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Meteorologist, ZP-1340-4 (DE/CR)

Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), The Global Systems Division (GSD) of the Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) with one vacancy in Boulder, CO.

This position is also announced under vacancy number OAR-ESRL-2019-0017, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/05/2019 to 06/14/2019
Salary
$96,856 to - $148,794 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZP 4
Location
Boulder, CO
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 10% of Domestic and Foreign travel may be required for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
4
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
OAR-ESRL-2019-0018
Control number
535589000

Duties

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As a Meteorologist, you will perform the following duties:

  • Lead and plan scientific research on the Next Generation Global Prediction System to include Global Model Test Bed field and international model inter-comparison projects, and developing Testbed Center activities.
  • Improve infrastructure for numerical weather prediction (NWP) development through implementation of rigorous code management practices; and verify and evaluate numerical predictions using the Model Evaluation Tools (MET) and other packages.
  • Collect, process, store and make available meteorological data for developing and testing techniques to improve weather forecasting services; conduct hurricane weather data research; and transition innovations from research to operational settings.
  • Oversee development of training materials, including user’s guides, scientific documentation, websites, and in-person tutorials; and organize scientific workshops to foster interactions between academic and operational NWP communities.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply.
  • Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
  • Must be suitable for Federal employment.
  • Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
  • Qualifications requirements must be met by closing date of announcement.

This position requires a Public Trust Security Clearance.

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.

The ZP-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14.  

* A three year probationary period may be required.

* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

* This position is not in the bargaining unit.

College Transcript:  If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume.   You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.

Note: Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work.  An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty.

Applicants must meet ALL application requirements, to include a complete online resume, by 11:59 p.m. EASTERN TIME (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards.  This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements:

A. Degree: meteorology, atmospheric science, or other natural science major that included

  1. At least 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of credit in meteorology/atmospheric science including a minimum of:

            a.     Six semester hours of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics;*

            b.     Six semester hours of analysis and prediction of weather systems (synoptic/mesoscale);

            c.     Three semester hours of physical meteorology; and

            d.     Two semester hours of remote sensing of the atmosphere and/or instrumentation.

     2. Six semester hours of physics, with at least one course that includes laboratory sessions.*

     3.Three semester hours of ordinary differential equations.*

     4. At least nine semester hours of course work appropriate for a physical science major in any combination of three or more of the following: physical hydrology, statistics, chemistry, physical oceanography, physical climatology, radiative transfer, aeronomy, advanced thermodynamics, advanced electricity and magnetism, light and optics, and computer science.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

*There is a prerequisite or corequisite of calculus for course work in atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics, physics, and differential equations. Calculus courses must be appropriate for a physical science major.

-AND-

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: 

Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.  Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. 

This experience need not have been in the federal government. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations e.g., professional; philanthropic, religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies; knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.  You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

To qualify at the ZP-4 or GS-13 level:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-3 or GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Verifying and evaluating numerical weather predictions using Model Evaluation Tools (MET) and other packages;
  • Improving numerical weather prediction models through the application of rigorous code management practices;
  • Collaborating with University, research, and operational communities to facilitate transfer of new scientific numerical modeling advances to the operational environment; and
  • Developing and delivering training, and organize interactions (e.g. workshops, seminars, meetings) with academic and operational stakeholder communities.

Education

Substitution of education for specialized experience is not applicable to this vacancy.

Additional information

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of Silver (Well Qualified).  Information about ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management’s Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your specific RIF notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).
  2. A copy of your SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action”, noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
  2. A copy of your SF-50 “Notification of Personnel Action” documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc;
  3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

NOAA participates in e-Verify.  E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position.  If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of the three pre-defined categories.  The categories are “gold”, “silver” and “bronze”.  However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered.  Candidates placed in the “gold” category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility:  Within each category, those entitled to veterans’ preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed.  Preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. For more information on Category Rating, please go to Category Rating.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

  • Ability to lead a team of scientists in conducting research projects in developing next generation global meteorological systems.
  • Knowledge of computer code management practices and techniques to improve NWP programming infrastructure and streamline automated processes.
  • Ability to use meteorological data for testing and developing techniques to improve weather forecasting services.
  • Ability to establish collaborative activities to foster interactions between the academic and operational communities to collaborate on research activities, findings and innovations.

To preview questions please click here.

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