Description

Summary

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), with vacancies in Silver Spring, Maryland; Durham, New Hampshire; Norfolk, Virginia; or Seattle, Washington.

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Duties

As a Supervisory Physical Scientist, you will perform the following duties:

• Serve as Branch Chief for the Hydrographic Surveys Division Operations Branch to coordinate projects such as hydrographic survey priorities, project instructions, data review and resulting products, contract administration, and policies and procedures maintenance, in order to enable the effective use of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hydrographic resources.
• Plan, manage and supervise Branch resources effectively to provide required products and services. Lead and manage employees, operations, and process improvements by providing technical supervision and guidance to increase output and enhance employee professional development and workplace environment.
• Communicate with internal and external partners and customers to refine hydrographic survey requirements and workflow efficiency, to supervise the execution of the hydrographic survey projects, and to support new products and needs. Establish and manage goals and objectives to support a hydrographic surveys office to meet internal and external customer requirements.

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band. The ZP-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14.

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.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

• Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
• 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 the closing date of the announcement.

Additional Considerations:

• One year probationary period may be required.
• A one year supervisory probationary period may be required (probationary period can be served concurrently).
• Payment of relocation expenses (PCS) is not authorized.
• Payment of recruitment incentives may be authorized.
• This position requires Moderate Risk Security Clearance.
• Background investigation will be required. Continued employment is subject to applicant's successful completion of security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.

Any selections made under this notice will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Therefore, Current Federal employees would be given new appointments to the civil service and may have to serve a new probationary period under CFR 315.802 (b).

NOTE: A one year probationary period will be required under the Direct Hire Authority unless you are a current Department of Commerce (including NOAA) employee; and are in the same line of work; have previously completed a probationary period; and with no more than a 30 day break in service.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, for those required to serve a 1-year probationary period, we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• Your performance and conduct;
• Needs and interests of the agency;
• Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of then Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:This position requires applicants to meet a Basic Education Requirement in addition to at least one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet one of the following basic education requirements:

To qualify for the 1301 series:

EDUCATION:

A. Degree:physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, 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:

• Performing aspects of the hydrographic surveying lifecycle, such as survey area prioritization, project requirements development, data acquisition, processing, review, product generation, etc.;
• Analyzing and processing hydrographic data using geographic information systems in order to review and provide information on charted information in survey areas; and
• Coordinating work for personnel performing work related to hydrographic survey operations and presenting hydrographic information to internal and external stakeholders.

Education

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

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.), name of accredited institution, 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.

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.

Additional information

During the application process you will have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Salary for selectee's pay may be set at any point within the pay band except for intervals 4 and 5 ($165,946 - $197,200) which is reserved for supervisory performance or for current supervisors within CAPS who already have a salary within intervals 4 and 5.

ICTAP and CTAP Candidates: Eligible for selection priority if it is determined that the applicant is well qualified. Information about ICTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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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.