LEAD PHYSICAL SCIENTIST

Summary

You will serve as a LEAD PHYSICAL SCIENTIST in the Operations Department (N3) of NAVAL ICE CENTER.

Duties

• You will oversee the timely delivery of high-quality sea ice analysis and forecast products to a diverse customer base.
• You will serve as the Subject Matter Expert for glacial ice and icebergs, maintaining an in-depth understanding of glacial ice and iceberg formation, movement, deterioration, and their impact on maritime operations and environmental monitoring.
• You will ensure that the organization’s strategic plan, mission, vision and values are communicated to the team and integrated into the team’s strategies, goals, objectives, work plans and products and services.
• You will serve as coach, facilitator and/or negotiator in coordinating team initiatives and in consensus building activities among team members.
• You will resolve simple, informal complaints of employees and refer others, such as formal grievances and appeals, to the supervisor or an appropriate management official.
• You will independently design and execute rigorous evaluations of new sea ice products, focusing on the potential for automation to reduce manual analyst intervention.
• You will research, learn and apply a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods to identify, assess, analyze and improve team effectiveness, efficiency and work products.
• You will prepare reports and maintain records of work accomplishments and administrative information, as required, and coordinate the preparation, presentation and communication of work-related information to the supervisor.
• You will deploy aboard ships or in the field (on land or mobile sea-ice) as an ice forecaster in support of USNIC customers on a rotational basis, operating with a high degree of autonomy and making authoritative recommendations on scene.
• You will develop and deliver specialized training and knowledge-sharing opportunities to fellow ice analysts, fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional development within the team.
• You will develop and disseminate educational material to explain the meaning of high, medium, and low confidence levels in the context of sea ice concentration, iceberg locations, and sea ice thickness, using complex, real-world examples.

Qualifications

In addition to the Basic Requirements for this position, your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-11 grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience independently analyzes satellite imagery, model data, and in-situ data to provide quality ice analyses, forecasts and technical leadership in resolving analytical challenges. Experience occasionally performing temporary duty onboard ships, aircraft, and conduct field operations to provide authoritative navigation and routing recommendations, probability of hazards, and outlooks pertaining to sea ice. Experience serving as a technical lead in efforts to integrate novel technology, new data sources, and to develop and validate efficient analysis procedures and product development via the USNIC Operational Project Management Program and other partners in both domestic and international sea ice community. Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Occupational-Series Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (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.

Education

Basic Requirements: Applicants must meet the following positive education qualifications requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Standards Manual: Applicants must possess 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 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. How You Will Be Evaluated

In order to qualify for this position, your resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are being considered. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience. When the application process is complete, we will review your resume to ensure you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements listed in this announcement. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume and application package, along with your supporting documentation to determine your ability to demonstrate the following competencies: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL POLAR OPERATIONS CELL ANALYST/FORECASTER TRAINER WRITTEN COMMUNICATION ORAL COMMUNICATION This recruitment will utilize the following technical assessment tools: USA Hire and Structured Interview. The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment. All eligibility, qualifications, and time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Other Information

This position is covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program. Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement. A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments. During the application process you will have the ability to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions in the local commuting area. Depending on the hiring organization and the position being filled, job requirements (e.g., security clearance, travel, drug testing, financial disclosure filing, bargaining unit status, etc.) may vary. Other hiring managers filling similar positions may offer relocation expense reimbursement and/or may offer recruitment incentives for new employees, depending on funding availability and in accordance with policy. If you opt-in and are referred on a certificate, your resume will be available to other hiring managers for 180-days from the date the job announcement closes. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. Federal annuitant information: The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants. Policy information may be found at: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/donhr/Documents/CivilianJobs/FedCivAnnuitants.pdf ICTAP Applicants: To be considered well-qualified and exercise selection priority as an ICTAP candidate, displaced Federal employees must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a rating in the highly qualified category (score 85) or higher. ICTAP candidates must provide copies of all of the following documentation at the time of application: 1) agency notice; 2) most recent performance appraisal; and 3) most recent SF-50 or notification of personnel action that includes position, grade level, and duty location. Applicants who do not provide this documentation will not receive consideration as an ICTAP candidate. For more information about ICTAP eligibility please review the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees/career-transition/ PPP applicants will be placed at the FPL, if determined Well Qualified (WQ). To receive priority consideration, the FPL must be the same grade level or equivalent of the retained grade or the grade held immediately prior to separation. Military Spouse Preference applicants will be placed at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined Best Qualified (BQ). A BQ military spouse possesses knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies comparable to others who meet the competitive referral criteria for the specific position.