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Program Management Specialist

Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO)

Summary

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO), with one vacancy in Lakeland, FL.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted yesterday · Apply by 06/10/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 10, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$74,678 - $163,514 per year
Pay scale & grade
ZA 3 - 4
Promotion potential
4 - If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you may be non-competitively promoted if you perform successfully and if recommended by management.
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - Up to 25% of domestic or foreign travel may be required for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes - ZA-4 Requirement Only: If selected, required to complete OGE Form 450 financial disclosure
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
OMAO-26-12974835-ST
Control number
871524500

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current or former Federal employees w/permanent competitive status; OR those eligible under a non-comp appointing authority (e.g. Individuals w/Disabilities, Pathways Interns & Recent Grads who are eligible for conversion, etc.); OR current or former employees who are serving, or previously served on temp or term appmt in land mgmt agency; OR veterans w/preference or those separated from armed forces OR NOAA Corps under honorable conditions after 3+ yrs of continuous service.

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Duties

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As a Program Management Specialist, you will perform the following duties:

  • Serve as the Senior Program Management Specialist for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Division Operations. Carry out UAS projects and operations and provide program support to include providing federal airspace technical oversight. Serve as the policy and planning authority and expert advisor to top management, ensuring adherence to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and NOAA policy guidelines associated with UAS execution.
  • Provide a structured project management approach to facilitate UAS development and operations. Coordinate projects and execute and ensure safe missions in accordance with applicable regulations and policies, using various UAS platforms.
  • Analyze and advise on changes in policies and resources that affect program objectives. Report on the status and progress of work accomplished and monitor work in progress. Utilize financial and administrative systems to provide budgetary and financial management support as well as identifying critical issues.

NOTE: These duties are described at the full performance level of the ZA-4; the ZA-3 is developmental leading to such performance.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

  • Travel required to support projects approximately 2 weeks per quarter.
  • This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 Remote Pilots License required to provide operational support to UAS field projects and training courses as required by the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Division (UASD), and to operate drones in the National Airspace.
  • ZA-4 Requirement Only: Incumbent must have the ability to obtain and maintain COR level II certification. Serve as COR Level II for corporate UAS assets and programs.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

  • This position has physical requirements. Physical requirement to load and unload boxes, equipment, handling drones, etc.
This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.

The ZA-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12.
The ZA-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14. The ZA-4 is the full performance level of the position.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

  • Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
  • Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
  • More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Additional Information.
  • Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
  • Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
  • If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Additional Considerations:

  • One year probationary period may be required.
  • Payment of relocation expenses (PCS) is not authorized.
  • Payment of relocation incentives OR recruitment incentives may be authorized. Note: Relocation incentives are for current federal employees only.
  • This position requires Moderate Security Clearance.
  • Background investigation will be required. Continued employment is subject to applicant's successful completion of security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, for those required to serve a 1-year probationary period, we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

  • Your performance and conduct;
  • Needs and interests of the agency;
  • Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of then Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/

EDUCATION: There is no positive education requirement for this position.

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 ZA-3 or GS-11 level:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-2 or GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Participating in aircraft missions or flights or conducting uncrewed aviation projects;
  • Assisting in analyzing or evaluating Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations or aircraft operational requirements to ensure safety and adherence to rules and regulations; and
  • Assisting in project planning activities such as budget evaluation or the allocation of personnel or resources.

OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related.

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of successfully completed graduate-level education and specialized experience may be used to meet the total experience requirements. Note: Only graduate-level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience.


To qualify at the ZA-4 or GS-13 level:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-3 or GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

  • Planning or coordinating aircraft missions or flights or conducting uncrewed aviation projects;
  • Analyzing and evaluating Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations or aircraft operational requirements to ensure safety and adherence to rules and regulations; and
  • Managing or executing project planning activities to include budget evaluation and the allocation of personnel or resources.

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.), name of accredited institution, 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.

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: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation.

Additional information

During the application process you will have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

ICTAP and CTAP Candidates: Eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. 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. 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. Copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

  1. 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. Copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
  3. 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 (SF-50) that verifies career/career-conditional status, title, series, and highest grade level held on a permanent basis for your previous position, 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.

NOAA participates in e-Verify, 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.

The Federal Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire and/or evaluation through a manual assessment process, and your responses to any additional assessments (i.e. USAHire) required for this position.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and a Job Knowledge Test. The Job Knowledge Test is designed to assess technical and professional expertise directly relevant to the requirements of this announcement. This assessment measures the specialized knowledge and skills accumulated over time, which are critical for successful performance in this position. The best-qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Organizational Awareness, Planning and Evaluating, and Project Management

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12974835

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOAA is an agency that enriches life through science. From daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings, and climate monitoring to fisheries management, coastal restoration, and supporting marine commerce, NOAA's products and services support economic vitality and affect more than one-third of America's gross domestic product. NOAA's dedicated scientists use cutting-edge research and high-tech instrumentation to provide citizens, planners, emergency managers and other decision makers with reliable information they need, when they need it.

Agency contact information

Applicant Inquiries
Email
noaa.applicantinquiries@noaa.gov
Address
NOAA Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS)
1315 East West Hwy
SSMC4
Silver Spring, MD 20910
US

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