Cartographer
What you'd do
This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of Coast Survey (OCS), Marine Chart Division (MCD), Product Branch C, with one vacancy in Silver Spring, MD.
Major duties
As a Cartographer, you will perform the following duties: Serve as the technical expert on cartographic data compilation for nautical charting in accordance with Office of Coast Survey (OCS) cartographic practices, policy, and procedures. Provide the branch chief and the division chief with senior cartographic expertise in the acquisition of data and its use in maintaining marine national navigational database from which nautical products and services are produced for the marine public, federal and state agencies and other stakeholders. Serve as the technical expert and intermediary between National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the affiliated regional Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) coordinating center (RENC) on the validation of ENC base and update cells against organizational and international standards published in the Nautical Chart Manual and other mandatory specifications (S-57, S-58, S-101). Perform policy adherence, data consistency, and fitness-for-use checks on electronic chart products. Responsible for developing and executing comprehensive technical projects related to the acquisition and maintenance of the United States Nautical Charting program products and services, assuring the highest standards for nautical navigation products. Oversee and manage cartographic projects and analysis of hydrographic and topographic data that results in routine and critical incremental changes to NOAA's suite of nautical products and services. Develop and write cartographic policy. Provide training in cartographic methods, policies, procedures, and workflows leading to successful completion of team goals and objectives. Perform a range of assignments involving producing, reviewing, and/or interpreting reports, and data, and applying complex legal, regulatory, and/or procedural guidance. The complexity of assignments may require extensive modification and adaptation of standard procedures, methods, and techniques, or the development of new methods, techniques, and workflows to address cartographic problems. Resolve complex problems of a cartographic nature, applying mastery level cartographic knowledge to resolve novel or obscure problems. Develop new approaches for the analysis of recurring cartographic problems and to develop policy and guidance for use by other employees.
What you need to qualify
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 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 1370 series: EDUCATION: A. Degree: cartography; or a major that included or was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours in cartography and/or directly related science, and related mathematics. Such course work includes, but is not limited to, cartography, astronomy, geodesy, photogrammetry, physical and geological oceanography, computer science, land surveying, geophysics, physical geography, and remote sensing. The 30 semester hours must have included at least 6, but no more than 15, semester hours of college level, non-business mathematics or statistics (i.e., college level algebra, trigonometry, calculus, or scientific mathematics or statistics requiring equivalent college-level courses as prerequisites). OR B. Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in cartography, or a major that included or was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours in cartography, and/or directly related science, and related mathematics, 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 ZP-4 or GS-13 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-3 or GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Developing chart products to assure production of products based on charting policies and standards and providing detailed product evaluations; Formulating projects related to the acquisition and maintenance of marine national navigational products and services; and Providing training in cartographic methods, policies, and procedures leading to successful completion of organization goals and objectives.
Before you apply
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