USGS Career Cards
Career Cards
Biologist, GS-0401
Biologists plan and conduct biological investigations on wildlife and fishery resources as well as their habitat conditions to ensure high quality, defensible data for our Nation’s decisionmakers.
Biological Science Technician, GS-0404
Biological Technicians perform many duties that add to the understanding of living organisms by assisting in the study of organisms, performing experiments, or working in biological sciences laboratories.
Cartographer, GS-1370
Combining both science and art, today’s cartographers design and produce maps using geographic information systems, incorporating satellite data, aerial reconnaissance, and field surveys to produce datasets used by both scientists and everyday people.
Chemist, GS-1320
Chemists design analytical methods, analyze samples, and review instrument results to ensure high quality, defensible data are provided to our Nation’s decisionmakers.
Ecologist, GS-408
Ecologists study the relations between living plants and animals and their environments. Healthy ecosystems provide society with essential ecosystem services, such as crop pollination, water and air purification, and harvestable populations of fish and wildlife.
Geographer, GS-150
Geography is an interdisciplinary study of the spatial aspects of the surface of the Earth. The work of geographers encompasses a number of the sciences including climate and land-use changes, geology, meteorology, soil sciences, hydrology, biology, and much more.
Geologist, GS-1350
Geologists conduct research to find ways to best manage the Nation’s land, energy, and mineral resources, and solve problems related to hazards.
Hydrologist, GS-1315
Hydrologists study the properties, distribution, and effects of water on the Earth’s surface, in the soil and underlying rocks, and in the atmosphere.
Hydrologic Technician, GS-1316
Hydrologic Technicians collect water data related to water quantity, quality, availability, and movement in surface-water and groundwater environments.
Physical Scientist, GS-1301
Physical Scientists study the physics and chemistry of nature and support a broad range of USGS activities.
Social Scientist, GS–0101
Social Science discipline examples include anthropology, political science, psychology, sociology, and human geographers.