Lead Meteorologist

Summary

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service (NWS), Weather Forecast Office (WFO), with vacancies in each listed location.

WFOs issue warnings and forecasts for their local area, keeping the public informed of weather hazards and interacting with emergency management partners to mitigate the impacts of weather and water hazards.

Duties

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As a Lead Meteorologist, you will perform the following duties:

• Serve as the shift leader responsible for quality and timeliness of all National Weather Service (NWS) forecast and service products, warnings, and advisories prepared and issued by the Weather Forecast Office (WFO).
• Conduct weather watches, which involve interpretation of Doppler radar data, satellite imagery, and the analysis of other hydrometeorological data for the preparation of all WFO warning, forecast and service products, including individual briefings.
• Serve as the primary contact for other Federal, state, and local agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and emergency management and law enforcement officials, over matters involving the initiation and implementation of immediate or emergency public health and safety measures based on NWS forecasts, warnings and watches.
• Handle general office administrative matters which may occur on shift, including augmenting staff and approving overtime and leave.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Working on rotating shifts is routinely required with the WFO in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• 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 Lead Meteorologist to work hours 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.
• Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
• More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Additional Information.
• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
• Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
• If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Additional Considerations:

• One year probationary period may be required.
• Payment of relocation expenses (PCS) may be authorized.
• This position requires Moderate Risk Security Clearance.
• 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.

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

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements:

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:

• Providing briefings to government or other decision makers on hazardous weather or water events;
• Analyzing and assessing the current and forecast weather situation at both the synoptic and mesoscale levels; and
• Devising, formulating and disseminating hydrometeorological forecasts, watches, warnings and advisories.

Education

NOTE: 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.

Substitution of education for specialized experience is not applicable to this vacancy.

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.), name of accredited institution, 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.

Additional information

ICTAP and CTAP Candidates: Eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. 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:

1. 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;
2. 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;
3. Copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

1. 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).
2. Copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;
3. Copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests:If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/[redacted]2-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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.