INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITY -- WRD 00-04
06/23/2000
To: GS-W All
cc: Verne R Schneider/WRD/USGS/DOI@USGS
Subject: INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITY -- WRD 00-04
The USGS International Hazards Team is being developed by the Bureau
International Committee. This request for expression of interest is being
sent to USGS employees in each division in the same format. (WRD has
numbered the position WRD 00-04 in order to allow us to track responses to
the opportunity.)
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
DEVELOPMENT OF A USGS INTERNATIONAL HAZARDS TEAM (IHT).
INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (WRD 00-04): The USGS
International Program is seeking to identify a group of
technical experts in a wide variety of disciplines to serve as a USGS
International Hazards Team (IHT). This team will form the nucleus of a
skilled group of experts able and willing to respond quickly to emergency
events that may occur anywhere in the world including floods, earthquakes,
landslides, tsunamis, hazardous spills, wildlife disease mortality events,
or health emergencies. However, selection and availability of a core team
will not preclude others from being invited to support a natural hazard
event on a case by case basis. The USGS frequently is asked to provide
technical assistance in the wake of disasters such as the Hurricane Mitch
disaster in Central America, the landslides and flooding in Venezuela, and
the earthquakes in Turkey. Emergency response to these events required
experts in floods, landslides, environmental restoration, communications,
and GIS to assemble information and present it quickly to emergency
response agencies. These individuals were expected to provide a wide
range of assistance including an assessment of the impacts of earthquakes
on structures, the potential for continued land slides, and estimates of
the magnitude of flooding.
BACKGROUND: The USGS has signed agreements to collaborate with the
Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) and USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
(OFDA). The bureau also works with the World Bank and with Embassies
around the world to assist them, when requested, in responding to
emergency events by providing technical expertise on natural and human
hazards. The lead-time for these responses may range from hours to days,
and the USGS is compiling a list of experts to serve on the IHT who are
both willing and prepared to travel rapidly to a location where a natural
hazard event has occurred.
REQUIREMENTS: Individuals who wish to be considered for this opportunity
must have
supervisory approval. They also must be in excellent health, and able to
work long hours in harsh, demanding climates and environments. Each
individual on the team will be provided with an official passport and is
encouraged to obtain a personal passport as a backup. They will be
expected to obtain immunizations for a wide variety of diseases and to
maintain the immunizations in a current status. They must be willing to
travel abroad on very short notice, perhaps within 24 hours, go to a
location where living conditions often do not meet U.S. standards and
where working conditions may present physical dangers. They will be
expected to work long hours, probably under adverse conditions. It also
is likely that supplies and resources to conduct the work will be limited,
and the individual will be expected to exercise unusual creativity in
getting the job done. An expression of interest in joining IHT will be
considered as an indication of a willingness to participate under the
conditions described, should the need arise.
APPROPRIATE SKILL LEVEL: Employees will be considered at any grade level
from any classification
series if they can demonstrate appropriate knowledge, skills, and
experience. Employees selected will possess outstanding skills in their
areas of expertise, the ability to work with little or no supervision, and
the personal attributes required to work as a team member. When on site,
they must have the experience necessary to be effective immediately,
probably with limited data available and little time to study the
situation. Individuals should have the ability and confidence to make
sound professional judgments quickly.
INITIAL OPENING AND CLOSING DATES: June 26 to July 26, 2000.
We welcome additional applications at any time.
LENGTH OF ASSIGNMENT: The length of the assignment will be variable
depending upon the
emergency situation. It is anticipated that the minimum time would be for
one week but could extend for one month or longer. In some cases,
assignments may lead to longer term cooperation to support post-disaster
mitigation strategies.
APPLICATION: Applicants are requested to forward a statement of interest
through
supervisory channels to your Division's international program office
contact listed below (Verne Schneider, vrschnei@USGS.gov). The preferred
method of transmittal is by attachment to email in word
or word perfect. The statement of interest should include:
1. Name
2. Address
3. Telephone/Fax numbers and email address
4. Passport(s) ? If you have a passport (official and/or personal),
please list the number and date of expiration for each
passport you hold.
5. Brief description of any international work experience.
6. Computing Skills ? There usually is a need to acquire, process,
format and transmit data and information via various
electronic means from the emergency location. Please describe
your abilities in this area.
7. Language skills ? (a) List the language(s) you know, and describe
your reading and verbal fluency for each language
listed. (b) Is your fluency such that you can serve as an
interpreter?
Please briefly address each of the follow criteria:
1. Expertise and ability to conduct applied hazards work in at least
one of the following categories or skills: floods,
earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, hazardous spills, wildlife
disease mortality events, or health emergencies.
2. Ability to work in cross-cultural settings.
3. Ability to communicate findings to people such as disaster
management and other non-technical specialists
interpersonally and in writing.
4. Ability to establish goals, coordinate programs, and make sound
decisions.
SELECTION: The selections for the IHT will be made by the international
program
leadership in consultation with senior specialists in each of the
categories including floods, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, hazardous
spills, wildlife disease mortality events or health emergencies.
Applicants should note that selection to IHT does not guarantee
participation in a natural hazard event abroad.
For more specific information contact:
Water: Verne Schneider at 703-648-5230 (vrschnei@USGS.gov)
Geology: Jean Weaver at 703-648-6012 (jweaver@USGS.gov)
Mapping: Cynthia Cluck at 703 648 4645 (ccluck@USGS.gov)
Biology: Bill Gregg at 703 648 4067 (William_Gregg@USGS.gov)