Student Trainee (Physical Science)

Student Trainee (Physical Science)

• Open & closing dates

01/17/2025 to 01/31/2025

• Salary

$36,049 - $46,868 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 4

• Location

Boise, ID

4 vacancies

Duties

• Performs a wide variety of physical and chemical water quality tests; e.g., pH, electrical conductance, biological oxygen demand, chlorophyll-a, turbidity, bacteria, and total suspended solids. This includes using the following equipment: pH and conductivity meter, oxygen meter, UV-VIS spectrophotometer, turbidimeter, incubators, balances, and centrifuges.
• Filters and prepares samples for determination of dissolved constituents.
• Cleans and sterilizes glassware for chemical and biological determinations, and prepares reagents associated with assigned analyses.
• Assists in collection and measurement of reservoir waters including the operation of a multi-parameter sonde unit and the use of a deep sampler to collect water samples for laboratory analyses.
• Assists in sample collection, preparation, and analysis. This involves representative water sample collection from water bodies, filtering, and proper preservation of samples. Serves as a deckhand/observer on the boat.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
You must be suitable for federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
You must submit a resume and supporting documentation (see Required Documents).
You must be at least 16 years old at the time of appointment.
You must be a student who has been accepted for enrollment or is currently enrolled and seeking a degree or certificate in a qualifying educational institution, at least part-time.
You must be in good academic standing as defined by the school you are attending.
You must submit eligibility documents for veterans consideration (see Required Documents).
You must meet any minimum education and/or experience requirements (see Qualifications).
You must submit transcript(s) to verify education requirements (see Qualifications/Education).
You will be required to obtain a successful pre-employment physical examination by a licensed physician certifying your ability to perform the duties of this position. A physical exam may not be required if a comparable agency approved examination was performed within the last 12 months. The cost of the exam will be reimbursed by the agency.
 

All Interns must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement, 01/31/2025. In addition, they must continue to meet these eligibility requirements throughout the duration of the appointment. Students that have graduated are not eligible for this position.

Qualifications

GS-04: Completion of 2 academic years post-high school study or Associate's degree OR completion of 1 academic year of post high school study and 2 periods of student trainee work experience; or completion of 1 1/2 academic years of post high school study and 1 period of student trainee work experience OR 6 months of general work experience and 6 months of specialized work experience OR a combination of education and experience.

General work experience shows his/her ability to perform progressively more complex, responsible, or difficult duties; and that shows his/her ability to learn the specific work of this job.

Specialized experience for the GS-04 level: 6 months specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-03 in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include lab and/or field work 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. The applicant will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

A period of student trainee work experience is equal to 320 hours of work experience.

Academic Year: At the undergraduate level, 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours is comparable to 1 year of undergraduate education. Four years of progressive study or 120 semester hours meets the degree requirements. At the graduate level, 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours.