International Opportunity--Team Leader--Cyprus
To: GS-W All
cc:
Subject: International Opportunity--Team Leader--Cyprus
08/17/00
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
2-YEAR FOREIGN ASSIGNMENT
Position: Team Leader
Water Database Development Project (Cyprus)
Announcement No.: WRD 00-05
This announcement offers an opportunity for qualified Water Resources
Division (WRD) employees to apply for an overseas assignment in Nicosia,
Cyprus.
Opening Date: August 17, 2000
Closing Date: September 22, 2000
Appropriate Skill Level: GS 1315-14/15 (Hydrologist)
This position can be performed at a variety of grade levels. However
employees who have the experience of a GS-13 and higher typically will have
the requisite experience and are encouraged to apply. If a GS-13 employee
is selected, he or she would receive a temporary promotion to GS-14. If a
GS-14 or 15 employee is selected, this would be a lateral reassignment.
This position is for the lead USGS person for the Cyprus Water Database
Project who will be responsible for on-island management of the project.
The Team Leader will work closely with the Embassy Liaison Officer to
assure that the project meets both U.S. political goals and database
development objectives. The employee selected will possess a thorough
understanding of water data and database development, data handling, and
data manipulation. He or she must have excellent communication and
training skills. In addition to technical skills, this position requires
an individual who excels in interpersonal relations. The position is the
first-level contact in a politically sensitive region, and the successful
applicant will demonstrate the ability to work successfully with people who
hold very different and potentially contentious political beliefs and
needs.
Duty Station: Nicosia, Cyprus (Greek sector)
Length of Assignment: 2 years, with a tentative reporting date of December
1, 2000.
For information contact: Anna Lenox, Deputy Chief, International Water
Resources Branch, OACH/PO-Reston, Telephone: 703-648-5053, email:
alenox@usgs.gov or Bill Shampine, IWRB, OACH/PO-Denver, Telephone:
303-236-4935, email: shampine@usgs.gov
Project Background: The USGS has been requested by the U.S. Embassy in
Nicosia, Cyprus, to provide technical assistance to water agencies on the
island of Cyprus. Cyprus is characterized by a fragile hydrologic system
that is undergoing a significant level of stress, which has been
exacerbated by a 10-year drought. Water scarcity resulting from the
drought has caused severe and adverse impacts on the people of Cyprus, on
the natural environment of the island, and on future growth and economic
development. Water issues include ground-water overdrafts, saltwater
intrusion of coastal aquifers, contamination from urban and agricultural
activities, diminishing surface water, and lack of effective regulation.
Various approaches have been proposed for improved water-resource
management on the island, but all of them require ready access to
hydrologic data. At present, there is no centralized source of hydrologic
data on Cyprus. To further complicate the problem, the island has been
divided politically since 1974, with essentially no interaction or
communication between the Turkish Cypriot community in the north and the
Greek Cypriot community in the south. A United Nations presence on the
island supports the partition. The USGS has been asked to initiate a
project to develop comparable water resources databases for both Greek and
Turkish Cypriot water agencies.
Statement of Duties: The incumbent serves as the Team Leader of the Water
Database Development Project and supervises activities of a database
specialist and a secretary. The primary goal of the project is to foster
bicommunal activities between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot water
professionals using their shared need for water management as a point of
common interest. The key common requirement has been determined to be the
development of a water resources database. Currently, it is politically
impossible to design and implement a single system, so the project will
design, construct, and implement two databases that are as comparable and
compatible as is feasible. The project team will work closely with the
local water agencies to design a database that meets local needs, to
inventory, assemble, and quality-control existing water data, to provide
training and technology that will enable Cypriot users to assess and manage
existing water resources, and to instill a sense of national ownership of
the databases. The technology transfer component of the project is planned
as a series of 1-week bicommunal (joint) training courses on a wide variety
of water resources topics. The project team will serve as trainers for
those courses within their fields of expertise, and the Project Team Leader
will arrange for other USGS scientists to serve as instructors when
necessary. All events will be held on Cyprus if politically possible, or
off-island as may be dictated by political necessity.
The International Water Resources Branch has worked with the Embassy in
Nicosia and Cypriot water agencies to develop a detailed proposal
describing the project objectives, plans, and budget. One of the first
activities will be to establish a Cypriot Management Team consisting of
local scientists and water managers who serve as a "Board of Directors"
that will meet quarterly to provide guidance and support to the project.
The incumbent will serve as the Chairperson of this Team. The incumbent
also will be responsible for coordinating closely with all of the divergent
groups that have an interest in the project, including the major Greek and
Turkish Cypriot water agencies, the U.S. Embassy, USAID, and others. The
Project Manager will manage the project, direct the development of the
technical training activities, provide technical guidance on the design
and
development of the databases, and serve as a technical expert in one or
more hydrologic disciplines.
This work assignment normally will occur in an office environment; however,
some fieldwork is required which will require bending, stooping, and
walking over extremely rough terrain. It also may expose the incumbent to
moderate discomfort from such extremes as heat, cold, and inclement
weather. Coordination activities will require driving a four-wheel drive
vehicle over rough terrain for long hours.
Special Knowledges, Abilities, Skills, and other Characteristics (KASOC's):
1. Ability to establish goals, coordinate programs, and make sound
decisions.
2. Ability to communicate interpersonally and in writing.
3. Knowledge of compiling, computing, analyzing, and quality assuring
water-quality, stream flow, and ground-water data.
4. Ability to meet deadlines, maintain production, and work well with
others.
5. Ability to adapt to changing political requirements and to represent US
interests abroad.
Application Materials: Submit by email, through normal supervisory
channels, to Anna Lenox (alenox@usgs.gov) and to Bill Shampine
(shampine@usgs.gov):
1. Memorandum of interest addressing KASOC's.
2. Updated Career Documentation Profile or Curriculum Vitae detailing
work experience.
3. Most recent supervisory rating.
NOTE: Sending the Memorandum of Interest and CDP/CV as Word documents
attached to an email is preferred.
Information about this Assignment: The individual selected for this
assignment will be given Diplomatic status; both the incumbent and
accompanying family members will travel on Diplomatic Passports. Foreign
Service Regulations apply to this position, and the individual selected
will be given a 2-year Excepted Appointment. A temporary, one-grade
promotion will be given to any successful GS-13 applicant for the duration
of the overseas assignment. A GS-14 or GS-15 applicant would receive an
Excepted Appointment and a lateral reassignment. Geographic location pay
does not apply, and there is no post differential or post allowance. An
educational allowance will be provided to an employee who brings school-age
children to Cyprus.
Furnished housing is provided, as well as a vehicle to be shared by the
USGS staff for official business only. Cyprus is a "right-side drive"
country (British system). While shipping a left-hand drive car to Cyprus
is permitted, it probably would be best to purchase a car for personal use
after arriving in Cyprus. As a U.S. diplomat, vehicles can be purchased
from and sold to another member of the diplomatic community duty free.
Officials posted to the American Embassy in Nicosia indicate that there is
a good supply of high quality used vehicles, and that car purchase and sale
among the diplomatic community is accomplished on a frequent basis.
When this project is completed or terminated, or upon expiration of this
appointment, the incumbent is eligible to return to a position of
equivalent grade and pay as the one held when this appointment was
accepted. Upon completion or termination of this Excepted Appointment, the
highest salary rate received under the Excepted Appointment will be used in
setting your base salary, provided the Excepted Appointment lasted for 1
year or more. The highest rate under the Excepted Appointment is
calculated using base pay only and excludes any cost of living allowance or
post differential. The salary of the position to which you return will be
matched as closely as possible to the base salary that you received under
the Excepted Appointment, plus the locality pay of the new duty station.
This rate cannot exceed Step 10 of the grade. However, if termination of
this Excepted Appointment is the result of unsatisfactory performance, your
pay will be adjusted to that earned immediately prior to your acceptance of
this Excepted Appointment, plus any comparability increases and within
grade increases which would have accrued had you remained in your original
position. Return to your previous position or to your previous duty
station or geographic location is not guaranteed.
Information about Cyprus: Cyprus, an island nation in the eastern
Mediterranean with an area of 3,572 square miles, is half the size of New
Jersey, and twice the size of Rhode Island. It lies only 40 miles from
Turkey at the nearest point, 500 miles east of mainland Greece, and 100
miles west of Syria.
At the present time, Cyprus is divided into two areas. The division of the
island occurred in 1974. The southern part of the island is controlled by
the Government of Cyprus and is populated largely by Greek Cypriots who
comprise approximately 80 percent of the island's population. The northern
part of the island is inhabited mostly by Turkish Cypriots. Their
Government is known as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," however;
the United States does not recognize the sovereignty of the "TRNC."
Between the two areas is a buffer zone called the "Green Line" which is
patrolled by the United Nations Forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP). The "Green
Line" runs through the capital, Nicosia, splitting it between the Greek and
Turkish Cypriot communities, which have practically no contact with each
other.
Despite its Middle Eastern location, Cyprus is in many ways oriented
towards the West. It has been a crossroads of diverse civilizations and
cultures throughout its history. Present day Cypriots generally speak
excellent English. They are used to meeting people from other countries
and they take interest and pleasure in associating with them. Cypriots are
very hospitable and enjoy friendship, talk, and laughter; the island is
steeped in history and bathed in sunshine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anna Lenox
International Water Resources Branch
U.S. Geological Survey
420 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
Phone: 703-648-5053
Fax: 703-648-6687
Email: alenox@usgs.gov
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