Hydrologist

Summary

This position is the lead physical scientist for hydrology & geomorphology on the TRRP Science Branch team. Involves managing technical studies, integrating results into program guidance, and providing scientific & design input for restoration projects such as flow releases, bank work, gravel augmentation, riparian & floodplain restoration, sediment management, and watershed improvements. Focuses on developing flow-release hydrographs & evaluating geomorphic, hydrologic, and thermal responses.

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Duties

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This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Trinity River Restoration Division in Weaverville, California.

In this role, you will apply advanced hydrologic principles and analytical methods to evaluate water resources, support park management decisions, and ensure compliance with federal policies. You will provide technical expertise, conduct field investigations, analyze data, and prepare scientific reports to guide resource protection and operational planning.

Hydrologist (GS-09/11/12) - Major Duties

• Collect and analyze water data using field instruments, computer models, and mapping software to support water resource projects and studies.
• Prepare technical reports and present findings to project teams, using clear visuals and summaries to inform decisions on water management.
• Coordinate with engineers, biologists, and other specialists to plan and carry out field investigations, ensuring accurate data collection and safe operations.
• Review and interpret regulations, policies, and scientific literature to recommend solutions for water quality, supply, and environmental compliance issues.
• Lead or contribute to project planning, budgeting, and progress tracking, using project management tools and collaborating with internal and external partners.

Progression by Grade - duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

• At the GS-09 (starting) level, perform tasks under close supervision, focusing on learning procedures and applying established methods.
• At the GS-11 (developmental) level, work more independently, handle moderately complex assignments, and begin to provide technical guidance to others.
• At the GS-12 (full performance) level, serve as a technical expert, lead projects, and make recommendations that influence program direction and resource allocation.

Physical Demands: The work is typically performed in an office setting with no special physical demands. However, work may also be performed in the field which involves periods of walking, bending, climbing, or driving motor vehicles to worksites. The work may also involve some overnight travel for training, meetings, and site visits.

The work regularly combines both office and field assignments. Field work requires physical exertion, such as long periods of standing, or recurring and considerable walking, stooping, bending, crouching, crawling, and climbing such as in regular and periodic construction activities and field inspections. Work may also include frequent lifting of moderately heavy items weighing less than 50 pounds. Field assignments may also involve operating small watercraft, driving motor vehicles to work sites, some of which may be remote, and include overnight stays in remote locations.

Work Environment: The work is usually performed in an office setting. However, work time may also be spent periodically visiting field sites. Field site visits are typically performed in either an outdoor setting subject to weather changes, diverse terrain, and safety hazards associated with working around complex features and/or construction, or an industrial setting subject to noise, fumes, and moving machinery. Both settings may require the use of personal protective equipment. Safety precautions and protocols are observed at all times and the scientist complies with safety instructions and regulations and ensures individual and others safety by promptly reporting unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, and accidents to the supervisor.

The work involves regular and recurring exposure to moderate risks, discomforts, and unpleasantness such ask high noise levels, infectious materials, or toxic or irritating chemicals; travel in safety approved small aircraft and watercraft; high winds and low or high temperatures; infestation of dangerous reptiles or poisonous plants, snakes, or insects; adverse weather conditions; noxious fumes; flammable liquids; or radiation. The work involves performing tasks in close proximity to rotating heavy mechanical and electrical machinery and may involve working within confined spaces for extensive periods of time. Special safety precautions such as protective clothing and gear are necessary. Safety precautions and protocols are observed at all times and the scientist complies with safety instructions and regulations and ensures individual and others safety by promptly reporting unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, and accidents to the supervisor.

Requirements

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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
• Must have and maintain a valid driver's license to operate government vehicles for field assignments throughout employment.
• You may be required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with purchase authority.
• You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles.
• Must be able to respond to urgent hydrologic or resource-related events, which may require irregular hours or rapid deployment to field sites.
• Position may operate or be a passenger in small watercraft. Employees who operate a small watercraft are required to possess safety certification or pass an appropriate safety training course commensurate with watercraft used in the performance of duties.
• This position may be subject to drug testing requirements when duties involve operation of watercraft.
• Must be able to safely conduct hydrologic investigations, operate field instruments, and perform tasks that may require agility, stamina, and extended periods outdoors.
• Must adhere to all safety regulations and use required personal protective equipment (PPE), including respiratory protection when necessary.

Probationary Requirement listed under "Additional Information."

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/01/2026-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.

Minimum Qualification Requirements : To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Basic Educational Requirement AND 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:

Degree : physical or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics. Calculus and physics, as described above, are requirements for all grade levels.

OR

Combination of education and experience in course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience. Acceptable experience must have included performance of scientific functions related to the study of water resources, based on, and requiring a professional knowledge of related sciences and the consistent application of basic scientific principles to the solution of theoretical and practical hydrologic problems.

AND

To qualify for the GS-9 position; Possess one full year of experience equivalent in responsibility and scope to the GS-07 grade level (obtained in the private, state, or federal sector).

Specialized experience includes performing hydrologic or hydraulic modeling and/or analysis for studies for a wide variety of projects and investigations under the supervision of a senior team member.

OR

have successfully completed a masters or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position, such as courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics.

OR

combination of specialized experience and education totaling at least 100%

To qualify for the GS-11 position ; possess one full year of experience equivalent in responsibility and scope to the GS-09 grade level (obtained in the private, state, or federal sector).

Specialized experience includes 1) performing hydrologic or hydraulic modeling and/or analysis for studies for a wide variety of projects and investigations; 2) evaluating facility operations; complex hydrologic modelling and data analyses.

OR

have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position, such as physical or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics.

OR

combination of specialized experience and education totaling at least 100%

To qualify for the GS-12 position ; possess one full year of experience equivalent in responsibility and scope to the GS-11 grade level (obtained in the private, state, or federal sector).

Specialized experience includes:

1) performing hydrologic or hydraulic modeling and/or analysis for studies for a wide variety of projects and investigations related to flood damage reduction, flood risk management, dam and levee safety, navigation, ecosystem restoration, irrigation and municipal water use and reservoir regulation operation planning and program management, analyzing and calculating flow characteristics;

2)evaluating facility or waterway capacities and operations; complex hydrologic modelling and data analyses; hydrologic risk estimation and analyses; conducting hydrologic extremes analyses (e.g., flood frequency, drought); analysis of the adequacy of water supplies available from surface and/or subsurface sources after consideration of water rights.

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.

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.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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,

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.

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