Electronics Technician Job in Palmer, AK

Vacancy No. NWS-25-12770672-DE Department National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Salary $83,603.00 to $108,678.00 Grade 11 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/25/2025 Close Date 8/8/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Palmer, AK


Summary

This position is located in the National Weather Service (NWS), National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC). NTWC issues warnings and forecasts for their area of responsibility. As an Electronics Technician, you will directly contribute to NTWC's mission to protect life and property.

Duties

As an Electronics Technician, you will perform the following duties:

  • Perform technical services including maintenance, troubleshooting, installation, operation and testing of a full range of electronic systems.
  • Develop and devise improvements and alterations to complex technical equipment, instruments or software, including modifying and conducting complex tests and analyzing the results.
  • Provide support monitoring, operating, and maintaining site's computer systems.
  • Serve as the technical focal point for maintenance on systems and equipment for assigned local and remote areas.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Key Requirements:

  • Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
  • This position requires a Low Risk Security Clearance.
  • 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 closing date of the announcement.
  • Selectee must provide a valid state driver's license & safe driving record.

Additional Considerations:

  • One year probationary period may be required.
  • Payment of relocation expenses (PCS) is not authorized.
  • This position is in the bargaining unit. This position is covered by NWSEO.

Conditions of Employment:

  • Required to work in cramped or confined areas; handle tools, equipment and testing devices up to 40 lbs; climb equipment ladders, towers, stairs, etc.
  • Must be able to work in potentially hazardous conditions such as power generators, machinery, obstructed work areas, high noise levels, inclement weather conditions and high voltage.
  • Required to operate a motorized and specialized vehicle to perform site equipment maintenance.
  • On occasion, must work over time to meet work schedule requirements and resolve issues that could affect public safety.
  • Work may be performed in remote locations.

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

EDUCATION: There is no positive education requirement for this position.

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-11 level:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-10 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
  • Installing, operating, and maintaining a wide range of electronic, electro-mechanical, data acquisition, communications equipment or computer systems; and
  • Planning and conducting testing of field equipment.

Education

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

Additional information

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of the American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

This position is also announced under vacancy number NWS-25-12770671-ST, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

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.

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.

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.

NOAA participates in e-Verify, 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.

The Federal Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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.

Review our benefits

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and a Job Knowledge Test. The Job Knowledge Test is designed to assess technical and professional expertise directly relevant to the requirements of this announcement. This assessment measures the specialized knowledge and skills accumulated over time, which are critical for successful performance in this position. The best-qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

CATEGORY RATING:

Category rating will be used in the ranking and selection process for this position. Within each category, those entitled to Veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. The quality categories are Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (Gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. For more information on Category Rating, please go to Category Rating.

Your responses to the application questions will determine your placement in the appropriate quality category described above. Your responses must be substantiated by your resume and supporting documents. If you do not respond to the application questions you may be rated ineligible. Candidates placed in the "Gold" category will be identified first for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics).

ALL GRADES:

  • Electronics Engineering
  • Technical Competence
  • Technology Application


If referred, all relevant documents submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the hiring official for review.

To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12770672

Required Documents

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (may be: (1) uploaded directly from your desktop; or (2) uploaded directly from your USAJOBS stored attachments):

1. Resume:

  • Your resume must be no more than 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
  • You are encouraged to make your resume and profile searchable https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account/profile/searchable.
  • You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume.
  • If you use your own resume or curriculum vitae, for each work experience at a minimum, your resume should include; job title(s) (including job series and grade, if Federal); description of duties or work performed; starting and ending dates (month and year).
  • Part-Time work must be clearly identified and include the number of hours per week; if not identified, then work will be assumed to be Full-Time. (NOTE: A full-time work schedule requires most employees to work 33-40 hours during the work week. A part-time schedule requires an employee to work less than full-time, typically 16-32 hours per week.)
2. Veterans' Preference Eligibles: If you are claiming veterans' preference you must provide a legible copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, member 4 copy or any official documentation or statement from the Armed Forces that confirms your dates of service and that your separation, discharge, or release from active duty was under honorable conditions (i.e., Honorable or General Discharge). Note: If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty, submit a copy for each period of service.

If you are currently on active military duty, you must provide documentation (e.g., campaign document, award citation, etc.), that verifies entitlement to veterans' preference and that your character of military service is honorable.

If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the documents specified above, you must also submit documentation that supports your claim, e.g., an official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (dated 1991 or later) or from a branch of the Armed Forces certifying the existence of a service-connected disability, or the award of the Purple Heart, etc. The overall rating must be identified on your certification letter or separation orders. Documentation must be received by the closing date shown in this vacancy announcement. If you fail to submit any of the required documentation, you will not be granted veterans' preference.

Additional information on veterans' preference can be found in the Vet Guide.

3. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation if applicable (see Additional Information).

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

  1. Click the blue "Apply Online" button.
  2. If you are not a registered USAJOBS user, please create a new account and follow the instructions to complete your application process. If you are a registered user, login to access your existing USAJOBS profile.
  3. As a registered user, select a stored resume and select one or more of your stored documents to attach to your application.
  4. Check the "Certification" box and click the "Apply for this position now!" button located at the bottom of the screen.
  5. Address the eligibility questions as well as the application questionnaire containing questions and/or task statements that address the knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies for this vacancy.
  6. If you experience technical difficulties during the online application process, please contact the USAJOBS helpdesk

Agency contact information

Applicant Inquiries
Address
NOAA Office of Human Capital Services (OHCS)
1315 East West Hwy
SSMC4
Silver Spring, MD 20910
US

Next steps

This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other equivalent positions throughout the Federal government. The position must be alike (e.g.: within the same geographic locations, equivalent grade/band and requires the same qualifications and specialized experience as indicated in this vacancy announcement).

Salary ranges will vary based on the location. Please visit: OPM Salary Charts for specific salary information related to a specific location.

Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) for Palmer, Alaska is 1.49% and is not federally taxed. The COLA is not reflected in the locality salary shown in this vacancy announcement. COLAs are exempt from Federal income taxes; post differentials are not.

You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:

  1. Application Received
  2. Application assessed for qualification;
  3. Referred or Not Referred; and
  4. Selected or Not Selected.

By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, Veterans' Preference, proof of disability, etc.).


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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