PDF versionJob Summary
This position is located in the National Weather Service (NWS), Office of Water Prediction (OWP) with two vacancies in Tuscaloosa, AL.
Major Duties
As a Hydrologist, you will be performing the following duties:
- Perform daily hydrologic forecast functions, including short-range forecasting during high water and flood events, stage forecasts, daily forecasts, and river velocity forecasts.
- Collect, analyze, disseminate, and manage networks of basic water resource data such as information on reservoir and lake storage, groundwater levels, and surface and groundwater quality.
- Develop, modify, and utilize applicable state-of-the-art computer hardware and software components in the preparation of studies of hydrological events and problems.
- Lead briefings for senior leaders, core partners, and other federal agencies about routine and high impact weather events.
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.
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.
EDUCATION:
BASIC REQUIREMENTS:This position requires applicants to meet a Basic Education 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: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.ORB. 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‐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 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Assisting with hydrologic support activities. Education Substitution GS-07: One year of graduate-level education in hydrology or a closely related field. ORSuperior Academic Achievementas demonstrated by a bachelor's degreein a related field 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 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. ORCOMBINATION:A combination of related graduate level education and specialized experience.
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-07in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Performing hydrologic support services; and
Assisting with collecting basic water resource data. OR
Education substitution GS-09:2years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.
OR
Combinationof education and experience. Note: Only graduate education in excess of one year can be used for a combination.
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-09in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Providing hydrologic support services; and
Collecting networks of basic water resource data. OR
Education substitution GS-11:3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.
OR
Combinationof education and experience. Note: Only graduate education in excess of two years can be used for a combination.
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-11in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Coordinating hydrologic support services;
Collecting and analyzing networks of basic water resource data; and
Assisting in the development of hydrologic modeling and analysis procedures.
Pay Range
$43,251.00 - $99,741.00