Interdisciplinary (Geographer or Physical Scientist)
What you'd do
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.
Major duties
Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: - 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.
What you need to qualify
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. 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: 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. --OR-- 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. --OR-- B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. -AND- To qualify for this position at the GS-15 grade level: 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.
Before you apply
Federal applications are different: your resume should be 3–5 pages and mirror the language of this announcement. Read our federal resume guide first — it's the #1 reason qualified people get screened out.
Don't miss the next one.
Get an email the moment a similar federal job opens — postings can close in as little as 5 days.