Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Meteorologist

Environmental Protection Agency
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is in Region 5, Air and Radiation Division, Air Programs Branch, Control Strategies Section.  If selected, you must work at the location stated in this announcement.  About Region 5: Region 5 webpage

Overview

Help
Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
10/06/2020 to 10/19/2020
Salary
$70,987 to - $110,614 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Location
Chicago, IL
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
50% or less - You may be required to travel up to 25% each month.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CI-R5-DE-2020-0048
Control number
580851800

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizen

Duties

Help

At the entry level of this position, you will:

  • Apply meteorological model in air quality assessments, review of analysis in support of programs under the Clean Air Act
  • Provide air quality modeling review and support to federal, state, local, and tribal air quality partners, and develop, plan, and provide advice on air quality modeling input, datasets and model set-up
  • Prepare technical reports, makes presentations and provide briefings on meteorological and air quality analyses and evaluations

When entering a Federal job at a grade level lower than the highest promotion potential level, you may be promoted to more complex duties and work more independently, as your career progresses.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • If you are selected, a pre-employment background check is required.
  • Position has education requirements--see Qualifications/Education section.
  • You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section.
  • EPA and non-EPA applicants must submit transcripts/course listings.
  • You must be a U.S. citizen.

If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.

This position is designated as Moderate Risk and requires a background investigation.  Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation.  All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date.

Qualifications

In addition to the educational requirements, we are looking for at least one year of specialized experience related to this position as described below:

To qualify for the GS-11 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-09 level defined as experience in protecting human health and the environment by providing support to atmospheric science, air quality modeling, and meteorological subject areas - OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in the academic discipline as described below - OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.

To qualify for the GS-12 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-11 level defined as experience in atmospheric science to perform air quality modeling and assists and provides regulatory assessment and review of the work of state, tribal and local air agency staff.

Your answers to the online assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:  

  • Knowledge of air pollution control operations and principles
  • Knowledge of meteorology and air quality dispersion
  • Knowledge of relevant environmental protection statutes, regulations, and precedent decisions
  • Skill to solve problems involving diverse aspects of environmental protection
  • Ability to develop and maintain effective relationships to enhance program goals to audiences with opposing points of view
  • Skill in oral communication
  • Skill in written communication to respond to or evaluate technical documents

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.

If you have part-time work experience, read this:  EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Education

You need a degree or combination of education and experience as described below to qualify for this position.

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited or pre-accredited college or university in 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:
    1. Six semester hours of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics;*
    2. Six semester hours of analysis and prediction of weather systems (synoptic/mesoscale);
    3. Three semester hours of physical meteorology; and
    4. 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 a combination of education and experience -- course work as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.


For information about accreditation requirements, visit EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

Additional information

This position is in the bargaining unit.

Are you a Displaced Federal Employee?  If so, please read the Required Documents section and visit the EPA website for additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures

EPA 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. For additional information:  EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures.

If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA.  Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility.

Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed above.

Position has portable work and selectee may be authorized to telework after meeting eligibility requirements if approved by the supervisor/manager.

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 and required documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.  Your resume must address the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in the Qualifications section.  If you meet basic qualification requirements, your application will be further evaluated based on your answers to the online assessment.  Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for the position.  You are being evaluated under the category rating method which means, if you are determined to be qualified, you will be placed into the ‘Best Qualified’, ‘Well Qualified’, or ‘Qualified’ category.

We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire.  If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.  We will evaluate your qualifications and eligibility and notify you if you meet minimum qualification requirements.  If you are referred for consideration, you may be subject to additional assessments.

NOTE:  We do not require a separate statement responding to the competencies, also referred to as Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).  However, your resume should clearly show possession of these competencies.


To preview questions please click here.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.