BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Oceanographer, all grade levels.
A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree with major study of at least 24 semester hours or the equivalent in oceanography or related discipline such as physics, meteorology, geophysics, mathematics, chemistry, engineering, geology, or biology, plus 20 additional semester hours or the equivalent in any combination of oceanography, physics, geophysics, chemistry, mathematics, meteorology, computer science, and engineering sciences.
B. A combination of education and experience-course work as shown in "A" above (24 semester hours or the equivalent in oceanography or a related discipline as specified in "A" above, plus 20 additional semester hours or the equivalent in any combination of courses as specified in "A" above), plus appropriate experience and/or additional education for a total of 4 years. The education or combined education and experience must be comparable in type, scope and thoroughness to that acquired through successful completion of a 4-year course of study as described in "A" above. (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO COMBINE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE)
NOTE: Applicants who qualify on the basis of major study in biology or geology must have had at least 6 semester hours in the major directly concerned with marine science or 6 semester hours in oceanography; applicants who qualify on the basis of other physical sciences or engineering must have had differential and integral calculus and at last 6 semester hours in physics.
GS-09:
In addition to the basic requirement stated above, applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-09 level:
Posses 2-years of progressively higher-level graduate education (36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours) leading to a Master's degree in oceanography or other directly related field of study or Master's or equivalent graduate degree in oceanography or other related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position to be filled.
**OR Posses 1-year of appropriate professional experience in oceanography that is equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service. Examples of such experience may include: 1) reviewing technical records to codify information on ocean stations; 2) plotting significant results of ocean surveys on charts; 3) preparing ocean station technical descriptions; 4) calculating temperature, salinity, oxygen and depth from Nansen bottle observations; 5) analyzing bathythermograph observations, graphing hourly recordings taken at fixed positions which depict change in the thermal structure of the water and internal waves; 6) analyzing ocean circulation data from drift bottle studies; 7) preparing computer programs for processing oceanographic data. For examples 1-7, the work involved receiving fairly close supervision and following established methods and procedures, or detailed instructions; using some judgment in locating and selecting the most appropriate guides and references to apply; and independently completing recurring assignments, but referring deviations, problems and unfamiliar situations to a designated person for decision or help.
**OR Possess a combination of successfully completed graduate level education, as described above, that is beyond the first year of progressive graduate study and professional experience, as described above.
GS-11:
In addition to the basic requirement stated above, applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-11 level:
Posses 3-years of progressively higher level graduate education (54 semester hours, 81 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a Ph.D. degree in oceanography or other directly related field of study or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in oceanography or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skill and abilities necessary to do the work of the position to be filled.
**OR Possess 1-year of appropriate professional experience in oceanography that is equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Examples of such experience may include: 1) planning, conducting and analyzing parachute drogue and surface float and depth observations to determine the nature of the tidal and non tidal currents in calculating the mass transport of ocean circulation within a limited ocean area; 2) planning and conducting continuing drift bottle studies of limited areas of the ocean to obtain information on the surface characteristics of circulating water masses; 3) planning, developing and preparing seismic sea wave travel-time charts and data used in implementing the seismic sea wave warning system, requiring computation of directional courses and time increments based on ocean depth studies; 4) preparing tentative wave and ice forecasts for limited areas based upon analysis of synoptic charts; 5) preparing continuous temperature and dept profiles, searching for unusual anomalies, and make preliminary conclusions. For examples 1-5, the work involved selecting and making minor adaptations to procedures and accepted practices and handling unexpected conditions arising in the normal course of the work. At this level, oceanographers have the ability to independently perform moderately difficult and responsible scientific work.
**OR Possess a combination of successfully completed graduate level education, as described above, that is beyond the second year of progressive graduate study and professional experience, as described above.
You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.