Physical Scientist/Hydrologist/Meteorologist

National-Oceanic-; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

NOAA, National Weather Service, Office of Operations, Sector Operations Centers, is offering vacancies across multiple locations including Nashville, Springfield, Albany, Atlanta, Bismarck, Columbus, Hanover, Lincoln, City of Los Angeles, and County of Los Angeles. Qualified applicants must meet OPM basic education standards for 1301/1315/1340 series and have one year of specialized experience.

Positions require handling weather, water or environmental data analysis and coordination with

Qualifications

• BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position may be filled with series 1301 (General Physical Science) / 1315 (Hydrology) / 1340 (Meteorology).
• Each series requires applicants to meet a Basic Education Requirement and at least one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience.
• You MUST meet one of the following basic education requirements: 1301: degree in physical science/engineering/mathematics with 24 semester hours in physical science; 1315: degree in physical or natural science or engineering with 30 semester hours in hydrology/physical sciences etc.; 1340: degree in Meteorology/Atmospheric Science with required coursework including atmospheric dynamics, physics, calculus, etc.

Responsibilities

• Specialized experience must include weather, water or environmental data analysis and operations in support of emergency response activities.
• Coordinate with partners during high impact weather, water, climate or environmental events.

Job description

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service (NWS), Office of Operations, Sector Operations Centers, with 10 vacancies in Nashville, TN; Springfield, IL; Albany, NY; Atlanta, GA; Bismark, ND; Columbus, OH; Hanover, MD; Lincoln, NE; City of Los Angeles, CA; or County of Los Angeles, CA.

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 1301 (General Physical Science) / 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 1301 series:
EDUCATION:
A. 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
B. 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.
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-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:

• Conducting weather, water or environmental data analysis and operations in support of emergency response activities; and
• Coordinating with partners during high impact weather, water, climate or environmental events.