Job opening: Lead Meteorologist
Salary: $100 694 - 130 900 per year
Published at: Nov 30 2023
Employment Type: Multiple Schedules
*Applicants currently occupying a 1340 series position in the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and applying under competitive merit promotion procedures are covered under the "Exception" clause and DO NOT need to submit transcripts.
This position is located in the National Weather Service (NWS), Weather Forecast Office (WFO), with one vacancy in Saint Charles, MO.
Duties
As a Lead Meteorologist, you will perform the following duties:
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:
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 course work 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 course work 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.
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: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also 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:
Analyzing and assessing the current and forecast weather situation at both the synoptic and mesoscale levels;
Devising, formulating and disseminating hydrometeorological forecasts, watches, warnings and advisories;
Using dual polarization radar to issue forecasts and warnings; and
Providing briefings to government or other decision makers on hazardous weather or water events.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: Rotating shift work is required with the WFO and/or National Center in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During periods of threatening weather or rapidly changing weather conditions, the increase in workload and the necessity for rapid dissemination of weather warnings and updates requires periods of acute mental ness and produces considerable mental stress. Adverse weather conditions often require the incumbent to work hours longer than the usual shift, adding to mental and physical stress.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: Working on rotating shifts is routinely required with the WFO or National Center in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Incumbent must maintain sharp mental focus during highly stressful events. Incumbent will be required to maintain weather watch at office when general public is evacuating the area.
PHYICAL DEMANDS: The work is generally sedentary, although there is considerable moving about among various desks and equipment. Routine duties require meeting tight deadlines. During periods of threatening weather or rapidly changing weather conditions, the increase in workload and the necessity for rapid dissemination of weather warnings and updates requires periods of acute mental alertness and produces considerable mental stress. Adverse weather conditions often require the senior forecaster to work hours longer than the usual shift, adding to mental and physical stress.
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.
Contacts
- Address NOAA Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS)
1315 East West Hwy
SSMC4
Silver Spring, MD 20910
US
- Name: Mark Delong
- Email: [email protected]
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