Physical Scientist

Duties

As a Physical Scientist, you will perform the following duties:

• Assist higher-level specialists in the development and modification of techniques and tools for acquiring, reformatting, aggregating, analyzing, displaying, and providing access to climatological datasets and applied climatological products derived from them.
• Assist in providing long-term stewardship of, and access to, climatological data and products, ensuring their quality and usefulness to customers.
• Serve as a point of contact for customers within NOAA, academia, and other agencies and partners, ensuring that data and products are discoverable and documented in online repositories according to their requirements.

Note: The duties described are at the full performance level of the ZA-3 grade level, and the duties at the ZA-2 grade level are developmental leading to the ZA-3 level.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.

The ZP- 2 is equivalent to the GS-07/09however, this position is being advertised equivalent to the GS-07.

The ZP- 3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12.

NOTE:
* A one-year probationary period may be required.
* Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.
* This position is not in the bargaining unit.

ZP-2 - This position requires a Low-Risk Security Clearance.

Key Requirements:

Must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply.

Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.

Must be suitable for Federal employment.

Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).

Qualifications requirements must be met by closing date of announcement.

Qualifications

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 for the 1301 series:
BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position requires applicants to meet a Basic Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of specialized experience in order to be found minimally qualified. You MUST meet one of the following basic education requirements:

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 at the ZP-2 or GS-07 level:
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

-OR-

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and experience as described above.

NOTE: Only graduate-level education in excess of 1 year is qualifying for combination of education and experience.

Specialized experience:

• With oversight, writing computer programs to read, reformat, or otherwise process meteorological data as part of a research and/or on-the-job project, preferably using Python, Fortran, or R;
• Assisting in writing computer programs or applications to distribute or visualize environmental data, preferably using Python, Java, and/or PHP; and
• Communicating processing steps and results in oral and written form, such as in conference presentations, user guides, and/or peer-reviewed publications.

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.

Additional information

For the purpose of filling positions in multiple MD locations in the future, the certificate(s) for this position may also be used to fill positions in College Park, MD, Suitland, MD, Greenbelt, MD or Silver Spring, MD.

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

A 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).

A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;

A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and

Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

A 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;

A 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;

A 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. E-Verify is 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.