Science communication job opportunity
Do you have a passion for science communication and the environment? Bridge the gap between water scientists and the public as a science communicator with the USGS. We are hiring a public affairs specialist (GS-07 or GS-09) to create engaging content about water resource science for websites, social media, and outreach events. The position will open to applicants at USAjobs.gov on June 17.
About the position
As a USGS public affairs specialist (GS-07 or GS-09 level), you would develop novel content – such as webpages, videos, social media posts, blogs, and other outreach materials – to communicate information about water resource science to diverse technical and non-technical audiences. If hired for the GS-09 level of the role, you would also be responsible for developing communications strategies, guidelines, and protocols.
You would join a team of science communicators in the USGS Water Resources Mission Area responsible for the Water Resources Mission Area website; social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X; and the USGS Water Science School, an educational website for K-12 students, educators, and the public.
We strive to make our content engaging, accessible, useful, and usable to a wide variety of audiences and use the principles of plain language, digital accessibility, and user-centered design to accomplish our goals. We use tools such as Canva and Adobe Creative Cloud applications to create graphics and videos for the web and social media. We use a web content management system (Drupal) to create and manage websites.
The position is a full-time, permanent federal job in the Web Communications Branch of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area. The position is eligible for telework and the location is negotiable. Salary is based on general schedule (GS) grade and locality and ranges from \$49,025.00 to \$63,733.00 per year (GS-07) and \$59,966.00 to \$88,926.00 per year (GS-09).
How to apply
The position will be posted and filled using public vacancy announcements on USAJobs.gov. There are two job announcements for the position. One job announcement is for individuals who qualify at the GS-07 level and above. The other job announcement is for individuals who qualify at the GS-09 level and above.
Both job announcements will open for applicants beginning June 17, 2024. They will be open to applicants for 14 days, or until we have received 75 applications. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply early.
The required materials and evaluation process for the GS-07 and GS-09 job announcements are slightly different due to some technicalities within the federal hiring process. See below for more details about how to apply to each job announcement, as well as the evaluation process for each. We encourage applicants to apply via all the job announcements for which they qualify.
GS-07 Job Announcement
How do I apply? Submit your application materials (resume, unofficial transcripts) and complete an un-proctored, on-line, general competency assessment (called USA Hire) via the GS-07 public vacancy announcement on USAJobs.gov. Refer to our guidance on preparing a federal resume for federal job announcements.
How do I qualify? Qualifying at the GS-07 level requires either:
- 1+ years of graduate level education; or
- superior academic achievement during undergraduate education; or
- 1+ year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-05 level as described in the qualification section of the announcement; or
- a combination of post high school education and experience.
How will I be evaluated? You will be evaluated based on your initial application materials (resume, unofficial transcript, and the USAHire assessment). If you meet the basic qualification requirements of the position, you will be contacted via email to provide written narrative responses to questions about your knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the job.
GS-09 Job Announcement
How do I apply? Submit your application materials (resume, unofficial transcripts) via the GS-09 public vacancy announcement on USAJobs.gov. Refer to our guidance on preparing a federal resume for federal job announcements.
How do I qualify? Qualifying at the GS-09 level requires either:
- 2+ years of graduate level education or master’s or equivalent graduate degree; or
- 1+ year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-07 level as described in the qualification section of the announcement; or
- a combination of graduate level education beyond the first year and appropriate professional experience.
How will I be evaluated? You will be evaluated based on your initial application materials (resume, unofficial transcript). If you meet the basic qualification requirements of the position, you will be contacted via email to provide written narrative responses to questions about your knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the job.
Our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and transparency
We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued and have the support they need to thrive. We believe that a diverse team brings a wide range of perspectives, experiences and ideas that drive innovation and improve our ability to deliver cutting edge science. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups, to apply for this position.
Questions?
Contact Charlotte Riggs (criggs@usgs.gov) with questions or to express interest.
Get Our News
These items are in the RSS feed format (Really Simple Syndication) based on categories such as topics, locations, and more. You can install and RSS reader browser extension, software, or use a third-party service to receive immediate news updates depending on the feed that you have added. If you click the feed links below, they may look strange because they are simply XML code. An RSS reader can easily read this code and push out a notification to you when something new is posted to our site.