This position is located in the National Weather Service (NWS), Weather Forecast Office (WFO), with vacancies in each listed location. WFOs issue watches, warnings and advisories as well as forecasts for their local area, keeping the public informed of weather hazards and interacting with emergency management partners to prepare for and mitigate the impacts of weather and water hazards. They monitor multiple sources of observations, disseminate weather, water and climate-related information.
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 OR substitution of education for experience OR combination (if applicable) 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-05 level: Applicants that meet the Basic Education Requirement qualify at the GS-05 level. 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 state-of-the-art hydro-meteorological data to monitor current conditions and provide assistance in forecast preparation for weather, water or climate hazards. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: One full year of graduate-level education in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science or 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 state-of-the-art hydro-meteorological data to monitor a geographic area and assist in the preparation and issuance of warnings, advisories, outlooks and general forecasts for weather, water or climate hazards. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Master's or equivalent graduate degree in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science or 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.
As a Meteorologist, you will perform the following duties: Integrate, with occasional assistance, forecast weather, water, and climate hazards with associated societal risks to produce and communicate life-saving impact-based warnings, advisories, outlooks and general forecasts, providing initial review of data to ensure accuracy, precision, and timeliness.. Support the development, production and delivery of interpretive services by providing, with occasional assistance, most Impact Based Decision Support Services (IDSS) that include tailored products, specialized notifications, remote briefings, and/or on-site deployments to a set of core partners that share a role in public safety and protection of property. Collect, assess, analyze, and integrate a complete set of environmental data in order to provide forecasts of critical elements at global, synoptic, and increasingly finer meso-scale levels. Assist in the collaboration and co-creation with colleagues while leveraging the talents of others to improve and optimize the day-to-day operational functions of the Weather Forecast Offices (WFO)/National Center. NOTE: These duties are described at the GS-09 level; the GS-05 and GS-07 are developmental leading to such performance. All positions are developmental to the Full Performance Level (FPL) GS-12. Learn more about NWS and its mission here: https://www.noaa.gov/www.noaa.gov/regional-collaboration-network/regional-videos. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: The work is performed in a typical office setting. Rotating shift work is required with the WFO and/or National Center in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 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 incumbent to work hours longer than the usual shift, adding to mental and physical stress.Incumbent must maintain sharp mental focus during highly stressful events. Incumbent will be required to maintain a weather watch at the office when the general public is evacuating the area.