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Physical Scientist ZP-1301-2 (Pathways Recent Grad)

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), National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) with one vacancy in Boulder, CO.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
08/26/2021 to 09/09/2021
Salary
$47,895 to - $83,875 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZP 2
Location
Boulder, CO
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 15% of domestic travel may be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Recent Graduates
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
3 - There is no obligation to provide future promotions if you are selected. Promotions are dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, meet all the performance requirements, and supervisor’s recommendation to the next grade.
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
NSDIS-NCEI-2021-0048
Control number
612076800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Recent graduates who have completed, within the previous (2) two years, a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution. Exception: A veteran due to military service obligation was unable to apply with 2 years of receiving their degree, will have up to (6) six years after degree completion to apply.

Duties

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As a Physical Scientist, you will perform the following duties:

  • Participate in the organization’s environmental data programs (such as magnetic modeling), developing knowledge, skills and abilities to provide access to environmental and support data collected by National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), academia and partner agencies.
  • Develop access systems and populate online databases and systems to enable discovery of and access to original and processed environmental data and derived products. Document data in standard metadata format. Monitor and report scientific and technological changes impacting the environmental data repository and services. Assist in providing long-term stewardship of, and access to, data and products, ensuring their quality and usefulness to the project and future customers.
  • Assist higher level specialists in the development of new techniques and approaches to solve problems using advanced sciences.
  • Act as point of contact within the organization for international and national data providers that submit data, when needed, and verify quality. Work with environmental data providers to ensure their archive and access needs are met, while staying abreast of best practices and technological advances that need to be accommodated, and providing regular updates on archive statistics. 

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)
  • Must sign a Pathways Programs Participant Agreement.
  • A minimum one year trial period will be required.

Applicants must have completed, within the previous two-years, a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution.

Exceptions are made for veterans, as defined in 5 USC 2108 , who, due to military service obligations, were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduate Program during the two-year eligibility period described above.  Veterans have a full two-year period of eligibility upon their release or discharge from active duty. The eligibility period shall not extend beyond six years from the date of academic completion.

This position is being recruited with an opportunity for non-competitive conversion eligibility to a permanent OR term position upon completion of all Recent Graduate program requirements. Conversion is not mandatory nor guaranteed (see Other Information).

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-2 is equivalent to the GS-07/09, however is only being advertised at the GS-07 level. 

* Applicants must be at least 16 years of age. 

* Student Loan Repayment will not be authorized.

* This position is not in the bargaining unit.

* This is a low risk position

College Transcript:  Applicants must submit a copy of their college transcript that lists college courses, course title, and number of credit hours. If you have a future graduation date, you must provide a letter from the school registrars' office that includes the name of the student/applicant, the name of the school, and verification of your anticipated graduation date. The transcripts or letter must indicate that the degree has been conferred.  You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process, but an official certified copy must be received before you can report to duty.

Qualifying Education Institution: Any of the following educational institutions or curricula that have been accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/

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.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience OR substitution of education for experience OR combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements:

To qualify for the 1301 series:

EDUCATION:

A. Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. 

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-2 or GS-07 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-1 or GS-05 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Analyzing, interpreting and/or evaluating scientific data and communicating the results; and
  • Providing support to higher level scientific personnel.

OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: One full year of graduate-level education.

OR

SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: Demonstrated by a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with one of the following. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your application clearly states how you meet one of the provisions below:

  • A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher based on a 4.0 scale for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last 2 full years of undergraduate study;
  • A GPA of 3.5 or higher based on a 4.0 scale for required courses completed in a major field of study, or those courses completed in a major field of study during the last two years of undergraduate study;
  • Class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision of the college;
  • Membership in a national Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies.

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience.

Additional information

This vacancy may be used to fill other Physical Scientist, ZP-1301-2 positions throughout NOAA. The position must be alike (e.g.: the same qualifications and eligibility requirements as indicated in this vacancy announcement).

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.

PROGRAM COMPLETION AND CONVERSION: Upon completion of the minimum 1-year career development program, Program participants may, at agency discretion, be non-competitively converted without a break in service, to a career or career conditional appointment. There is no guarantee for conversion.

To be eligible for conversion, Recent Graduates must:
• Successfully complete the one year developmental period identified.
• Demonstrate successful job performance.
• Meet the Office of Personnel Management’s qualifications for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted.
• Complete 40 hours of formal interactive training within developmental period.
• Sign a Pathways Programs Participant Agreement upon appointment.
• Meet established goals outlined in the Recent Graduate’s Individual Development Plan (IDP).
• Recommended by supervisor/manager for conversion to permanent OR term position.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your resume, supporting documents and responses to the online questionnaire will be reviewed to determine if you meet eligibility and minimum qualification requirements. Veterans’ preference applies to all selections made under the Pathways authority in accordance with CFR, Part 302.

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

  • Ability to collect, process, manage, and analyze scientific data.
  • Ability to work in a team towards achieving a common goal.
  • Knowledge of cloud services and other IT technologies in order to integrate all required elements into functioning systems and subsystems.
  • Knowledge of advanced scientific techniques, theories, practices, and innovative product development.
  • Ability to develop methods and techniques to ensure efficient and effective data management.
  • Knowledge of emerging data management systems.
  • Knowledge of emerging scientific computation system and advanced scientific programming.
  • Ability to communicate technical, scientific, and data management information with staff.

To preview questions please click here.

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