Research Physical Scientist

**Duties**:
**As a Research Physical Scientist, you will perform the following duties**:

- Conduct and support research pertaining to climate and earth system physical processes and their impact on climate variability, predictability and change. Coordinate and collaborate with internal and external partners regarding scientific needs and deadlines in accomplishing mission goals.
- Coordinate research capabilities in representing climate and Earth System physical processes via numerical models and re-analyses. Conduct research studies and analyses to understand and predict global and regional climate variations of the Earth System. Support scientific understanding of the changing climate system and its impacts.
- Plan, arrange, and manage data collection and preliminary analysis work. Prepare and run enhanced-comprehensiveness Earth System models and contribute to their documentation via peer-reviewed scientific papers and assessments. Develop new methods to evaluate and improve climate predictions.
- Serve as an advisor on the assigned research work, and aid personnel within the office participating in studies. Review manuscripts for professional journals and may serve on panels and committees. Provide advice and guidance on various intangible and complex issues and preparing recommendations for scientific research, procedures or methods, or other programs that may cross into the research.

**Requirements**:
**Conditions of Employment**:
**This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel Systems (CAPS). This system replace the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.**

**The ZP-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12. This position requires a Low Risk Security Clearance.**

**This position has a full promotion potential to the ZP-4. The ZP-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14.**
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**Key Requirements**:

- Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
- Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation.
- More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.
- Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (ww.sss.gov)
- **This position is not in the bargaining unit.**

**Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?**

**Qualifications**:

**To qualify for the 1301 series**:
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**EDUCATION**:
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**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**
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**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.
- **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 ZP-3 or 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 ZP-2 or GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following:

- Participating in research to analyze climate change and improve predictability;
- Analyzing, evaluating, and running Earth System models; and
- Compiling information and participating in the development of technical reports and papers.

**OR**

**SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION**:Master's or equivalent graduate degree
- **OR**

**COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE**:A combination of education and professional experience. Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet 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.)

**Education**:

- Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that t