This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) with one vacancy in Norman, OK.

Duties

As a Physical Scientist, you will perform the following duties: Test, evaluate, and deploy meteorological sensors, computers, and networks in support of research projects. Participate in field observation programs and operate, develop, and improve instrumentation while in the field. Participate in field data quality assessment and uses data visualization techniquesto ensure field data is suitable for further scientific research. Use programming languages such as C, C++, LabVIEW, MATLAB, and/or Python to write code for environmental sensing systems. Assist with writing scientific papers for publication to articulate new knowledge applied to challenges associated with the development and deployment of instrumentation. Process and analyze scientific data, plot figures, or tubular data for publications or presentations. Collaborate with other scientists to include external scientific communities and universities for exchanging technical information and ideas and working on projects of interest to the agencies. Manage projects covering wide-ranging issues, track multiple tasks at once, track progress of scientific studies, and communicate progress to team leads. Conduct data analysis, provide project oversight, quality control, and general management in the meeting of established objectives. Participate in the planning and prioritization of assignments and participate in and track scientific projects throughout the project lifecycle. Develop annualized programming information communicating projects and their progress. NOTE: These Physical Scientist duties are described at the Full Performance Level of the ZP-3, the ZP-2 is developmental leading to such performance.

Requirements

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 in order to be found minimally qualified. You MUST meet the following basic requirements: 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 to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. To qualify at the ZP-2 or GS-07 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements above, applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-1 or GS-05 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: - Participating in field data quality assessments; AND - Participating in data analysis for scientific research. -OR- SUBSTITITUION OF EDUCATION: One full year of graduate-level education. -OR- SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: Demonstrated by a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with one of the following. NOTE It is your responsibility to ensure your application clearly states how you meet one of the provisions below: - A grade point average (GPA) of 2.9 or higher based on a 4.0 scale for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last 2 full years of undergraduate study; - A GPA of 3.5 or higher based on a 4.0 scale for required courses completed in a major field of study, or those courses completed in a major field of study during the last two years of undergraduate study; - Class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision of the college. - Membership in a national Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies. -OR- COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience. To qualify at the ZP-3 or GS-11 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements above, applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-2 or GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: - Participating in testing, evaluating, or deploying meteorological sensors, computers, or networks to support research projects; - Participating in field data quality assessments or data analysis for scientific publications, presentations, or projects; AND - Assisting management in planning project assignments or tracking progress of projects. -OR- SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. -OR- COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and professional experience. Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet 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.)

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

Contacts

• Address NOAA Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS) 1315 East West Hwy SSMC4 Silver Spring, MD 20910 US
• Name: Applicant Inquiries
• Email: [email protected]