Cartographer, GS-1370
Definitions:
EXPERIENCE: One year of work experience is twelve months working full-time (at least 35-40 hours per week). Part-time experience can be pro-rated (i.e., a year at 20 hours per week is credited as 6 months of experience). If your position consisted of mixed duties, experience credit is given for the percentage of time that you spent on qualifying duties (i.e., if you held a position for 2 years, full-time, consisting of 25% personnel work and 75% budget work, and then applied for a budget position you could calculate your experience as follows: 2 yrs = 24 months. 24 months x 75% [percentage of time spent on budget duties] = 18 months of qualifying experience.)
UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION: A year of undergraduate education is 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours or the equivalent of college study. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent was a prerequisite.
GRADUATE EDUCATION: In the absence of specific graduate program information, a year of graduate education is 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours of graduate level college course work, or the number of credit hours the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full time study. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.
BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Cartographer, all grade levels. A. Degree: cartography; or a major that included or was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours in cartography and/or directly related science, and related mathematics. Such course work includes, but is not limited to, cartography, astronomy, geodesy, photogrammetry, physical and geological oceanography, computer science, land surveying, geophysics, physical geography, and remote sensing. The 30 semester hours must have included at least 6, but no more than 15, semester hours of college level, non-business mathematics or statistics (i.e. college-level algebra, trigonometry, calculus, or scientific mathematics or statistics requiring equivalent college-level courses as prerequisites).
**OR
B. Combination of education and experience-courses equivalent to a major in cartography, or a minor that included or was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours in cartography, and/or directly related science, and related mathematics, as shown in "A" above, plus appropriate experience and/or additional education for a total of 4 years. The education or combined education and experience must be comparable in type, scope and thoroughness to that acquired through successful completion of a 4-year course of study as described in "A" above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE).
For GS-05:
Applicants must meet the Basic Education Requirement stated above to qualify for GS-5.
For GS-07:
In addition to the basic education requirement stated above, applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-07 level:
1 year of successfully completed graduate level education (18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours or the equivalent) in cartography or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.
**OR Superior Academic Achievement based on undergraduate study.
**OR one year of appropriate professional experience that is in or related to the duties of this position is qualifying if it is equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-5 level in the Federal service, and if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position.
Examples of GS-5 level experience may include: performing a series of sequential tasks/steps for standardized or prescribed operations involving one or more stages of the map or chart making process (e.g., orienting stereo plotting instruments to develop expertise, compiling less difficult map or chart manuscripts, or drafting and scribing maps or charts).
**OR a combination of successfully completed graduate level education, as described above, and professional experience, as described above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE GRADUATE EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE)
For GS-09:
In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-09 level:
**Two years of progressively higher-level graduate education (36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours) leading to a master's degree in cartography or other directly related field of study or master's or equivalent graduate degree in cartography or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position to be filled.
**OR one year of appropriate professional experience in cartography that is equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service.
Examples of such experience may include evaluating available source material pertinent to charting areas of regular bottom characteristics and simple topography. Knowledge of cartographic concepts, theories and principles, methods and practices and skill sufficient to complete routine production processes improvement projects. This work experience would have involved following established methods and procedures, or detailed instructions; using some judgment in applying basic principles and procedures, and would have required a good general working knowledge of the principles and the theories of cartography.
**OR a combination of successfully completed progressive graduate level education as described above that is beyond the first year of graduate study and professional experience, as described above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE GRADUATE EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE).
For GS-11:
In addition to the basic education requirement stated above, applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-11 level:
**Three years of progressively higher level graduate education (54 semester hours or 81 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a Ph.D. degree in cartography or other directly related field of study or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in cartography or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position to be filled.
**OR one year of appropriate professional experience in cartography that is equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service.
Examples of such experience include independent responsibility to research, analyze, select and prepare photographic and cartographic materials, conduct studies to determine the design characteristics, limitation, and application of program requirements for a well-defined study or for a phase of a larger study that required the planning and carrying out of cartography work. This work would have required the individual to select and make minor adaptations to procedures and accepted practices and handle unexpected conditions arising in the normal course of the work. At this level, cartographers have a sound working knowledge of the principles of cartography and the ability to independently perform moderately difficult and responsible scientific work. **OR a combination of successfully completed graduate level education as described above that is beyond the second year of progressive graduate study and professional experience, as described above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE GRADUATE EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE)
For GS-12:
In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must have one year of appropriate professional experience in cartography that is equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service.
Examples of such experience may include developing new concepts, and planning or evaluating long-range programs and projects. This work typically involved conventional methods & techniques though it required going beyond clear precedents, and required adapting methods to the problems at hand and interpreting findings in terms of their scientific significance. At this level, cartographers have a very good knowledge of the principles of cartography and their application, and the ability to independently perform scientific work of considerable difficulty.
For GS-13:
In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must have one year of appropriate professional experience in cartography that is equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service.
Examples of such experience may include developing and monitoring the production of geospatial data to support agency geographic information systems and hardcopy map generation for a staff unit; working on inter- and intra-agency committees to develop and/or revise Federal standards for geospatial data; revising agency cartographic standards and specifications; providing staff advisory, consulting, and reviewing services; applying standard cartographic practices to new situations and solving novel or obscure problems; exercising initiative and originality in the solution of cartographic problems; and/or serving as a technical authority on all aspects of cartography. At this level, cartographers have extensive knowledge of the principles of cartography and highly developed ability in their application, and wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment to perform scientific work of marked difficulty and responsibility.
For GS-14:
In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must have one year of appropriate professional experience in cartography that is equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service.
Examples of such experience could include serving as a senior expert involved in cartographic work for which technical problem definitions, methods and/or data were highly incomplete, controversial, or uncertain and whose evaluations and recommendations were accepted by others as those of a technical expert in cartography. At this level, cartographers typically represent an authoritative source of consultation for other scientists and program specialists, are called upon to resolve issues that significantly affect cartographic programs, make long range and controversial proposals and defend their findings and recommendations in public or high level forums.
For GS-15:
In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above, applicants must have one year of appropriate professional experience in cartography that is equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service.
Examples of such experience may include: highly unstructured and interconnected problems involving both difficult technology and complex human relations or programmatic issues. At this level, the cartographer is the one that others recognize as senior technical experts to turn to for advice and counsel. The work typically has special significance for the success of the organization.