The World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) is located within the Office of the Chief Economist (OCE). The WAOB's primary objectives are consistency, objectivity, and reliability of outlook and situation related material, including weather information, developed within U.S. Department of Agriculture. The WAOB coordinates weather and climate information and monitoring.

Duties

Analyzes how current weather is affecting the physiological development of crops throughout the entire crop cycle, and what the net cumulative effect will be on final crop yields. Coordinates weather and climate data requirements with Climate Prediction Center weather analysts to obtain the proper weather data parameters and formats required for crop weather assessment. Conducts background studies on crop physiology weather relationships for assigned foreign agricultural areas as reference information for The Joint Agricultural Weather Facility and USDA commodity analysts. Works with GIS specialist and geographer Serves on various USDA commodity estimate committees as one of WAOB’s agricultural weather experts and provides weather input to the World Agricultural Supply and Demand report and the Crop Production report. Develops new products, processes, and procedures that result in an improvement in the quality and content of operational products such as the Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin. Represents OCE/WAOB at interagency task force meetings and briefings as a principal international crop-weather expert and leads WAOB’s effort to compile a more comprehensive regional-level crop production data base.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Recruitment incentives will be paid.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, as defined below. Employees must meet minimum education requirements, if applicable. Applicants MUST meet the following Meteorology Series, 1340 Individual Occupational Requirements. Basic Education Requirement Required Education (Professional/Scientific): 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: Qualifying experience for GS-9 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-7 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience of One full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 in the federal service: - Supporting partners in reaching organization mission or goals; and - Assisting in research and studies to provide accurate forecasts. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: B. 2 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education or masters or equivalent graduate degree or LL.B. or J.D if related For the GS-11: C. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. AND Specialized Experience: Qualifying experience for GS-11 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-9 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience includes one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 in the federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: - Assessing severe weather warning, forecast, and service products to improve their adequacy and usefulness, - Assisting with meteorological or hydrologic public awareness preparedness programs; and - Communicating technical meteorological and hydrologic information to partners or customers. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: B. 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or possession of a LL.M. degree, if related. OR C. COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above. Only education in excess of two years of graduate level education is applicable. Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer 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.

• 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
• 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.
• Education. If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.

Contacts

• Address Office of the Chief Economist 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Shenika Fegins
• Email: [email protected]