As a Hydrologic Technician you will perform technical work in support of professional or technical employees engaged in hydrologic data collection activities.
Pay will vary based on grade level and duty location for which you're selected. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate. Locality pay tables can be found here.
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is authorized at the following locations/rates:
Honolulu, Hawaii 8.64%
Duties
Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:
- Uses resourcefulness to make stream discharge measurements, using the various techniques, equipment and protocols depending upon field conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.
- Reviews gage-height data and discharge measurements to check methods and accuracy of computation.
- Performs water-level and discharge measurements from wells and springs adjusting approach for unforeseen circumstances.
- Performs routine field measurements such as water temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen and alkalinity selecting the appropriate technique, protocol, and equipment.
- Installs, maintains and services a variety of sensing, recording and communications equipment and instrumentation.
Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within the defined local commuting area at the time of application. For this announcement, the local commuting area is the area from which individuals can reasonably commute to the duty station under normal conditions. The defined vicinity for this position are listed below: between 50-75 miles or within Oahu County depending on location, see below for specifics. You must provide proof of residency within the defined vicinity (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy, etc.) at time of application. See the Required Documents section for information on how to verify current residence.
You MUST maintain a permanent and exclusive residence within the vicinity of the field unit as listed below: Within Oahu County for 1845 Wasp Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96818
Conditions of employment
- 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.
- Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
- Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
- A physical examination will be required, or a statement regarding physical ability will need to be completed. You must maintain physical fitness standards throughout employment.
- If your specific duty location requires it, you must obtain and maintain a Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC) within 1 year of entry on duty, if applicable.
- You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
- Applicants must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.
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.
Qualifications
Requirements Continued...
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-08/14/2026-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.
Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:
To qualify for this position at the GS-07 grade level:
- Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: work as a technician or aid in engineering, earth, physical, or natural science, forestry, soil conservation, or surveying; trades or crafts work in maintenance or construction of facilities or equipment related to hydrology; drafting; construction estimating. Experience installing, adjusting, inspecting and maintaining hydrologic instrumentation; collecting surface water, ground water, water quality or sediment samples; observing and documenting field conditions; and downloading, reviewing and analyzing hydrologic records. You must include the hours worked per week.
-OR-
- Education: Successful completion of at least 1 year of appropriate graduate level education (18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours, or the equivalent) in hydrology or other field of study directly related to the work of this position. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
- Combination of education and experience. To combine education and experience, first take graduate-level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower 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 transcripts.
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
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. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification
Physical Demands: The work regularly requires considerable dexterity, agility, and strenuous physical exertion such as climbing and/or working from tall ladders and scaffolding; work in areas where footing is treacherous such as slippery or icy riverbanks, steep rocky terrain, cableways, or fast-moving water; lifting heavy objects weighing 23 kilograms (50 pounds) or more or crouching or crawling in restricted areas.
Working Conditions: Office conditions do not require special safety precautions; field conditions may include extreme heat or cold, rain or snow; hazardous conditions such as ice or flooding; or exposure to irritant or toxic chemicals. Work may require the use of personal protective equipment such as masks, coats, boots, goggles, respirators, or life jackets.
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, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.
The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To receive consideration, your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 08/14/2026.
You must provide documentation to support your eligibility and qualification claims. Please review the required documentation listed in the eligibility sections to ensure you submit the appropriate information. You will only be considered for eligibilities for which you have provided the required supporting documentation.
Applications may be submitted through USAJOBS or through other authorized methods identified by the agency (e.g., third-party platforms or local outreach efforts) to support targeted recruitment under this authority.
Applicants submitting materials outside of USAJOBS must:
- Submit a complete application package by the 08/14/2026 of this announcement, and
- Ensure all materials are formatted and consistent with the application instructions outlined in this announcement, including resume requirements and supporting documentation.
All applications, regardless of submission method, will be evaluated using the same criteria and requirements to ensure a fair and equitable hiring process.
Applications received after the closing date, or that do not meet the requirements outlined in this announcement, will not be considered.
USAJOBS Application Instructions
- Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account.
- Prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application."
- Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application"
- To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13023158
- Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS.
- Select documents you want included in this application.
- Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
- Select if you want to include your demographic information.
- After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
- Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
- Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown.
- Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
- Review and Submit Application.
- While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
- You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement.
- To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
- Note: When you click Update Application, you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.
Pay: $50,460.00 - $82,007.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Retirement plan
Work Location: In person
