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Physical Scientist, ZP-1301-5 (Direct Hire)

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

Summary

NESDIS is looking for great people to manage our world-class operations. The Office of Space Commerce is currently seeking interested candidates to serve as the SSA Program Manager. You will be responsible for providing a full range of strategic, technical and business services to achieve effective operations to support the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) mission for the civil and commercial space industry and promote space economic growth and technological advancements.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
05/31/2022 to 06/13/2022
Salary
$148,484 to - $176,300 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZP 5
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Washington, DC
Suitland, MD
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
5
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NESDIS-OSC-2022-0007
Control number
656584700

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Duties

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This is a Direct Hire Public Notice. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.

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

  • Serve as the OADR Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Product Operations Program Manager leading the development and operational testing activities developing new operations concepts and staffing plans to support missions in the formulation and acquisition phase. Analyze end to end data flows across OSC mission management and product processing systems to propose new methods for achieving operational efficiencies.
  • Integrate program goals with organizational priorities and requirements while developing and directing the resolution of technical problems in areas where guidelines or precedents may be lacking, and negotiate with technical experts to resolve technical aspects of SSA ground systems, communications, or other information technology systems.
  • Lead and plan interface testing across the SSA Ground Segments (including ground network and DoD and NASA elements as necessary) and promote user requirements, data ingest, mission planning and scheduling of data, and data analysis systems for the production of space and ground operations and functional requirements.
  • Serve as Subject Matter Expert (SME), Technical Monitor (TM) and Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) for support contracts pertaining to sustainment (electronic, structural, and mechanical) of existing and planned OSC ground assets.

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.

Due to COVID-19, the agency is currently in an expanded telework posture. NOAA received notice of reintegration to occur on April 25, 2022.  As employees are permitted to return to the office, you will need to follow management’s guidelines on the expectation of reporting to the duty station listed on this announcement. You may be eligible to request to telework depending upon the terms of the agency’s telework policy.

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-5 is equivalent to the GS-15. 

Category Rating, Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to this Public Notice.

* A one year probationary period may be required.

* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

* This position is not in the bargaining unit.

* A drug test is required for this position.

* This position requires the submission of a Financial Disclosure Form, SF 450.

NOTE:

*This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Physical Scientist, ZP-1301-5 positions throughout NOAA. The position must be alike (e.g. within the same geographic locations, same grade/band and requires the same qualifications and specialized experience as indicated in this vacancy announcement).

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.

To qualify for the 1301 series:

EDUCATION: 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:

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 an 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-5 or GS-15 level:

In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-4 or GS-14 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Overseeing space operations and space situational awareness data product processing; and
  • Leading multi-disciplinary engineers and/or space product processing teams that work with user organizations to support mission operations and resolve complex problems.

Education

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.

Additional information

For the purpose of filling positions in multiple MD locations in the future, the certificate(s) for this position may also be used to fill positions in College Park, MD, Suitland, MD, Greenbelt, MD or Silver Spring, MD.

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have met the minimum qualifications for the position. Information about CTAP and 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.

Veteran’s Preference does not apply to direct hire recruitment procedures.

Any selections made under this notice will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Therefore, Current Federal employees would be given new appointments to the civil service and may have to serve a new probationary period under CFR 315.802 (b).

NOTE: A one year probationary period will be required under the Direct Hire Authority unless you are a current Department of Commerce employee and are in the same line of work and with no more than a 30 day break in service. 


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