This position is located in the National Weather Service (NWS), National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), Storm Prediction Center (SPC) with one vacancy in Norman, OK.
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-14 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-13 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Participating in the development or implementation of tornado preparedness products or services; Communicating and disseminating information or data to meteorologists or the public regarding tornado activity and tornado preparedness; and Participating in developing or coordinating tornado preparedness trainings or workshops to support disaster planning and preparedness.
As a Meteorologist, you will perform the following duties: Serve as the Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM) and is responsible for planning, developing, and implementing annual tornado preparedness workshops for emergency managers and media. Identify priority preparedness objectives and develop national projects to meet those objectives. Develop, propose, and implement plans to develop, modify, or tailor products and services with the goal of service improvement or increased product usefulness. Serve as a point of contact for National Weather Service (NWS) Regional and field offices, emergency managers nationwide, private sector meteorologists, and the media. Prepare and routinely update tailored historic tornado statistics for Weather Forecast Office (WFO) County Warning Areas. Serve as technical advisor and resource for the Deputy Director on preparedness measures; and interface with regional and national headquarters on broad preparedness activities. Develop and present on-site workshops for NWS and other public and private sector meteorologists. These workshops include hands-on forecast exercises. Develop presentations on present and proposed Storm Prediction Center (SPC) products and services at meetings and workshops. Encourage, promote, and assist WFO's nationwide in the planning and conduct of community drills to test and exercise disaster plans and WFO-local government interaction. Develop and coordinate the issuance of "test watches" for annual WFO Tornado Drills held around the country. 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 generally sedentary, although carrying of bulky projectors and other informational materials is occasionally required, along with some light travel. Routine duties require meeting tight deadlines. Additionally, rotating shift work is occasionally required with the SPC in operations 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 watches and updates require 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.