Water: Careers
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the standard starting pay for positions in the Office of Water?
- What do vacancy announcements mean when the say they are open to "Status" or "Non-Status" applicants?
- What does it mean to be on a "Career" or "Career Conditional" appointment?
- Is the Office of Water continually hiring, or are career opportunities only available at certain times throughout the year?
- Do any positions require travel?
What is the standard starting pay for positions in the Office of Water?
In the federal government, most people are part of the "General Schedule" or GS, pay system, under which you will be assigned to a grade, from GS-1 to GS-15, and a step within that grade, from 1 to 10. Salaries vary by grade, step, and location. Generally speaking, higher grades earn more than lower grades, and higher steps earn more than lower steps within a single grade. The Office of Personnel Management determines the pay for each grade and each step.
Starting pay varies by the position and the level of responsibility. It is also adjusted by geographic location. Certain hard-to-fill jobs, usually in the scientific, technical, and medical fields, may have higher starting salaries. Exact pay information for each job can be found on the vacancy announcement.
What do vacancy announcements mean when the say they are open to "Status" or "Non-Status" applicants?
Applicants with "Status" are permanent federal employees on career or career conditional appointments or former federal employees who were career or career conditional. "Non-Status" applicants have not worked for the federal government on a career or career conditional appointment.
What does it mean to be on a "Career" or "Career Conditional" appointment?
Permanent appointments in the federal government are either career-conditional or career. Career conditional appointments are generally used for initial appointments. Once an employee completes 3 years of continuous service under a career conditional appointment, his or her appointment becomes career.
Is the Office of Water continually hiring, or are career opportunities only available at certain times throughout the year?
The Office of Water hires throughout the year as vacancies become available. However, some entry level programs are only available at certain times of the year.