Douglas ForsythChief, Radar Research & Development Division, NSSL

Critical Skill ShortagesRadar Meteorology

2Critical Skills Shortages April 23, 2009

Outline

Importance

Critical Skills

Skill Shortages

Current Attempts to Meet Shortages

Recommendations

Summary

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WHY?

Weather RadarPrimary severe weather observational toolUsed to issue warnings by the National Weather ServiceUsed to avoid severe weather by the Federal Aviation Administration and pilotsUsed to display the location of precipitation and associated severe weather to the public

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Critical Skills

To Continue to make advancements in weather Radar:

Radar Meteorologists

Radar Engineers – Hardest to find and Recruit

Software Engineers

Electronics Technicians

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Our NSSL/CIMMS Team Weather Radar Research

Picture of the Team

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Electrical Engineers

Limitiations:

1. U.S. Citizen

2. Salaries

a. Most Master Degree students

1). Obtain higher pay from Industry

2). Don’t need to purse Doctorate

Degree

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Addressing Shortages

1. Hiring post-Doctoral students 1. Boosted NRC Post-Doc Salaries to $70K

2. Hiring of Master’s Students1. Support education opportunities to Doctoral level

3. Use Cooperative Institute for Foreign Nationals until they become US Citizens

4. Working to improve pay scales for Research Engineers

5. OU educational Program1. Interdisciplinary – Engineering and Meteorology2. Can’t fix with short-courses

6. Attractive Working environment1. Cutting edge technologies (dual-polarization, Phased

Array)

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Recommendations

1. Increase Pay Scales for Electrical Engineers (Critical Skills)

1. Adjust to University and Industry scales

2. Obtain Direct Hire authority for 0850 & 0855 Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

SYNCHRONIZERREAL-TIME

HOSTCOMPUTER

TRANSMITTER

ANTENNAPEDESTALCONTROL

DATAACQUISITION

UNIT

AZIMUTH

ELEVATION

EQUIPMENTSENSORS ANDINTERLOCKS

RECEIVER

RFSOURCE

RDA LOCAL AREA NETWORK

LOCAL BUS

USER/MAINTENANCEWORKSTATION

(RDA HOST)

COMMSERVER

DIGITALSIGNAL

PROCESSOROPTIONAL SECOND

RECEIVER CHANNEL

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Summary

Radar is an important tool for observations and warnings of severe and hazardous weatherCritical Skill

Electrical & Electronics EngineersShortages being addressed

Post-Doc ProgramsEducational OpportunitiesOU producing qualified students locallyCreative work environment

RecommendationsIncrease salariesDirect Hire

10Critical Skills Shortages April 23, 2009

Questions?

Questions:

THANK YOU