase of scientific projects including permitting, data management, and preparation of data for publication and release.

Work Environment

• Most work takes place in an office or laboratory settings with adequate heat, light, and ventilation. Office conditions do not require special safety precautions.
• Field conditions may include extreme heat or cold, rain or snow, and hazardous conditions such as exposure to extreme temperature, noxious or toxic gasses, ice or flooding.
• Field work may occasionally involve encounters with snakes, bears, and other wilderness dangers.
• International field work may be conducted in culturally hostile areas.

Physical Demands

• Some work takes place mostly in an office or laboratory setting with no special physical effort required.
• During emergency response periods, training of personnel on new equipment, or field work, the scientist may be expected to hike distances of several kilometers over uneven terrain while carrying equipment.
• Field work may require the use of proper personal protective gear, working in dusty, hot, humid, and extreme cold environments, occasional off-road driving of 4-wheel drive vehicles, traveling to remote field sites in helicopters or small fixed-wing planes, and/or boats.
• Lifting of equipment and objects weighing up to 20 kilograms may be necessary.

Requirements

• 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.
• Must successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
• Must serve a 1-year probationary period.
• Must pass a pre-employment medical examination to ensure ability to perform essential duties and responsibilities, with or without accommodation.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement (08/18/2026).

To receive credit for experience, your resume must clearly state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week.

Specialized Experience: GS-07

To qualify for the GS-07, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-06 grade level in the Federal Service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal Service. Specialized experience includes:

• Experience collecting data and drafting reports for physical sciences research or natural resource-based studies.
• Experience collecting and analyzing geologic monitoring data such as GIS or remote sensing data, seismic, magnetotellurics, electromagnetic, or geochemical data.
• Experience setting up and/or managing remote geologic monitoring equipment such as magnetotelluric sensors, seismic sensors, gravity stations, or related equipment.

Must meet 2 of the 3 specialized experience statements.

Education

To qualify based on education, you must have one (1) full year (18 semester hours) of graduate-level education in a related field of study.

Combination of Education and Experience

You may meet qualifications with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate-level education must demonstrate the difficulty and complexity to perform the work of this position.

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Transcripts

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. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if selected, you must provide official transcripts before beginning 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 deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs.

Pay

First-time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.

• GS-07: $56,262 - $73,142 per annum

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 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.