Lead Meteorologist

Summary This position is located within the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service (NWS), Weather Forecast Office (WFO), Western Region with one vacancy located in Billings, MT. This position is also announced under vacancy number NWS WR MT-25-12575177-ST, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both. Responsibilities As a Lead Meteorologist, you will perform the following duties: Serve as the shift leader responsible for quality and timeliness of all NWS forecast and service products, warnings, and advisories prepared and issued by the Weather Forecast Office (WFO). Conduct a weather watch which involves interpretation of Doppler radar data, satellite imagery, and the analysis of other hydrometeorological data for the preparation of all WFO warning, forecast and service products, including individual briefings. Serve as the primary contact with other Federal, state, and local agencies such as FAA, FEMA, and emergency management and law enforcement officials over matters involving the initiation and implementation of immediate or emergency public health and safety measures based on NWS forecasts, warnings and watches. Handle general office administrative matters which may occur on shift including augmenting staff, approving overtime and leave. Requirements Conditions of Employment A one year probationary period may be required. Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized. This position is in the bargaining unit. This position is covered by (1538) Key Requirements: Applicants must be U.S. Citizens. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov) Qualification requirements must be met by closing date of the announcement. Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position? A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicants successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination. 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. If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: Working on rotating shifts is routinely required with the WFO in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 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 Managements website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position requires applicants to meet a Basic Education Requirement. You MUST have a bachelors degree in meteorology, atmospheric science, or other natural science major that included: 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. 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 SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to the basic requirements above, 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-13: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Analyzing and assessing the current and forecast weather situation at both the synoptic and mesoscale levels; Devising, formulating and disseminating hydrometeorological forecasts, watches, warnings and advisories; Using dual polarization radar to issue forecasts and warnings; and Providing briefings to government or other decision makers on hazardous weather or water events. Education Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: OPM Foreign Education Evaluation 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 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 Managements 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. The Department of the Commerce (DOC) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.