Summary

This position is located in the National Weather Service (NWS), River Forecast Centers (RFC) with one vacancy in Norton, MA.

Duties

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As a Hydrologist/Meteorologist, you will perform the following duties:

As a Hydrometeorological Analysis and Support (HAS) Forecaster, use operational hydrometeorological expertise in conjunction with advanced processing techniques, data sources and equipment (including WSR-88D) to analyze and assimilate real-time hydrometeorological data.
Serve as a functional bridge between the River Forecast Center (RFC) and operations at all Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) in the RFC area.
Produce forecast and guidance products for the RFC area of responsibility, including analyzing the potential for future flooding and the effects of observed precipitation and other hydrometeorological phenomena on river flows.
Assimilate and quality control of hydrometeorological forecasts for input to the RFC operational forecast system.

NOTE: These duties are described at the full performance level of the GS-12; the GS-07, GS-09 and GS-11 are developmental leading to such performance.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

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.
Occasional travel is required. (10%)
Work is primarily sedentary. However, long arduous work periods may be required when flood conditions threaten or occur. During flood events the duty may result in extended periods of stressful activity.
Shift work nominally covering 16-hour operations may move to 24-hour operations during flood events or seasonal periods of flood threat.
During flood events, the office may extend hours and require 24-hour operations and staffing. During periods of threatening weather or rapidly changing weather conditions, the increase in workload and the necessity for forecast and information updates requires periods of acute mental alertness and produces considerable mental stress. Adverse weather conditions often require the incumbent to work longer than the usual shift, adding to mental and physical stress.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
This position requires a Low Risk Security Clearance.
Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Additional Information.
Qualification requirements must be met by closing date of the announcement.

Additional Considerations:

One year probationary period may be required.*
Payment of relocation expenses (PCS) is not authorized.
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.

*Note: A one year probationary period will be required under the Direct Hire Authority unless you are a current Department of Commerce (including NOAA) employee and are in the same line of work and with no more than a 30 day break in service.

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/.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position may be filled with series 1315 (Hydrology) / 1340 (Meteorology). Each series requires applicants to meet a Basic Education Requirement in addition to at least one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet one of the following basic education requirements:

To qualify for the 1315 series:

EDUCATION:

A. Degree: physical or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics. Calculus and physics, as described above, are requirements for all grade levels.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

To qualify for the 1340 series:

EDUCATION:

A. Degree: Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, or other natural science major that included:

1. At least 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of credit in meteorology/atmospheric science including a minimum of:

Six semester hours of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics;*
Six semester hours of analysis and prediction of weather systems (synoptic/mesoscale);
Three semester hours of physical meteorology; and
Two semester hours of remote sensing of the atmosphere and/or instrumentation.

2. Six semester hours of physics, with at least one course that includes laboratory sessions.*

3. Three semester hours of ordinary differential equations.*

4. 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-07 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-05 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

Using hydro-meteorological data to monitor current conditions or provide assistance in forecast preparation for weather, water or climate hazards.

OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: One full year of graduate-level education in a directly related field.

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 3.0 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 successfully completed graduate-level education and specialized experience may be used to meet the total experience requirements.

To qualify at the GS-09 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-07 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

Using hydro-meteorological data to monitor a geographic area and assist in the preparation or issuance of warnings, advisories, outlooks or general forecasts for weather, water or climate hazards.

OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Master's or equivalent graduate degree in a directly related field or 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree.

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 GS-11 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-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

Assisting with the analysis of precipitation data; and
Preparing hydrometeorological forecasts for issuance.

OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in in a directly related field or 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree.

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 for the GS-12 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-11 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

Utilizing precipitation data to produce river forecasts; and
Formulating and issuing hydrometeorological forecasts.

Education

This position has a positive Education Requirement. You are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. 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. We may only consider documentation provided prior to the closing date of the announcement. Please see degree and experience requirements in the Qualifications section.

Notes: 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

ICTAP and CTAP Candidates: Eligible for selection priority if it is determined that the applicant is well qualified. 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:

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

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

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).
Copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
Copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

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.

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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.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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