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Interdisciplinary Hydrologist/Meteorologist

Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Weather Service (NWS), River Forecast Center (RFC)
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the National Weather Service (NWS), Weather Region (WR), River Forecast Center (RFC) with one vacancy in Salt Lake City, UT.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/19/2022 to 01/03/2023
Salary
$66,214 to - $103,176 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Salt Lake City, UT
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NWS WR UT-23-11362382-DE
Control number
695426400

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Duties

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Official Title for this position: Meteorologist OR Hydrologist. Official Title will be determined based on the qualifications of the selectee.

The working title for this position is Hydrometeorological Analysis and Support Forecaster. As a Hydrometeorological Analysis and Support Forecaster, you will be performing the following duties:

  • Use operational hydrometeorological expertise in conjunction with advanced processing techniques, data sources and equipment (including WSR-88D) to analyze and assimilate real-time hydrometeorological data.
  • Produce forecast and guidance products for the River Forecast Center (RFC) area of responsibility, including analyzing the potential for future flooding and the effects of observed precipitation and other hydrometeorological phenomena on river flows.
  • Serve as a functional bridge between the RFC and operations at all Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) in the RFC area.
  • Assimilate and quality control of hydrometeorological forecasts for input to the RFC operational forecast system.

These duties are described at the GS-12; the GS-11 is developmental leading to such performance. All positions are developmental to the full performance level (FPL) GS-12.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

This position requires a Low Risk Security Clearance.

* A one year probationary period may be required.* Payment of relocation expenses is authorized.* This position is in the bargaining unit.

UNIQUE REQUIREMENTS: Working on rotating shifts is routinely required with the WFO in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

College Transcript: 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.
Key Requirements:
  1. Must be a U.S. Citizen.
  2. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
  3. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
  4. More requirements are listed under Qualification and Other Information.
  5. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).

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 may be filled in either of the below series (1340 or 1315). Each series 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:

EDUCATION:

To qualify for the 1340 series:

A. Degree: meteorology, atmospheric science, or other natural science major that included:
a. At least 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of credit in meteorology/atmospheric science including a minimum of:
i. Six semester hours of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics;*
ii. Six semester hours of analysis and prediction of weather systems (synoptic/mesoscale);
iii. Three semester hours of physical meteorology; and
iv. Two semester hours of remote sensing of the atmosphere and/or instrumentation.
b. Six semester hours of physics, with at least one course that includes laboratory sessions.*
c. Three semester hours of ordinary differential equations.*
d. At least nine semester hours of coursework 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.

* There is a prerequisite or corequisite of calculus for coursework in atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics, physics, and differential equations. Calculus courses must be appropriate for a physical science major.

OR

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

-OR-

To qualify for the 1315 series:

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:

EDUCATION:

A. Degree: physical or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics. Calculus and physics, as described above, are requirements for all grade levels.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience -- course work as shown in A above, 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 GS-11 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 GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Assisting with the analysis of precipitation data; and
  • Preparing hydrometeorological forecasts for issuance.

OR

EDUCATION: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field such as Meteorology, Atmospheric Sciences, Hydrology, or other related disciplines.

OR

Combination of related education and experience. Note: Only graduate-level education in excess of two years can be used for a combination.

To qualify at the GS-12 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 GS-11 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Utilizing precipitation data to produce river forecasts; and
  • Formulating and issuing hydrometeorological forecasts.

Education

Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/human-capital/how-foreign-education-evaluated-federal-jobs .

Additional information

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. 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.

Non-Competitive Reinstatement to a Higher Grade/Band than Previously Held MUST submit the following documents:
1. SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action: you must provide the most current Notification of Personnel Action (Form SF-50) that verifies career/career-conditional status, title, series, and highest grade level held on a permanent basis for your previous position. (do not submit an Award SF-50) AND, the SF-50 that verifies your separation date; AND.
2. Performance Appraisal - most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. Do not submit a performance plan that does not include this information.
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). However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best-qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

ALL GRADES:

  • Hydrology
  • Quality Assurance
  • Remote Sensing
GS-12 ONLY:
  • Manages and Organizes Information

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