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Physical Scientist

Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Weather Service, National Centers for Environmental Prediction
This job announcement has closed

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 in the National Weather Service (NWS), National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), Environmental Modeling Center (EMC), with one vacancy in College Park, MD.

Salary for GS-13: Step1: $112,015 to Step 10: $145,617.
Salary for GS-14: Step1: $132,368 to Step 10: $172,075.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
10/06/2023 to 10/23/2023
Salary
$112,015 to - $172,075 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13 - 14
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
College Park, MD
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
NWS NCEP-23-12136975-DHA
Control number
753356100

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Duties

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As a Physical Scientist you will perform the following duties:

  • Develop, transition, and maintain numerical model physics parameterizations and associated computer-based technologies to improve National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Environmental Modeling Center (EMC) environmental forecasts and services.
  • Lead staff in multiple locations to prepare, coordinate with external partners, and present numerical model research and development activities.
  • Oversee the consistency and transition of techniques and research to operations (R2O) of one or more numerical model physics parameterizations for numerical forecast guidance products.

These duties are described at the full performance level of the GS-14; the GS-13 is developmental.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

* A one year probationary period may be required.
* Payment of relocation expenses is notauthorized.
* This position is in in the bargaining unit. This position is covered by (1538).

Key Requirements:

  1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
  2. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
  • 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 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:

EDUCATION:

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

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 GS-13 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Participating in the development of one or more atmospheric chemistry models or physics Parameterizations such as atmospheric composition, aerosol-cloud- radiation interaction, subgrid scale gravity waves, planetary boundary layer turbulence, unified cloud parameterization, radiation, cloud microphysics, and stochastic physics, for earth system modeling applications, including global and regional models for air quality, weather and sub-seasonal to seasonal predictions;
  • Improving chemistry or physics for operational modeling systems, such as maintaining and upgrading physics representation and its interaction with other components of earth system models;
  • Collaborating with the scientific community to accelerate research to operational transition of advances in earth system modeling;
  • Participating in national and international research programs.
To qualify for the GS-14 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
  • Develop, maintain, and transition to operation one or more atmospheric chemistry models or physics parameterizations and the associated computer-based technologies to improve earth system models for predictions at the global, regional, weather, and seasonal scales.
  • Coordinate with external partners, prepare and present numerical model research and development activities;
  • Oversee the consistency and transition of techniques and research to operations (R2O) of model physics for numerical forecast guidance and products;
  • Participate in national and international conferences. Publish results in various media for dissemination to the national and international research and operation communities.

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

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 80 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:

  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 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.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

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.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12136975

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