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US Geological Survey Interview Questions
& Process

Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.

Based on 78 interview experiences · FREE TO READ

1.6 Rounds average
Average Typical difficulty
83.3% Positive experience

Which role are you interviewing for?

15 roles · 78 reports

Candidate interview experiences

First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at US Geological Survey.

Showing 4 of 78
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US Geological Survey

Hydrologic Technician

Engineering · nearly a year ago

Entry Easy Positive experience Accept offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call
Interview formats
Behavioral

There was one interview. They asked me about my qualifications and why I'm interested in this specific company. It was a basic interview with common questions. They also inquired about my experience with outdoor work, as fieldwork is a significant part of this role.

Confirmed questions1 question
  • Can you describe your experience working in outdoor environments?
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US Geological Survey

Hydro Technician

Operations · more than a year ago

Entry Easy Positive experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Other

It was a really fun interview experience. The supervisor seemed really focused on making sure I'd be comfortable with the job duties, which I think was because they were pretty laid back. It didn't feel like an interrogation at all.

Confirmed questions2 questions
  • Would you be alright with extensive driving?
  • Would you mind staying in a hotel for a few days to finish a project?
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US Geological Survey

Hydrologic Technician

Engineering · more than a year ago

Entry Easy Neutral experience Accept offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Other

Since there are many different teams in the area, the interview process differs by team. Usually, there's a phone interview. If that goes well, they'll have you come in for an in-person interview where you get to chat with everyone on the staff.

Confirmed questions1 question
  • Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
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US Geological Survey

Hydrologic Technician

Engineering · more than a year ago

Entry Easy Positive experience Accept offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Offer
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral

They reached out for an interview a few months after I applied to the job through the usajobs website. I had a phone interview with two supervisors. They reviewed my resume and asked more detail about my technical skills for the job -- specific field skills I had described and coursework that would be relevant. Followed up with an offer about a month later.

Confirmed questions4 questions
  • What is your field work experience?
  • Can you elaborate on your technical skills relevant to this position?
  • Tell me about any specific field skills you've highlighted.

US Geological Survey Interview Questions

Quoted word for word from US Geological Survey interview reports.

On a Mac, how can you switch between open apps using just the keyboard?

Read reports

Can you explain in detail what a function is in programming languages?

Read reports

What sparked your interest in environmental issues, specifically those in the West?

Read report

Would you mind staying in a hotel for a few days to finish a project?

Read report

Can you handle being deployed to the field for two weeks at a time?

Read report

Formats, difficulty and experience

Across all 78 US Geological Survey interview reports.

Interview formats

Behavioral 56.9%
Technical 31.4%
Other 5.1%
Presentation 4.4%
Coding 1.5%

Interview difficulty

Easy 46.2%
Average 51.3%
Difficult 2.6%

Candidate experience

Positive 83.3%
Neutral 12.8%
Negative 3.8%

Reports by job function

Engineering 30
Research 27
Other 9
Operations 7
Analytics 2
Sales 1