Ocean Career: NOAA Lead Hydrologist
Listed on 2026-09-02
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Science
Environmental Compliance & Protection, Geology / Geoscience -
Engineering
Environmental Engineer, Environmental Compliance & Protection, Geology / Geoscience
Lead Hydrologist
The incumbent will serve as a Lead Hydrologist. As a Lead Hydrologist you will perform the following duties:
- Perform Lead Hydrologist forecast functions in the day-to-day hydrologic operation of the River Forecast Center (RFC), including both real- and non-real time operations, with the latter supporting procedure development activities critical to the enhancement, implementation, and maintenance of the forecast system technology.
- Perform routine daily short-range hydrologic and meteorological forecast operations before and during high water and flood episodes and long-range water resources forecast operations.
- Analyze incoming real time hydro/met data for consistency and process it into an operational hydrologic modeling system.
- Provide on-the-job advice and training on daily forecast operations to Hydrologic Forecasters, Hydrologic Interns, and Hydrometeorological Analysis and Support Forecaster (HAS) Forecasters.
Key Requirements:
Unique Requirements:
During flood events the duty may result in extended periods of stressful activity. Shift work nominally covering 16-hour operations may move to 24-hour operations during flood events or seasonal periods of flood threat.
Basic Requirements:
This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience OR substitution of education for experience OR combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements:
Education:
Degree: physical or natural science, or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in any combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in calculus (including both differential and integral calculus), and at least 6 semester hours in physics.
Calculus and physics, as described above, are requirements for all grade levels.
OR
Combination of education and experience: course work as shown above, 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.
Salary: $103,409 – $134,435 per year
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