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: This position requires applicants to meet a basic education requirement or combination of education and experience 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: 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:
a. Six semester hours of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics;
b. Six semester hours of analysis and prediction of weather systems (synoptic/mesoscale);
c. Three semester hours of physical meteorology; and
d. 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.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
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:
Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
- Assess the current and forecast weather situations;
- Provide assistance with a weather watch using state-of-the-art meteorological, hydrologic, and climatic data;
- Prepare warnings, advisories, outlooks and general forecast weather, water, and climate hazards for review;
- Support interpretive services, such as decision support services, to partners.
OR
Education: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: Education and experience may be combined for which both education and experience
are acceptable to meet 100% of the requirement.
To qualify at the GS-12 level:
Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:
- Analyze and assess the current forecast weather situation and weather trends;
- Conduct a weather watch using state of the art meteorological, hydrologic, and climatic data;
- Devise and formulate warnings, advisories, outlooks and general forecasts for weather, water and climate hazards;
- Develop and deliver interpretive services, such as decision support services, to partners