Senior Scientist for the Geostationary Extended Observations Program at Department Of Commerce
Berwyn Heights, MD 20740
About the Job
Duties
The Senior Scientist for GeoXO is recognized nationally and internationally as an authority and leader in satellite remote sensing for various earth orbit observations systems
The incumbent identifies national and agency needs for the use of satellite data to study environmental, atmospheric, and oceanic problems, and is sought after on important questions such as the scope and content of applied scientific programs
The incumbent reviews, analyzes, and evaluates new and existing plans, programs, and proposals for research initiatives as submitted by various researchers using GeoXO and partner data
Specific duties of the Senior Scientist for GeoXO include:
1
Provides the principal scientific guidance to the NESDIS leadership during the formulation of GeoXO performance requirements and architectural stages, as well as safeguarding those scientific requirements during the implementation phase
Supports the formulation of the mission-level architecture of spacecraft and instruments to optimize scientific return
Serves as the key adviser to the SPD in decisions impacting GeoXO performance, cost, and schedule as well as decisions that trade among competing instrument suites and operational constraints on the spacecraft
Assists the SPD in optimizing GeoXO scientific performance.
2
Serves as an independent expert and representative of the science and user communities responsible for ensuring the scientific integrity at all stages of GeoXO satellite development
Provides scientific rationales to define the instrument suites with performance requirements for measurements and derived products that satisfy user needs
Advocates for GeoXO scientific objectives with internal and external stakeholders including DOC, OMB, and Congress.
3
Evaluates and prioritizes user requirements, and transforms these requirements for instrumentation, data products, and services, into GeoXO applicable technical requirements
Works with the NOAA and inter-agency user community to define the users' needs, operational requirements, and science data product requirements through the GeoXO Requirements Working Group (XORWG)
Serves as Chairman of the XORWG
Assures the mission serves NOAA's vision and goals, operations, and user requirements defined by the XORWG.
4
Leads scientific implementation of the GeoXO program
Represents science objectives at major milestone reviews
Develops science implementation plans for GeoXO
Advises the program engineering team and developers on science goals and user needs
Supports development of the program budget
Provides scientific leadership in assuring that the instrument data are effectively used by the mission users through education, proving ground, proxy data, and other techniques
Analyzes the value of the GeoXO observations to meet user needs and justify investments.
5
Maintains technical liaison with NASA and other agencies, ensuring approved programs have the required capability to coordinate with GeoXO satellite capabilities
Establishes relationships with partner organizations to secure use of their data products to evaluate their capabilities and prepare users for comparable GeoXO observations
Provides scientific support to international partners planning to use GeoXO observations, including assessing the compatibility of GeoXO space systems and ground data processing functions with partner systems.
6
Communicates with interagency and international counterparts on research and development efforts related to GeoXO including the World Meteorological Organization, European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, and Japanese Meteorological Agency
Advises international partner agencies on GeoXO capabilities and plans
Convenes science and application working groups to ensure users and prepared for GeoXO observations and to propose research on future applications.
7
Develops processes to prioritize user needs in order to recommend the highest-value GeoXO data products
Works with NESDIS product development scientists to ensure algorithm development plans meet user needs
Conducts research to advance use of GeoXO and related partner data
Evaluates and recommends improvements in the algorithms and ground processing
Communicates findings and recommendations to the SPD, to other NOAA scientists, and to the data users
Responsible to assess and project present and future needs, the formulation of alternative products and services, and reevaluating progress to assure that the highest-priority user needs continue to be met.
8
Directs systematic, critical, intensive investigation toward the development of new or fuller scientific knowledge
Develops the principles, criteria, methods, and a body of data of general applicability for use by others.
Requirements Conditions of EmploymentTo meet the minimum requirements for this position, candidates must demonstrate their experience in their narrative responses to the Mandatory Professional/ Professional Technical Qualifications (MTQs/PTQs) questions and all narrative responses must be fully supported within their resume.Experience must have been at a sufficiently high level of difficulty to clearly show that the candidate possesses the required professional/technical qualifications set forth below.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.Professional Technical Qualifications: Applicants must clearly demonstrate in their application materials that they possess technical attributes in the Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs).Key Requirements:Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.Newly appointed ST members must serve a 1 year probationary period.Position is subject to pre-employment background investigation.Public Financial Disclosure (OGE-278 filing within 30 days is required).Position is subject to random drug testing
QualificationsTo meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must possess all of the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs)
These qualifications would typically be acquired through education, experience, and training which reflect progressive development and achievement in leading teams and/or projects for a comprehensive business program in a complex organization
An individual's total experience and education must demonstrate the ability to perform the duties of the position.
All applicants will be evaluated by a panel to determine the degree to which they possess the Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs)
To be rated and considered for this position, applicants are requested to fully describe their experience in each of the following PTQs:Professional Technical Core Qualifications (PTQs):PTQ 1 - At least 3 years of comprehensive knowledge and experience in remote sensing satellites, their mechanisms, ground control, data acquisition, and processing system, as well as high-level technical capability in the range of scientific disciplines as related to state-of-the-art earth remote-sensing satellite development.PTQ 2 - Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the area of applications of satellite data and services for end-user purposes with at least 1 year of experience in planning and executing specialized programs that show outstanding research attainments.NOTE: Responses to PTQs must not exceed 2 pages per PTQ, for a total of 4 pages.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.
Additional informationBackground Investigation: This position is designated as Top Secret and requires that a background investigation be conducted and favorably adjudicated in order to establish security eligibility.Public Financial Disclosure: This position is covered under the Ethics in Government Act, which requires comprehensive financial disclosures from employees
The appointee will be required to file a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278), within 30 days after his/her appointment, and then annually thereafter.Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required by P.L
104-134 to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.Drug Testing: Applicants tentatively selected for employment in any position are subject to designated and/or random pre-employment and employment urinalysis
Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment and/or removed from employment with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce.Selective Service: Male applicants born after 12/31/1959, who are required to register with the Selective Service under section 3 of the Military Selective Service Act, must be registered (or must have registered at the time they were required to do so) in order to be eligible for appointment
For more information, visit the SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM web site at
Please DO NOT put your SSN on pages within your application package
Privacy Act - Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C
3302 and 3361.Signature: Before you are hired, you will be required to sign and certify the accuracy of the information in your application.Application materials: The materials you send with your application will not be returned.Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: The Department of Commerce provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities
If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify Elizabeth Reese, the servicing Human Resources Specialist, either by e-mail
The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis
TTY users may contact us via the Federal Relay Service,
Help
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.
Review our benefitsEligibility 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.How You Will Be EvaluatedYou will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.Applicants are required to submit a narrative statement for each Professional Technical Qualification (PTQ) listed
Please keep in mind each PTQ are unique qualifications
Therefore, duplicate responses are not sufficient in determining if you meet that specific qualification
Failure to submit a narrative statement or address any of the PTQs is also considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED
As a result, you will be rated as "INCOMPLETE".
All applicants will be evaluated by an Executive Resources Board (ERB) rating panel of senior managers to determine the degree to which they possess the PTQs and best qualified candidates may undergo an interview and a reference check
The ERB rating panel will make recommendations on best qualified candidates to the appointing authority
Applicants will be evaluated on the quality and extent of their total accomplishments, experience and the PTQs.Do not enter "Refer to Resume" to explain your answer
Applications directing the reader to search within the application or to "See Resume" are considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.Failure to submit a narrative statement or address any of the PTQs is also considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED
As a result, you will be rated as "INCOMPLETE".
Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria:
-Best Qualified
-Well Qualified
-QualifiedThe United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor
The Senior Scientist for GeoXO is recognized nationally and internationally as an authority and leader in satellite remote sensing for various earth orbit observations systems
The incumbent identifies national and agency needs for the use of satellite data to study environmental, atmospheric, and oceanic problems, and is sought after on important questions such as the scope and content of applied scientific programs
The incumbent reviews, analyzes, and evaluates new and existing plans, programs, and proposals for research initiatives as submitted by various researchers using GeoXO and partner data
Specific duties of the Senior Scientist for GeoXO include:
1
Provides the principal scientific guidance to the NESDIS leadership during the formulation of GeoXO performance requirements and architectural stages, as well as safeguarding those scientific requirements during the implementation phase
Supports the formulation of the mission-level architecture of spacecraft and instruments to optimize scientific return
Serves as the key adviser to the SPD in decisions impacting GeoXO performance, cost, and schedule as well as decisions that trade among competing instrument suites and operational constraints on the spacecraft
Assists the SPD in optimizing GeoXO scientific performance.
2
Serves as an independent expert and representative of the science and user communities responsible for ensuring the scientific integrity at all stages of GeoXO satellite development
Provides scientific rationales to define the instrument suites with performance requirements for measurements and derived products that satisfy user needs
Advocates for GeoXO scientific objectives with internal and external stakeholders including DOC, OMB, and Congress.
3
Evaluates and prioritizes user requirements, and transforms these requirements for instrumentation, data products, and services, into GeoXO applicable technical requirements
Works with the NOAA and inter-agency user community to define the users' needs, operational requirements, and science data product requirements through the GeoXO Requirements Working Group (XORWG)
Serves as Chairman of the XORWG
Assures the mission serves NOAA's vision and goals, operations, and user requirements defined by the XORWG.
4
Leads scientific implementation of the GeoXO program
Represents science objectives at major milestone reviews
Develops science implementation plans for GeoXO
Advises the program engineering team and developers on science goals and user needs
Supports development of the program budget
Provides scientific leadership in assuring that the instrument data are effectively used by the mission users through education, proving ground, proxy data, and other techniques
Analyzes the value of the GeoXO observations to meet user needs and justify investments.
5
Maintains technical liaison with NASA and other agencies, ensuring approved programs have the required capability to coordinate with GeoXO satellite capabilities
Establishes relationships with partner organizations to secure use of their data products to evaluate their capabilities and prepare users for comparable GeoXO observations
Provides scientific support to international partners planning to use GeoXO observations, including assessing the compatibility of GeoXO space systems and ground data processing functions with partner systems.
6
Communicates with interagency and international counterparts on research and development efforts related to GeoXO including the World Meteorological Organization, European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, and Japanese Meteorological Agency
Advises international partner agencies on GeoXO capabilities and plans
Convenes science and application working groups to ensure users and prepared for GeoXO observations and to propose research on future applications.
7
Develops processes to prioritize user needs in order to recommend the highest-value GeoXO data products
Works with NESDIS product development scientists to ensure algorithm development plans meet user needs
Conducts research to advance use of GeoXO and related partner data
Evaluates and recommends improvements in the algorithms and ground processing
Communicates findings and recommendations to the SPD, to other NOAA scientists, and to the data users
Responsible to assess and project present and future needs, the formulation of alternative products and services, and reevaluating progress to assure that the highest-priority user needs continue to be met.
8
Directs systematic, critical, intensive investigation toward the development of new or fuller scientific knowledge
Develops the principles, criteria, methods, and a body of data of general applicability for use by others.
Requirements Conditions of EmploymentTo meet the minimum requirements for this position, candidates must demonstrate their experience in their narrative responses to the Mandatory Professional/ Professional Technical Qualifications (MTQs/PTQs) questions and all narrative responses must be fully supported within their resume.Experience must have been at a sufficiently high level of difficulty to clearly show that the candidate possesses the required professional/technical qualifications set forth below.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.Professional Technical Qualifications: Applicants must clearly demonstrate in their application materials that they possess technical attributes in the Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs).Key Requirements:Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.Newly appointed ST members must serve a 1 year probationary period.Position is subject to pre-employment background investigation.Public Financial Disclosure (OGE-278 filing within 30 days is required).Position is subject to random drug testing
QualificationsTo meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must possess all of the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs)
These qualifications would typically be acquired through education, experience, and training which reflect progressive development and achievement in leading teams and/or projects for a comprehensive business program in a complex organization
An individual's total experience and education must demonstrate the ability to perform the duties of the position.
All applicants will be evaluated by a panel to determine the degree to which they possess the Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs)
To be rated and considered for this position, applicants are requested to fully describe their experience in each of the following PTQs:Professional Technical Core Qualifications (PTQs):PTQ 1 - At least 3 years of comprehensive knowledge and experience in remote sensing satellites, their mechanisms, ground control, data acquisition, and processing system, as well as high-level technical capability in the range of scientific disciplines as related to state-of-the-art earth remote-sensing satellite development.PTQ 2 - Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the area of applications of satellite data and services for end-user purposes with at least 1 year of experience in planning and executing specialized programs that show outstanding research attainments.NOTE: Responses to PTQs must not exceed 2 pages per PTQ, for a total of 4 pages.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.
Additional informationBackground Investigation: This position is designated as Top Secret and requires that a background investigation be conducted and favorably adjudicated in order to establish security eligibility.Public Financial Disclosure: This position is covered under the Ethics in Government Act, which requires comprehensive financial disclosures from employees
The appointee will be required to file a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278), within 30 days after his/her appointment, and then annually thereafter.Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required by P.L
104-134 to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.Drug Testing: Applicants tentatively selected for employment in any position are subject to designated and/or random pre-employment and employment urinalysis
Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment and/or removed from employment with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce.Selective Service: Male applicants born after 12/31/1959, who are required to register with the Selective Service under section 3 of the Military Selective Service Act, must be registered (or must have registered at the time they were required to do so) in order to be eligible for appointment
For more information, visit the SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM web site at
http://www.sss.gov/default.htm.Veterans'
preference: Veteran's preference does not apply to ST positions.False Statements: If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired, you may be fired after you begin work, or you may be subject to fine, imprisonment, or other disciplinary action.SSN: You will be required to enter your full social security number (SSN) only to initially access and create an account at the OPM USAJOBS website; however, only the last four digits will appear in your resumePlease DO NOT put your SSN on pages within your application package
Privacy Act - Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C
3302 and 3361.Signature: Before you are hired, you will be required to sign and certify the accuracy of the information in your application.Application materials: The materials you send with your application will not be returned.Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: The Department of Commerce provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities
If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify Elizabeth Reese, the servicing Human Resources Specialist, either by e-mail
atelizabeth.reese@noaa.govor
by telephone at 240-394-5588
The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis
TTY users may contact us via the Federal Relay Service,
1-800-877-8339
Help
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.
Review our benefitsEligibility 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.How You Will Be EvaluatedYou will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.Applicants are required to submit a narrative statement for each Professional Technical Qualification (PTQ) listed
Please keep in mind each PTQ are unique qualifications
Therefore, duplicate responses are not sufficient in determining if you meet that specific qualification
Failure to submit a narrative statement or address any of the PTQs is also considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED
As a result, you will be rated as "INCOMPLETE".
All applicants will be evaluated by an Executive Resources Board (ERB) rating panel of senior managers to determine the degree to which they possess the PTQs and best qualified candidates may undergo an interview and a reference check
The ERB rating panel will make recommendations on best qualified candidates to the appointing authority
Applicants will be evaluated on the quality and extent of their total accomplishments, experience and the PTQs.Do not enter "Refer to Resume" to explain your answer
Applications directing the reader to search within the application or to "See Resume" are considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.Failure to submit a narrative statement or address any of the PTQs is also considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED
As a result, you will be rated as "INCOMPLETE".
Applicants who meet or exceed minimum qualifications will be assigned to one of three category groups based on job-related criteria:
-Best Qualified
-Well Qualified
-QualifiedThe United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor
