Technical Program Manager – NOAA Office of Coast Survey

Telecommute

Salary Range:$55.00 To $60.00 Hourly

NOTE:  If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact Ocean Associates at 703-388-9548 to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.  

Ocean Associates Inc. (OAI) is seeking a Technical Project Manager to support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), Office of Coast Survey (OCS).  OAI is a Virginia corporation established in 2003 that provides consulting and technical services to the U.S. government, non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and the private sector. We specialize in scientific program and project management, strategic planning, professional and technical services, and stakeholder engagement, supporting government contracts.  

Background

The Office of Coast Survey (OCS) is the nation’s nautical chart maker. OCS is mandated by congress to collect, manage, and compile data and information necessary to maintain the national suite of more than 1,000 nautical charts. In addition, OCS conducts hydrographic surveys that measure water depth and produces coastal maps and vector shoreline series and historic maps and charts. These products support commercial shipping, the fishing industry, United States (U.S.) Navy and Coast Guard operations, state and local governments, geographic information system (GIS) users, and recreational boaters throughout the United States. In support of coastal resiliency, OCS produces a suite of hydrodynamic and oceanographic models that provide Federal, State, and Local officials the information they need to protect their communities. The Coast Survey Development Laboratory (CSDL), one of the four divisions in OCS, manages the development and improvement of charting, hydrographic, and oceanographic systems used by OCS, the Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS), and the National Ocean Service (NOS). CSDL continually reviews and interacts with ongoing research and development programs in private industry, universities, and government, both nationally and internationally. CSDL represents NOS at scientific and technology conferences and presents papers describing research and development activities in OCS. Based on its awareness of state-of-the-art technical developments, CSDL recommends and develops future methods and systems to enhance NOAA and the quality and usefulness of its products. In addition, CSDL handles all Information Technology (IT) systems and monitors and implements IT security controls to ensure that Federal regulations and guidance are maintained and supports internal and external communication and collaboration environments.

Duties 

Duties and support for Project Management will include:

  • Work with the task leads in developing project documentation, including tracking and reporting documentation of the various modeling projects’ tasks and milestones, and providing guidance on the Project Lifecycle process.
  • Coordinate Portfolio Review and Portfolio Assessment activities that include:
    1. Coordinate preparations for the periodic reviews.
    2. Develop review materials.
    3. Coordinate the meeting.
    4. Document notes and action items.
  • Coordinate monthly activities that include:
    1. OCS Project Review Board and OCS/CSDL meeting preparations.
    2. Project document and presentation review.
    3. Prepare materials, facilitate, document decisions and action items, and track closure.
  • Coordinate Project Lifecycle and Portfolio Management process improvements.
  • Support managing the OCS Project Management tools.
  • Manage regional Surge/OFS delivery across the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic coast, Arctic, and East/West Pacific; drive optimization of model capabilities within the geospatial web services infrastructure, oversee automated functional and performance/capacity testing tools, and finalize optimization of the open-source, cloud-based dissemination infrastructure.
  • Coordinate cross-model integration and coupling work (SCHISM, WW3, ROMS, CICE); maintain issue registers and runbooks; drive resolution of priority issues.
  • Maintain licensing and compliance artifacts (e.g., UFS-Coastal license updates) in partnership with legal.

Start Date: As soon as possible

Location: Remote / Telework

Salary and Benefits: This is a full-time position with benefits. Salary, commensurate with experience, $55.00 – $60.00 per hour.

Required Skills/Education

  • Ph.D. In Computer Science, Marine Science, GIS, Remote Sensing, or a related field, and a minimum of 4 years of directly related experience; or a MS/MA plus a minimum of 8 years of directly related experience
  • Knowledge in working with one of OCS’s operational hydrodynamic models (ADCIRC, FVCOM, ROMS, and/or SCHISM)
  • Working knowledge of the distributed version control system Git and the GitHub developer platform for code storage, management, and sharing
  • General understanding of workflows needed to set up, run, and post process ocean and wave models for coastal applications 
  • Demonstrated skills in collecting, processing, and analyzing environmental observations and in model evaluation and data analysis using parametric and non-parametric statistical methods
  • Demonstrated ability to self-manage workload and meet variable (but often short) deadlines for multiple concurrent tasks
  • Strong ability to collaborate and manage diversity multi-agency teams
  • Demonstrated project management experience

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience setting up and running coastal models (SCHISM, WW3)
  • Familiarity with High Performance Computing environments and tools
  • Familiarity with Cloud Computing environments and tools (e.g. Dask, Xarray, Zarr, Intake)
  • Experience with the National Water Model
  • Programming Skills (e.g., Python, bash, Fortran)
  • Experience running and/or developing coupling infrastructure for coastal modeling applications

If you are interested in being considered for this position, please APPLY THROUGH OUR ADP WEB PORTAL, AT THE LINK AT THE TOP RIGHT OF THIS PAGE.

Only qualified applicants that meet minimum experience or background requirements stated above need apply. When applying for this position you will be asked to upload your resume at the end of this online application.

Applicants should submit a resume that includes the following:

  • Cover letter that briefly describes how you meet the required and preferred qualifications listed.
  • Work history for past 10 years or since last full-time education.
  • Education.
  • Previous experience or training with similar requirements.
  • Three professional references.  
  • Include your name in the document file name.
  • Upload your resume in readable, not scanned, PDF or Word format (PDF is preferred).  

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States, complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire, and successfully complete a federal government background check. OAI does not discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal or state law. 

OAI is a government contractor and is required by law to invite applicants to voluntarily self-identify their disability status and veteran status. OAI’s online application includes check boxes to either voluntarily self identify or decline to self identify. While the information is collected through your application, it is collected anonymously and is not connected to your application. OAI uses the information it collects to track its disability and veteran hiring progress, and to meet its obligations under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and under VEVRAA. 

Note:  If you are not selected, your materials may be retained for present or future opportunities. We may use your resume in bidding on a project and if we are awarded the work, we will contact you before seeking further applicants. If you do not wish us to retain or use your resume to seek work for you, please let us know in the “Notes” section on the second page of the online application.