This position is located in the Water Prediction Operations Division (WPOD), part of the Office of Water Prediction. WPOD provides consistent national operational services which complement, support and enhance water resources decision support services delivered by National Weather Service field offices. The WPOD supports water-related services across other parts of NOAA to ensure a seamless suite of integrated water resource prediction services.
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. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience OR substitution of education for experience OR combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements: To qualify for the 1315 series: EDUCATION: A. Degree: physical or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics. Calculus and physics, as described above, are requirements for all grade levels. -OR- B. Combination of education and experience: course work as shown in A above, 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-07 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-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Assisting with hydrologic support services. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: One full year of higher-level graduate education in hydrology or a closely related field. OR SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with one of the following. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your application clearly states how you meet one of the provisions below: A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher based on a 4.0 scale for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last 2 full years of undergraduate study; A grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher based on a 4.0 scale for required courses completed in a major field of study, or those courses completed in a major field of study during the last two years of undergraduate study; Class standing of upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision of the college; Membership in a national Scholastic Honor Society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies, excluding freshman honor societies. OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of related graduate-level education and specialized experience as described above. To qualify at the GS-09 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-07 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Providing hydrologic support services; and Collecting basic water resource data. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Master's degree or Masters or equivalent graduate degree in hydrology or a closely related field. OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of successfully completed graduate-level education and specialized experience may be used to meet the total experience requirements. NOTE: Only graduate-level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience. To qualify at the GS-11 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-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Providing hydrologic support services; Collecting and analyzing networks of basic water resource data; and Assisting in the development of hydrologic modeling or analysis techniques or procedures. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in hydrology or a closely related field. OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of successfully completed graduate-level education and specialized experience may be used to meet the total experience requirements. NOTE: Only graduate-level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience. To qualify at the GS-12 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-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Providing hydrologic support services; Collecting, analyzing, and disseminating networks of water resource data; and Developing hydrologic modeling and analysis procedures.
As a Hydrologist, you will perform the following duties: Provide hydrologic services involved in forecasting, data collection and analysis, and development and adaptation of water resource programs performing daily hydrologic forecast functions such as during high water and flood events, stage forecasts, daily forecasts, river velocity forecasts, and short and long-range forecasting including spring snowmelt, flood outlooks, and river volume. Collect, analyze, and disseminate water resource data such as information on reservoir and lake storage, ground water levels, and surface and ground water quality. Develop and modify hydrologic procedures, techniques, and ensure optimal use of technologies and data producing reports and service awareness products for internal and external use. Manage networks of basic water resource data developing, modifying, and utilizing applicable state-of-the-art computer hardware and software components. Support National Weather Service (NWS) Social Scientists on operational research projects leading briefings and promoting consistency across the agency through collaborative efforts with Regional and National Centers, NWS Offices, Senior Duty Meteorologists, and other subject matter experts as needed. NOTE: These duties are described at the full performance level of the GS-12; the GS-07, GS-09, and GS-11 are developmental leading to such performance.