Meteorologist
The incumbent is an expert in fire meteorology and climatology for all Federal and State wildland fire agencies represented in the California Wildfire Coordinating Group (CWCG).
Date posted
Jan. 27, 2023 8:45 am
Application deadline
Feb. 2, 2023 5:00 pm
Organization
Department of Agriculture - Forest Service
Location
- United States
Job description
Duties
- Duties listed below are at the full performance level.
- Serve as a technical consultant to the fire agencies in the state to provide analysis of climatological data for use in fuel and timber management projects or spraying operations.
- Disseminate forecasts and warnings via telephone, forest radio, etc. to provide the daily briefings given to the geographic area fire staff and for briefings given during field operations.
- Exchange information with local/state and federal agencies to explain basic weather concepts and terms to relate them to actual fire behavior.
- Provide general fire weather forecasts, long range mgmt planning forecasts and weather discussions using information from weather stations and networks spread across state to Federal, State, and local fire suppression and land management agencies.
- Develop new policies, procedures, or practices that may initiate activities which were previously without precedent.
- Provide program oversight and guidance of the meteorological program for a geographic area, including future improvements to meet the needs of the customer.
- Assist in the development of the weather portions of fire management agency courses which includes instruction of basic meteorology, weather observations, smoke management, forecasts, warnings, and other services.
- Explain basic weather concepts and terms, relating them to actual fire behavior for personnel involved in firefighting.
- Assist in the instruction of the weather portions of fire management agency courses which includes instruction of basic meteorology, weather observations, smoke management, forecasts, warnings, and other services.
- Use of guidelines and large scale weather products to provide site specific and need specific data to any given incident or project.
Qualifications
In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.
Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.
Basic Requirement:
GS-1340: Degree: meteorology, atmospheric science, or other natural science major that included at least 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of credit in meteorology or 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; * Six semester hours of physics, with at least one course that includes laboratory sessions; Three semester hours of ordinary differential equations; 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
a combination of education and experience -coursework as shown above, plus appropriate experience.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.
Specialized Experience Requirement:
For the GS-11: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include two or more of the following: Assisted in operations of the weather department at a Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC) or similar field office. Issued weather forecasts, warnings, and briefings to field-going operational personnel. Assisted Agency (or comparable entity) personnel in delivering training courses that included instruction of basic meteorology, weather observations, forecasts, warnings, and other services; OR have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled); OR have an appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.). D. I do not meet the requirements(s) described above.
For the GS-12: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include two or more of the following: Assisted in program oversight and guidance of the weather department at a Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC) or similar field office. Issued fire weather forecasts and warnings for wildfires, prescribe burns, herbicide spraying, hazardous spills, pesticide spraying, wildland and wilderness management. Assisted Agency as well as National Weather Service personnel in development of and provided training for fire management agency courses that included instruction of basic meteorology, weather observations, smoke management, forecasts, warnings, and other services.
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.
TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary.
Basic Requirement:
GS-1340: Degree: meteorology, atmospheric science, or other natural science major that included at least 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of credit in meteorology or 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; * Six semester hours of physics, with at least one course that includes laboratory sessions; Three semester hours of ordinary differential equations; 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
a combination of education and experience -coursework as shown above, plus appropriate experience.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must also possess experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below.
Specialized Experience Requirement:
For the GS-11: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include two or more of the following: Assisted in operations of the weather department at a Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC) or similar field office. Issued weather forecasts, warnings, and briefings to field-going operational personnel. Assisted Agency (or comparable entity) personnel in delivering training courses that included instruction of basic meteorology, weather observations, forecasts, warnings, and other services; OR have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (coursework directly related to position being filled); OR have an appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.). D. I do not meet the requirements(s) described above.
For the GS-12: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include two or more of the following: Assisted in program oversight and guidance of the weather department at a Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC) or similar field office. Issued fire weather forecasts and warnings for wildfires, prescribe burns, herbicide spraying, hazardous spills, pesticide spraying, wildland and wilderness management. Assisted Agency as well as National Weather Service personnel in development of and provided training for fire management agency courses that included instruction of basic meteorology, weather observations, smoke management, forecasts, warnings, and other services.
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.
TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the experience, education, and training you described in your application package, as well as the responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine the degree to which you possess the competencies listed below:
- Education and Training
- Oral Communication
- Physics
- Project Management
- Technology Application
If you meet the qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified, you will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. Noncompetitive candidates and applicants under some special hiring authorities must meet minimum qualifications to be referred.
Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action.
For more details
https://www.usajobs.gov/job/702298200