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

Research Oceanographer, ZP‐1360‐4 (DE/CR)

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

Summary

This position is located in the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service Office (NESDIS), Office of Satellite Applications and Research with one vacancy located in College Park, MD.

Overview

Help
Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/20/2019 to 06/28/2019
Salary
$89,869 to - $138,062 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZP 4
Location
College Park, MD
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 15% foreign and domestic travel may be required
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
NSDIS-STAR-2019-0013
Control number
537033000

Duties

Help

As a Research Oceanographer, you will be performing the following duties:

  • Collaborate and transition satellite oceanographic research and data products with National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) to meet strategic mission needs through support of end‐user requirements and applications, generation of peer‐reviewed publications, membership in scientific committees, and leadership in scientific conferences and meetings.
  • Facilitate development of satellite oceanographic and climatological algorithms and data products in support of NOAA and Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) strategic missions.
  • Collaborate with internal and external science teams in the proposals, evaluation, staging, testing, publication, documentation, and transitioning of satellite oceanographic data from research to operations.
  • Serve as a team lead by overseeing end‐to‐end research and product development on satellite oceanographic data to support global and regional applications, analyses and forecasts.
  • Oversee the Marine Optical Buoy (MOBY) Program for NOAA, which provides critical data for vicarious calibration of Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) ocean color data.

Requirements

Help

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).
  • Qualification requirements must be met by closing date of announcement.

This position requires a Low Risk 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: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position requires applicants to meet a Basic Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of specialized experience in order to be found minimally qualified. You MUST meet one of the following basic education requirements:

A. Degree: major study of at least 24 semester hours in oceanography or a related discipline such as physics, meteorology, geophysics, mathematics, chemistry, engineering, geology, or biology, plus 20 additional semester hours in any combination of oceanography, physics, geophysics, chemistry, mathematics, meteorology, computer science, and engineering sciences.

OR

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

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 least 6 semester hours in physics.

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:

  • Transitioning satellite oceanographic remote sensing research, algorithms, data products and their validation; and enabling data product utilization and application development;
  • Facilitating timely access to global and regional ocean remote sensing data and products to users; and
  • Managing operational activities pertaining to marine buoy observations for calibration of satellite ocean color data.

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 prepare and present scientific information for briefings, demonstrations or conferences pertaining to satellite oceanographic research.
  • Skill in analyzing, interpreting and managing satellite oceanographic, coastal and ice remote sensing data.  
  • Skill in planning executing and transitioning oceanographic research.
  • Ability to oversee the development and implementation of oceanographic products for use in applications, analyses and forecasts.
  • Knowledge of vicarious calibration, ocean color and spectrometry data.

NOTE: A Subject Matter Expert (SME) will participate in the evaluation process.


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.