Junior Developer: Student/Recent Grad Contract Position
Junior Developer (student or recent grad) with the US Geological Survey (USGS) Web Informatics and Mapping (WIM) Team
Position Requirements
Location Requirement
- Twin Cities metro area, MN
- Madison metro area, WI
- Washington, DC metro area, DC, VA, MD
Candidate will be expected to have the ability to commute to one of the following offices at least once a week, when appropriate to return to office as determined by pandemic remote work policies.
- US Forest Service | Forest Products Laboratory - 1 Gifford Pinchot Dr, Madison, WI 53726
- US Forest Service | University of Minnesota Twin Cities St. Paul Campus - 1992 Folwell Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108
- USGS National Center - 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 20192
Note: The US Forest Service is only the building owner for Madison and St. Paul office locations. Candidate would work for the US Geological Survey.
Eligibility
- Current undergraduate or graduate student (must be at least ½ time) OR recent graduate (last 12 months)
- US Citizen, or current US resident eligible to work and having continuously resided in the US for minimum 3 years
Required Skills and Education
- Interest and intent in learning web development and writing code
- Demonstrated communication skills
Desired Skills and Education
- web development experience
- Experience working with geospatial data
- Background in at least one programming language: JavaScript, Python, R, etc.
- Demonstrated commitment to fostering and supporting diversity and collaboration in your workplaces, communities, schools, etc.
Level of Knowledge or Skills
The ideal candidate will have interest in and/or knowledge of web technologies and development. We are looking for undergraduate or graduate level students or recent graduates with experience or interest in computer science, computer system administration, cloud technologies (AWS), hydrology, cartography, geography, programming (C#, Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, R, SQL), web styling (CSS), data visualization, and/or data science. Familiarity with geospatial data is a plus, and experience with Git, ArcGIS or QGIS, ArcGIS Online, and/or Tableau is beneficial. We are looking for candidates with a range of programming experience – from beginner to advanced - to fill multiple positions!
Position Description
As a junior developer at WIM, you will provide technology support to US Geological Survey science and other Federal agency work. This can include one or more of the following: web-based software development, data management, data science, documentation, data visualization, and research. In this position, you will help build web apps and other software for the USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center. Your work will contribute to national initiatives that include monitoring floods and hurricanes, tracking water quality, and supporting restoration efforts.
Depending on your skill set and interests, your work will be centered in one of the following areas:
- Frontend (JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Angular, Vue)
- Backend (C#, Python, Django, .NET, FastAPI, Amazon Web Services)
- Data processing/data science (Python, ArcGIS/QGIS, R, SQL, cartography, data visualization)
We assume that you’re interested in coding as a primary aspect of your daily work. We do not expect that you know the specific frameworks, languages, and workflows we use. Our expectation is that you will learn on the job!
You’ll be joining a team that works collaboratively in a (mostly) virtual setting. As a junior developer, you will join smaller subsets of that team working on one or more unique projects. As you gain experience, you’ll be able to offer your input and ideas for work you’d like to do and ways to move the project forward.
About WIM
WIM is a team of about 20 people spread across the country. We all have different academic, professional, and personal backgrounds. Although most of us are currently programmers, we are former English teachers, archeologists, veterans, hydrologists, engineers, and chemists. We recognize that building a diverse team - both in terms of identity and background/experience - is essential to furthering innovation, fostering an inclusive work environment, and providing multiple perspectives on the products we create and workflows we use. We encourage individuals of all races, cognitive and physical abilities, genders, sexual orientations, religious and nonreligious affiliations, and backgrounds to apply.
Here are a few examples of our apps!
Work Schedule and Working Conditions
The work schedule is negotiable. Ideal candidates will be available to work 40 hrs/week over the summer and will continue part-time when school is in session. Student Contract position lasts for length of contract – typically 6 months. It can be extended (based on performance and project funding) for up to 2 years.
Work takes place in a general office setting, with remote work as required by pandemic. Virtual /remote work is generally permitted with supervisor approval.
Compensation
Compensation is commensurate with the level of education and experience, and varies based on locality as follows:
- $16.15 - $16.79 per hour for student who has completed 1 year of college
- $16.65− $18.85 per hour for student who has completed 2+ years of college
- $18.63− $21.09 per hour for student who has completed a BA/BS
- $23.08− $26.13 per hour for student who has completed a BA/BS with Superior Achievement
- $23.08− $26.13 per hour for student who has completed a BA/BS +1 year
- $28.23− $31.95 per hour for student who has completed a MA/MS
- $34.16− $38.66 (depends on locality) per hour for student who has completed a PhD
You will accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. As a contractor, you do not receive paid vacation time or health insurance benefits. You are responsible for all costs of transportation to and from the principal duty station location. Housing, meals or other living expenses are not provided.
Hiring Process
You will receive a (non-automated) e-mail confirming we have received your application. We will review all applications, schedule virtual interviews with top candidates, and notify candidates who were not selected. We will then schedule a second round of virtual interviews and offer contract positions to our preferred applicants. Once these offers are accepted, we will inform the remaining candidates who were not selected.