# Presentation: 541891

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

***Carl McCalla, Sr.******Student Career Experience Program Coordinator***
*carl.mccalla@noaa.gov*_*[http://](http://www.weather.gov/mdl/coop/coop.php)*__*[www.weather.gov/mdl/coop/coop.php](http://www.weather.gov/mdl/coop/coop.php)*_

## 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***

## 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**

## Program Description

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

## Program Description

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

## What Students Will Do

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

## MDL Projects

_***[Decision Assistance Branch](http://www.weather.gov/mdl/dab/index.htm)***_
**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)**

## MDL Projects

_***[Evaluation Branch](http://www.weather.gov/mdl/evaluationbr.htm)***_
**AWIPS Verification Program**
**Storm Surge****	****and Coastal Wave Applications**
*Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH)*
*Extra-tropical storm surges*
*Coastal waves*

## MDL Projects

_***[Mesoscale](http://www.weather.gov/mdl/mesopredbr.htm)***__***[ Prediction Branch](http://www.weather.gov/mdl/mesopredbr.htm)***_
**National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD)**
**Local AWIPS Model Output Statistics Program (LAMP)**

## MDL Projects

_***[Product Generation Branch](http://www.weather.gov/mdl/icwf/pgb/prodgenbr.php3)***_
**Aviation Forecast Preparation System (AvnFPS)**
**Central Product Generation**
**Forecast Uncertainty**
**XML Services**

## MDL Projects

_***[Statistical Modeling Branch](http://www.weather.gov/mdl/synop/index.htm)***_
**Model Output Statistics (MOS)**
**Gridded MOS**

## Application Requirements

***Applicant***
**Is pursing a college degree relevant to MDL projects**
**Is committed to at least 12 months of employment**
**Has a GPA of 2.0 overall and 2.5 in his/her major**
**Is a United States citizen**

## 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***

## 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***

## Working At MDL

***NWSH is located in Silver Spring, MD***
***18 story office building***
***Cubicle offices***
***MDL is on the 10******th****** & 11******th****** floors of NWSH***
***D.C. Metro & MARC rail are adjacent to NWSH ***
***Current commuter transportation subsidy is up to  $110/month***
***Limited assistance is available for locating housing***

## Student Benefits

***Gain full-time professional work experience***
***Consolidate career decisions***
***Earn GS-4/GS-9 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 & workplace***

## 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.**

## 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.**

## 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 for graduation.  At the end of the 120-days, if the graduate has not been converted to a career conditional position in the competitive service, then he/she **_**must be**_** separated.**

## 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.**

## 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.  **

## FAQ

***Conversion – SCEP***
**Q.  When does the 120-Day conversion window begin ... upon completion of course requirements for graduation or on “graduation ceremony day”?**
**A.  Upon satisfactory completion of course requirements for graduation.    **

## 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 student’s educational requirements for graduation.**

## 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.**

## Helpful URLs

_***[http://www.weather.gov/mdl/](http://www.weather.gov/mdl/)***_
_***[http://](http://www.weather.gov/mdl/coop/coop.php)***__***[www.weather.gov/mdl/coop/coop.php](http://www.weather.gov/mdl/coop/coop.php)***_
***Carl McCalla, Sr., W/OST24 ***
***1325 East-West Highway***
***SSMC2, Room 10364***
***Silver Spring, Maryland 20910***
***Phone:  (301) 713-1065 x169***
***Fax:  (301) 713-9316***