Chief Research Officer Job

Vacancy No. 25-FE-ES-00512-1267125-SES Department Department of Energy - Agency Wide
Salary $197,542.00 to $225,700.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/20/2025 Close Date 2/3/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Albany, ORPittsburgh, PAMorgantown, WV


Summary

The Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management - National Energy Technology Laboratory is looking for a dynamic, innovative, seasoned executive to lead scientific and technical planning efforts including the NETL strategic plan, the NETL Laboratory Plan, and other strategy documents. The incumbent works with leadership in NETL's Research and Innovation Center to identify future S&T competencies and capabilities required to ensure mission-readiness.

Duties

The Chief Research Officer (CRO) provides strategic leadership for NETL's Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program, and the CRO office is responsible for LDRD program implementation. The incumbent also manages NETL's strategic partnership efforts to accelerate progress towards S&T goals, including development of strategic and engagement plans for partnerships with industry, universities, other national labs, and global, federal, state, and local partners. As part of the university strategy, the CRO works with the NETL career management organization on strategy and goals for student interns, post-graduate, and post-doctoral staff. The CRO is responsible for implementing a robust Research Integrity Program at NETL and for strategic decisions regarding Research Security. Finally, the CRO serves as NETL's representative to the National Laboratory Chief Research Officer organization and works to integrate NETL and its capabilities into the overall DOE national laboratory system.

As the Chief Research Officer you will:

  • Direct organizational activities and frame strategic plans based on broad organizational assessments and evaluations of long-term organizational objectives.
  • Oversee and direct the internal organization, staffing, policies, and personnel authorities required to carry out the responsibilities of
    the organization, including the recruitment of senior managers and technical experts necessary to ensure the success of the programs.
  • Provide direction and counsel to effect proper balancing between basic and applied research and development and between contractor and in-house activities that enables an effective R&D portfolio, while also meeting the strategic objectives of the Laboratory.
  • Manage the development and implementation of strategic partnership efforts to accelerate progress towards S&T goals, including development of integrated strategic and engagement plans for partnerships with industry, universities, other national laboratories, and global, federal, state, and local partners.
  • Support the NETL Director in budgetary planning activities and keeps program scope consistent with available funds and capabilities.
  • Review resource utilization in relation to requirements, identifies and eliminates marginal activities, evaluates adequacy of lab operations, facilitates contractual efforts to effectively supplement/support in-house efforts, and redirects programs as required by technical advancements and changes in DOE goals and priorities.
  • Lead a diverse organization of multi-disciplined scientists and engineers and associated administrative personnel.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

PRE-HIRING REQUIREMENTS: This is a permanent position in the SES. Unless you are already a member of the SES with career status or are a graduate of an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) certified SES Candidate Development Program, your executive qualifications must be approved by OPM before you can be hired. If you are selected, you will be required to prepare your executive core qualification (ECQ) narrative for OPM submission.
CITIZENSHIP: You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: You must pass a background investigation.
PUBLIC FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT (OGE 278): If you are selected for this position, you will be required to file this report prior to entry on duty in accordance with the Ethics of Government Act of 1978.
SECURITY CLEARANCE: You must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance
DRUG TESTING: As a condition of appointment to this position, if you are selected, you will be required to pass a drug test. If you fail to take the test or fail the test, you will no longer be considered for the job.
PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year SES probationary period.
SELECTIVE SERVICE: If you are a male born after December 31,1959, you must be registered with the Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register.
MOBILITY: A mobility agreement may be required based on mission needs.
E-VERIFY: New employees will be required to pass the employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.

Qualifications

Your resume must describe your executive core qualifications (ECQs) and experience, technical qualifications and give a synopsis of your accomplishments.Do not include a separate ECQ narrative. Additionally, Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) listed later in this section below must be addressed in a separate document.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS: The five ECQs described below were designed to assess executive-level experiences and potential not technical expertise. They measure whether you have the broad executive skills needed to succeed in a variety of SES positions.

1: Leading Change: Ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals and establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.
2: Leading People: Ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals and provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
3: Results Driven: Ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations and make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.
4: Business Acumen: Ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.
5: Building Coalitions: Ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.

MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs): As part of your application package, aseparate document must be uploaded addressing each MTQ listed below. No more than one page per MTQ is allowed; additional information will not be considered. MTQs must provide specific examples that address relevant experience and accomplishments. Your leadership and management skills must be addressed in the MTQs listed below.

Failure to submit a document addressing each MTQ will result in your application to be deemed incomplete and not be considered.

MTQ 1: Demonstrated executive experience providing strategic leadership, direction, and oversight to a complex, large-scale organization to include framing strategic plans; evaluating long-term objectives; establishing internal controls standard for effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity; creating organizational policies; and assessing organizational performance.

MTQ 2: Demonstrated executive experience in developing and leading innovative approaches that result in increased capabilities and impact, including development of a healthy research culture, for a large research and development organization.

MTQ 3: Demonstrated executive experience with and broad knowledge of research and development leadership and management, including development and management of effective R&D portfolios, research integrity, research security, research partnerships and other R&D enterprise elements, particularly related to the Department of Energy missions.

Education

Basic Education Requirement for the 0801 Series:

Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

OR

Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:

Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.

Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements section above. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described above.

Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive.)

Basic Education Requirement for the 1301 Series

Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

OR

Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

You must provide a copy of your unofficial transcript(s). Be sure to include those transcripts directly applicable for meeting the education requirements. Failure to provide proof of education will result in non-consideration for this position. Official transcripts will be required prior to entrance-on-duty for individuals selected.Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see Department of Education.

Additional information

The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Telework: Your position may be eligible for workplace flexibilities which may include remote work or telework options, and/or flexible work scheduling. These flexibilities may be requested in accordance with the DOE Workplace Flexibilities policy.

OF-306: You may be required to complete an OF-306, "Declaration for Federal Employment" form used to (a) determine your suitability for Federal Employment and/or (b) in conducting an investigation to determine your suitability or ability to hold a security clearance.

Applications contain information subject to the Privacy Act (PL 93 579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at AdministrativeInvestigations@hq.doe.gov.

The selecting official may need to consult Departmental ethics counsel to determine whether any of your former or current employers, affiliations, or financial holdings conflict with your ability to perform the duties of this position. If necessary, ethics counsel will work with you and the hiring office regarding potential mitigation strategies, if available.

Hiring incentives may be authorized in accordance with agency policy and if funding is available.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Veteran's Preference does not apply to the Senior Executive service (SES).

You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience, and education (if applicable). Your application will be rated and ranked by an Executive Resources Board (ERB) Panel, comprised of at least three SES members, using only the information submitted within the application package. If your application does not demonstrate sufficient possession of the ECQs and MTQs, you will be determined ineligible for further consideration. In order to be eligible, you must demonstrate that you have depth and breadth of experience to successfully perform the duties of the job.

As part of the Resume Based recruitment method, the ERB Panel conducts a structured interview for all applicants who are determined to be in the top category from the ERB Rating Panel. Based on the Panel's evaluation, applicants who are determined Best Qualified will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration and possible second interview. Persons tentatively selected for appointment to SES positions must prepare their ECQ package for OPM's Quality Review Board (QRB) certification. The QRB review and certification is the last critical step in the SES selection process, and all SES candidates must have their executive qualifications certified by a QRB before being appointed as career members of the SES.

Required Documents

It is important you include and address all ECQs, MTQs, and accomplishments in your resume, MTQ narrative, and optional cover letter. A sample five-page resume addressing ECQs can be viewed in the Guide to SES Qualifications (indexed at page 29-37).

Thoroughly review the following list to determine the documentation you need to submit. If you fail to submit required documentation before the announcement closes, you will be rated "ineligible." Some documents may not apply to all applicants.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:


1. ALL APPLICANTS - Five-page ECQ-based Resume including the following:
  • Full name, mailing and email addresses, day & evening telephone numbers
  • Education information including:
    • Name, city, state of colleges/universities attended, major & type of degree received.
    • Report only schools accredited by the accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
  • All work experience (paid and unpaid) including:
    • Job title, duties/accomplishments, employer's name/address, start/end dates (include month, day, and year), average hours per week worked
  • Honors, awards, special accomplishments
Tips for preparing SES applications. We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions.
2. ALL APPLICANTS - MTQ Narrative (no more than one page per MTQ, using 1 inch margins and 12 point font size).
3. Current or former career SES members must provide a SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.
4. Applicants who have successfully completed an OPM-approved SES Candidate Development Program must submit a copy of their certification.
5. Current or former Federal Civilian employees, must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (non-award) documenting the following: 1) Full position title; 2) appointment type; 3) occupational series; 4) pay plan, grade, and step; 5) tenure code; 6) service computation date (SCD).
6. ALL APPLICANTS - you must submit a copy of your transcript(s) or a separate course listing showing the course title, department, hours earned (quarters or semester), and grade. If you have completed any part of your education outside of the U.S., you must submit the evaluation of your foreign education that has been prepared by an accredited organization. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) can provide a list of who can evaluate your foreign education. For additional information, visit Department of Education.
7. Optional - cover letter (one page maximum).

NOTE:
  • All documents must be uploaded into the system; USAJobs Resume Builder resumes will not be accepted.
  • Separate documents addressing the ECQs will not be considered.
  • Pages submitted in excess of the limits described above will not be considered. Substituting pages for other required documents in the application is not acceptable (e.g., submitting only a four-page resume but adding an additional page to address an MTQ).
  • Do not use borders, provide photos or list a Social Security Number or date of birth on any attachment.
  • If you are selected for this position, you may be asked to provide additional documentation to verify your responses.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration. E-mailed applications and/or resumes will not be accepted. Requests for extensions will not be granted.

All statements made in this application are subject to investigation and any false or dishonest answer to any question may be grounds for disqualification and loss of consideration. If your resume does not support the responses in your application questionnaire, or if you fail to submit required documentation before the vacancy closes, you will be rated 'ineligible' or 'not qualified'.

The application process is as follows:

  1. You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/.
  2. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
  3. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
  4. You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/

If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.

Agency contact information

Christina Nanney
Address
Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management - National Energy Technology Laboratory
Department of Energy
Human Capital Shared Service Center
1000 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20585
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

We will continue to update your status online as changes are made. Applicants who meet the mandatory ECQs and MTQs will be evaluated by a panel of senior executives. If you are selected, reference checks may be completed. DOE's Executive Resources Board will make a final approval of the selection, and in competitive cases, OPM's Qualifications Review Board (QRB) must certify the ECQs before final appointment can occur. If OPM/QRB certification is required, you will be required to prepare your ECQ package for OPM/QRB certification. Verification of performance, suitability and security information from reference checks will be taken into consideration before making final job offer.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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