This is a Direct Hire Public Notice. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.
This position is located in the Office of Coast Survey (OCS), Hydrographic Surveys Division (HSD) with one vacancy in Silver Spring, Maryland, Durham, New Hampshire, Norfolk, Virginia or Seattle, Washington.
Summary
This is a Direct Hire Public Notice. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.
This position is located in the Office of Coast Survey (OCS), Hydrographic Surveys Division (HSD) with one vacancy in Silver Spring, Maryland, Durham, New Hampshire, Norfolk, Virginia or Seattle, Washington.
As a Physical Scientist, you will perform the following duties:
Develop and apply new technology and methods to increase the capabilities, efficiencies, and accuracy of the National Bathymetric Source model and workflow.
Perform all phases of automated workflow development including design, algorithm and software development, testing, and documentation.
Translate scientific processes and procedures into engineered data solutions.
This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel Systems (CAPS). This system replace the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.
The ZP-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12 paygrade.
NOTE:
* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: This position has physical requirements. Physical Scientists in the Office of Coast Survey, Hydrographic Surveys Division are deployed to NOAA and/or contract vessels and field units up to 180 days per year including weekends. Employees must be capable of working up to 12 variable hours per day while deployed. To deploy on a NOAA vessel, personnel are subject to the latest OMAO Medical Evaluation Program, Policy 1006, Immunizations, Communicable Disease Protection, and Chemoprophylaxis. Personnel must complete and submit NOAA Form (NF) 57-10-01 NOAA Health Services Questionnaire and NF 57-10-02 Tuberculosis Screening, and provide proof of vaccination for required immunizations prior to deployment; either 30 days in advance of deployment or earlier as required by the program, office, or supervisor. See more under "Additional Information Section".
Key Requirements:
Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
Selectee may be subject to serving a three-year probationary period.
More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
This position IS NOT in the bargaining unit.
A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
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 requires applicants to meet a Basic 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 one of the following basic education 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 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.
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-3 or GS-11: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also have one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level ZP-2 or GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
Working in a development environment using various programming languages, such as Python or C++;
Working with different data formats, databases and workflows that require significant software development;
Assisting with the drafting of technical procedures or participating in the implementation of new or existing policies pertaining to hydrography; and
Disseminating data and information to management, internal or external stakeholders, working groups, etc.
OR
SUBSTITION OF EDUCATION: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.
OR
COMINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above.
NOTE: Only graduate level education in excess of two years is qualifying for a combination of education and experience.
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.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation by the closing date of the announcement will result in lost consideration. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated visit: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation.
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 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
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).
A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
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;
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;
A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
NOAA uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
The Department of the Commerce (DOC) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission.
Condition of Employment Continued:
Physical Scientists in the Office of Coast Survey, Hydrographic Surveys Division when deployed to a NOAA and/or contract field unit or vessel must work in extreme environmental conditions and choppy seas. Personnel deploying in small boats for operations will have to ascend and descend a rope ladder. Employee must be able to work aboard a moving vessel and occasionally lift equipment that weighs up to 50 lbs. All persons embarked on a NOAA or contract vessel must be able to perform normal work functions and personal emergency response functions while deployed. During an abandon ship event, personnel will have to don a survival suit and/or descend a rope ladder to a life raft or rescue craft. A person at sea should be able to don a survival suit in one minute while fully clothed without having to remove their shoes.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
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.
NOTE: If it is determined that you have rated yourself higher than is supported in your description of experience and/or education as described in your resume/application, or that your resume or application is incomplete, you may be rated ineligible and/or not qualified.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.
A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume
You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose, for each work experience at a minimum, your resume must include; job title(s) (including job series and grade, if federal); description of duties or work performed; education; starting and ending dates (month and year); and hours worked per week and/or full-time or part-time. If identifying as part-time you must state the number of hours per week. (NOTE:A full-time work schedule requires most employees to work 33-40 hours during the work week. A part-time schedule requires an employee to work less than full-time, but for a specific number of hours (usually 16-32 hours per administrative work week) on a prearranged scheduled tour of duty.)
Transcripts
If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) & Inter-agency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Eligibles
If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, the Servicing Human Resources Office must receive proof by the closing date of this announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330 Subpart F for CTAP and 5 CFR 330 Subpart G for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes:
copy of the agency notice;
your most recent Performance Rating; and
your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.
If you are a CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference points). For more information on CTAP/ICTAP please click here.
Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS by 11:59pm Eastern Time (ET) (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.
Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement:
Click the blue "Apply Online" button.
If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile.
As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application.
Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen.
Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy.
Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below.
If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
NOAA Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS)
1315 East West Hwy
SSMC4
Silver Spring, MD 20910
US
Next steps
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Physical Scientist, ZP-1301-3, 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).
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:
Application Received or Application Incomplete
Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Not Met;
Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Eligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
Selected or Not Selected.
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed.
After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.)
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Required documents may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments.
A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire. Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume
You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose, for each work experience at a minimum, your resume must include; job title(s) (including job series and grade, if federal); description of duties or work performed; education; starting and ending dates (month and year); and hours worked per week and/or full-time or part-time. If identifying as part-time you must state the number of hours per week. (NOTE:A full-time work schedule requires most employees to work 33-40 hours during the work week. A part-time schedule requires an employee to work less than full-time, but for a specific number of hours (usually 16-32 hours per administrative work week) on a prearranged scheduled tour of duty.)
Transcripts
If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Please ensure that all documentation is legible.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) & Inter-agency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Eligibles
If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, the Servicing Human Resources Office must receive proof by the closing date of this announcement that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330 Subpart F for CTAP and 5 CFR 330 Subpart G for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. This includes:
copy of the agency notice;
your most recent Performance Rating; and
your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.
If you are a CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you will be considered well qualified if you earn a minimum score of 85 (prior to the assignment of veteran's preference points). For more information on CTAP/ICTAP please click here.
Applications (resume and application questions) for this vacancy must be received on-line via USAJOBS by 11:59pm Eastern Time (ET) (Washington, D.C. time) on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online resume, you will not be considered for this position. Requests for extensions will not be granted. If applying online poses a hardship for you, you must speak to someone in the Servicing Human Resources Office listed on this announcement PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE for assistance.
Instructions for Applying Online for this Vacancy Announcement:
Click the blue "Apply Online" button.
If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile.
As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application.
Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen.
Address the eligibility questions as well as the questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy.
Submit required documents using one of the available methods listed below.
If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk.
NOAA Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS)
1315 East West Hwy
SSMC4
Silver Spring, MD 20910
US
Next steps
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Physical Scientist, ZP-1301-3, 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).
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:
Application Received or Application Incomplete
Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Not Met;
Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Eligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
Selected or Not Selected.
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed.
After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.)
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
