Department: Department of the Interior
Location(s): Missoula, Montana
Salary Range: $74678 - $116362 Per Year
Job Summary: This position is a Meteorologist, GS-1340-11/12 working in Missoula, MT for the US Wildland Fire Service. This position is also open to the public under announcement R6-26-12895740-WA-DE. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.
Major Duties:
Qualifications: Only experience and education obtained by 03/18/2026 will be considered. In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification. Basic Requirement: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience OR combination in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements. EDUCATION: A. Degree: Meteorology, Atmospheric science, or other natural science major that included:1. At least 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of credit in meteorology/atmospheric science including a minimum of: a. Six semester hours of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics;*b. Six semester hours of analysis and prediction of weather systems (synoptic/mesoscale);c. Three semester hours of physical meteorology; and d. Two semester hours of remote sensing of the atmosphere and/or instrumentation.2. Six semester hours of physics, with at least one course that includes laboratory sessions. *3. Three semester hours of ordinary differential equations. *4. At least nine semester hours of course work appropriate for a physical science major in any combination of three or more of the following: physical hydrology, statistics, chemistry, physical oceanography, physical climatology, radiative transfer, aeronomy, advanced thermodynamics, advanced electricity and magnetism, light and optics, and computer science. *There is a prerequisite or corequisite of calculus for course work in atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics, physics, and differential equations. Calculus courses must be appropriate for a physical science major. Minimum Qualification [GS-11] In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 in the Federal service. Example specialized experience may include: (1) Produces and delivers meteorological products and briefings that provide operational guidance for decision-making in fire management or safety-critical operations, while operating effectively as part of a team with diverse interagency partners and audiences; (2) Monitors fire environment systems and data networks, ensuring operational integrity, reliability, and compliance with national standards and agency protocols; (3) Participates in interagency coordination during high-impact weather events, providing policy guidance and technical expertise on fire weather programs, equipment, and operational procedures; (4) Applies advanced meteorological techniques and analytical tools to assess weather conditions and deliver actionable intelligence for public safety and resource management, while providing technical briefings, training sessions, and fire weather courses, serving as a liaison with partner agencies, and managing weather-related web content to support operational readiness. Minimum Qualification [GS-12] In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal service. Example specialized experience may include: (1) Produces and delivers meteorological products and briefings that provide operational guidance for decision-making in fire management or safety-critical operations, while operating effectively as part of a team with diverse interagency partners and audiences; (2) Oversees fire environment systems and data networks, ensuring operational integrity, reliability, and compliance with national standards and agency protocols; (3) Leads interagency coordination during high-impact weather events, providing policy guidance and technical expertise on fire weather programs, equipment, and operational procedures; (4) Applies advanced meteorological techniques and analytical tools to assess weather conditions and deliver actionable intelligence for public safety and resource management; and (5) Develops and delivers technical briefings, training sessions, and fire weather courses while serving as a liaison with agencies and managing weather-related web content to support operational readiness. OR A combination of education and experience as described above which together equals 100% of the requirement. 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. Time In Grade Requirement: Applicants must meet both eligibility and qualification requirements for the position of interest by the closing date of the JOA. Specifically, i. Area of Consideration. ii. Time-in-grade (TIG) requirements as specified in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. iii. Time after competitive appointment as specified in 5 CFR 330.502. iv. Qualification requirements outlined in OPM's Qualifications Standards for General Schedule Positions or for Federal Wage System (FWS), wage grade positions, applicants are evaluated using the OPM Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations and the job element examining method Your SF-50 will be used to confirm you meet all requirements. Reasonable Accommodation: The USFWS provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Please visit USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy if you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process. The Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA),P.L. 114-47, allows certain individuals who currently or formerly were under time-limited competitive appointments at certain land management agencies (U.S. Forest Service; Bureau of Land Management; National Park Service; Fish and Wildlife Service; Bureau of Indian Affairs; or Bureau of Reclamation) to compete under merit promotion procedures. Note: You MUST submit ALL SF-50s and performance information for each period of temporary/term employment that qualifies for LMWFA. Performance documentation can be obtained by contacting the supervisors for the positions you served in during your 24 months. If they did not complete performance appraisals ask them to provide a statement of performance for each period of service. The statement must specify the dates for each employment period and your level of performance (dates should match the dates on the SF-50s).
How to Apply: Continuation from Required Doucments - Additional Documentation if applicable: 6. Other Special Hiring Authorities. If you are applying for this position based on eligibility under other noncompetitive special appointing authorities, you MUST submit proof of this eligibility. 7. Performance Appraisal: Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level. Review the appointment eligibility criteria in the application preview linked below. The eligibility section of the application allows you to choose how you wish to be considered for this vacancy announcement. You will ONLY be considered for the eligibilities that you select "yes" to and submit the required supporting documentation, as listed in the Required Documents section or the application text. You may qualify for more than one eligibility, so please choose carefully. If you respond that you do not meet any of the eligibility criteria, you will not be considered for this position under this announcement. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents section. Click 'Apply' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the assessment questionnaire and upload required documents. To preview the assessment questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12900004. Please ensure you check the acknowledgement checkbox then click the Submit Application button to submit your application. Applications must be received by 03/18/2026 , 11:59pm ET to receive consideration. Check application status by logging into your USAJOBS account, in Applications tab, click the position title you applied to for the status. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact the Human Resources Office via email at fwshiring@fws.gov. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Department of Interior (DOI) Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) procedures apply in filling this vacancy. These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements) for the position with a score of 85 or above on the assessment questionnaire, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit a copy of their most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with their application. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.
Application Deadline: 2026-03-18