Meteorological Development Laboratory MDL Student Career Experience Program SCEP

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Meteorological Development Laboratory
(MDL)Student Career Experience Program (SCEP)

• Carl McCalla, Sr.Student Career Experience
  Program Coordinator
• carl.mccalla_at_noaa.govhttp//www.nws.noaa.gov/mdl
  /coop/coop.htm

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Table of Contents

• Program Description
• What Students Will Do
• MDL Projects
• Application Requirements
• The Hiring Process
• The Successful SCEP Candidate
• Working At MDL
• Student Benefits
• FAQ
• Helpful URLs

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Program Description

• Alternate full-time employment and study
• The appointment is for at least 12 months
• Students typically start off working full-time
  for 6 consecutive months
• Students may work during class breaks
• Students may work part-time while attending
  school
• Students may attend school full-time while on
  LWOP
• Students must complete the SCEP either concurrent
  with or before their graduation
• Postponement of graduation may be required

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Program Description

• Work on MDL project(s) related to major
• Meteorology
• Computer Science
• Information Technology
• Mathematics
• Statistics
• Physics
• Oceanography

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Program Description

• Gain valuable work experience
• MDL has 5 branches and more than 50 staff
• MDL has nearly 20 different projects underway

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What Students Will Do

• Work alongside experts
• Develop and test software
• Gain knowledge related to latest forecasting,
  verification, and product generation techniques

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MDL Projects

• Decision Assistance Branch
• Flash Flood Monitoring and Prediction (FFMP)
• Fog Monitor
• Four Dimensional Storm Investigator (FSI)
• General User Alert Display Panel (GUARDIAN)
• Local Storm Report Application (LSR)
• System for Convection Analysis and Nowcasting
  (SCAN)
• System on AWIPS for Forecasting and Evaluation of
  Seas and Lakes (SAFESEAS)

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MDL Projects

• Evaluation Branch
• AWIPS Verification Program
• Storm Surge and Coastal Wave Applications
• Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes
  (SLOSH)
• Extra-tropical storm surges
• Coastal waves

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MDL Projects

• Mesoscale Prediction Branch
• National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD)
• Local AWIPS Model Output Statistics Program (LAMP)

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MDL Projects

• Product Generation Branch
• Aviation Forecast Preparation System (AvnFPS)
• Central Product Generation
• Forecast Uncertainty
• XML Services

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MDL Projects

• Statistical Modeling Branch
• Model Output Statistics (MOS)
• Gridded MOS

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Application Requirements

• Are pursing a degree in relevant area of study
• Commit to at least 12 months of employment
• Have a GPA of 2.0 overall and 2.5 in major
• Are United States citizens
• Verify college has NOAA/COOP agreement

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The Hiring Process

• MDL accepts SCEP applications throughout the year
• Interviews usually take place in mid-Sept and
  mid-Feb
• HRMO makes all SCEP job offers
• Job offers typically occur in December and April
• Students usually begin work in January and May
• Recruitment may occur to fill unanticipated
  vacancies

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The Successful SCEP Candidate

• Has excellent grades
• Knows C/C, FORTRAN, PERL, Python, etc.
• Has experience in software development
• Class project(s)
• Summer job(s)
• Is interested in a career with the NWS
• Likes working with computer software
• Knows where they want to fit into MDL

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Working At MDL

• NWSH is located in Silver Spring, MD
• 18 story office building
• Cubicle offices
• MDL is on the 10th 11th floors of NWSH
• D.C. Metro MARC rail are adjacent to NWSH
• Current commuter transportation subsidy (lt
  105.00/month)
• Limited assistance provided to find housing

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Student Benefits

• Gain full-time professional work experience
• Consolidate career decisions
• Earn GS-4 (24,460 / year) or greater salary
• Exploit promotion potential
• Work 120-days following graduation, if MDL agrees
• Convert to career conditional, if MDL endorses
• Earn sick and annual leave
• Become eligible for retirement benefits
• Receive travel expenses between school/work

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FAQ

• Eligibility Requirements
• Q. How many times can a student be appointed to
  the SCEP?
• A. There is no limit on the number of times a
  student may be appointed as long as he/she meets
  the eligibility requirement for the appointment

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FAQ

• Eligibility Requirements
• Q. Must students be U.S. citizens at the time
  they are appointed?
• A. No. However, many agencies are precluded
  from hiring non-citizens by a ban in their
  appropriations act. Students who participate in
  the SCEP cannot be converted to career
  conditional employment in the competitive service
  unless they are citizens at the time of
  conversion.

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FAQ

• Appointment Type
• Q. Can a student appointed to the SCEP remain on
  the appointment once they have completed their
  educational requirements?
• A. Yes. Those appointed to the SCEP may
  continue on the appointment for 120-days beyond
  the date of completing their work and academic
  requirements. At the end of the 120-days, if the
  graduate has not been converted to a position in
  the competitive service, then he/she must be
  separated.

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FAQ

• Classification/Pay Tenure
• Q. Do students get within-grade increases?
• A. Yes. Students in the SCEP are eligible for
  within-grade increases.
• Q. Can students be promoted?
• A. Yes, SCEP students may be promoted.

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FAQ

• Student Schedules
• Q. Must students work or attend school during
  the summer?
• A. Students are always either attending classes,
  working at the agency, or both. Agencies may
  permit a break in the program during which time
  the student is neither attending classes or
  working. The agency would place the student on
  LWOP during this period.

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FAQ

• Conversion SCEP
• Q. When does the 120-Day conversion window begin
  upon completion of course requirements or upon
  graduation ceremony day?
• A. Upon satisfactory completion of course
  requirements.

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FAQ

• Conversion SCEP
• Q. Can a student work any of the required 640
  hours necessary for conversion, after he/she
  completes his/her educational requirements?
• A. The required work experience must be gained
  prior to, or concurrent with the completion of
  the students education.

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FAQ

• Conversion SCEP
• Q. Is a student only eligible for
  non-competitive conversion in the agency where
  the student worked prior to the completion of
  his/her education?
• A. No. A student is eligible to be
  non-competitively converted in any federal
  agency. Check job listing on USAJOBS to find
  appropriate positions for graduated students.

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Helpful URLs

• http//www.weather.gov/mdl/
• http//www.nws.noaa.gov/mdl/coop/coop.htm