DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST FOR ENERGETIC MATERIALS Job in Indian Head, MD

Vacancy No. DE-12611402-25-SRP Department Naval Sea Systems Command
Salary $180,359.00 to $221,900.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/22/2024 Close Date 12/20/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Indian Head, MD


Summary

You will serve as the Distinguished Scientist for Energetic Materials at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division, Naval Sea Systems Command. This position is a direct report to the Technical Director who serves as an SES. This position supports the Division's efforts by providing the technical consultation and leadership necessary to coordinate the research, development, and test and evaluation of energetic material for the Navy.

Duties

  • You will serve as the Navy expert in area of energetic material ingredients to include structure, morphology, bulk qualification, and mechanical properties for new and existing materials.
  • You will serve as the Navy expert in energetic formulations to include characteristics, processing, performance, and test and evaluation.
  • You will act as an expert in advanced modeling techniques for predicting energetic material behavior and initiation/energy release mechanisms.
  • You will serve as the Navy energetic material Science and Technology (ST) and research, development, test and evaluation expert with respect to chemistry (energetics and related inserts), hazards, safety, characterization, and performance.
  • You will research, design, synthesize, and characterize new energetic molecules and novel formulations to improve performance and/or explosive and propellant safety and vulnerability.
  • You will serve as the Navy senior technical energetic materials expert for Navy and DoD- related programs and issues for other Navy, DoD, and DOE laboratories; academic institutions; and private corporations.
  • You will be required to conceive new energetic materials based on sponsor/warfighter requirements and develop routes/approaches toward their preparation, and to document scientific accomplishments in patents, reports, and the open literature.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a US Citizen.
  • Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
  • Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
  • New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
  • You will be required to complete ethics orientation within three months of appointment and submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-278e within 30 days of appointment.
  • Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • This position may require travel from normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS and may include remote or isolated sites. You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time.
  • Successful completion of a pre-employment drug test (including marijuana) is required. A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if you fail to report to the drug test appointment or fail the test. You will be subject to random testing.
  • You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS: Applicants will be assessed against Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs). Failure to provide a separate narrative statement which describes fully and concisely how your experience meets the Mandatory Technical Qualifications will eliminate you from consideration.

MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS: (Each must be addressed separately in your Supplemental Narrative Statement. Each MTQ must not exceed 2 pages.)

1. The incumbent plans, manages, and executes programs providing innovative solutions in S&T and R&D areas related to energetic materials and formulations. The incumbent serves as a technical expert in support of Navy RDT&E Programs.

2. The incumbent is a recognized technical expert in chemical phenomenology, advanced modeling, compatibility, scale-up testing, and synthetic techniques to assess vulnerability to stimuli, design new energetic materials, and enhance performance and reduce vulnerability. Provides senior technical consultation to NSWC leadership as well as to leadership of the PEOs, the SYSCOMS, and the Navy.

3. The incumbent formulates plans, organizes, controls, reviews, and approves the Navy's efforts in energetic materials and formulations. The incumbent is responsible for ensuring that these programs and systems are responsive to changing Fleet requirements and advanced technologies. The incumbent is assigned full management and technical responsibility for the direction and operation of related programs within established policies and resources assigned by higher management, and is responsible to draft and present technical information materials that convincingly gain support and acceptance of their recommendations.

4. Knowledge of government, academic, and industrial RDT&E policies and procedures. Ability to focus unclassified scientific research based on assessment of warfighter needs developed and protected within classified domains. Ability to communicate effectively with SES-level research sponsors at ONR, OPNAV, and OSD.

5. Mentoring and competency development of technical areas in support of duties will include coordinating programs that address varied energetic materials/formulations.

Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#GS-PROF
1301 General Physical Science Series

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

Education

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

Additional information

This position is a Senior Scientific position in the federal government. Senior Scientific and professional employees are in non-executive positions whose duties are broad and complex enough to be classified above GS 15 level. Senior level positions involve performance of high-level research and development in the physical, biological, medical, or engineering sciences.

This position is not covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.

Federal annuitant information: The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants. Policy information may be found at: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/donhr/Documents/CivilianJobs/FedCivAnnuitants.pdf.

Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees.

A relocation incentive is generally a single payment intended to offset some of the relocation costs experienced by the selectee. A relocation incentive may be authorized.

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.

Review our 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.

All candidates will be screened against the above listed minimum qualifications required. Candidates considered basically qualified will be further reviewed by a panel of subject matter experts for preliminary evaluation and recommendation for review by the Navy Science and Technology Personnel Review Board who will recommend via the Chief of Naval Research the best qualified candidate(s) to the official authorized to make the selection.

If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

All qualifications requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Required Documents

You are required to provide documentation that supports the eligibility and qualification claims made in your resume and assessment questionnaire. You must submit the applicable documents listed here and those listed with the eligibilities you select in the announcement questionnaire with your application package. Applicants who do not provide supporting documentation that fully support their claims will not be referred to the hiring manager. Cover letter is optional.

A complete resume is required. Your resume must show relevant experience, job title, duties and accomplishments. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. The following information should be provided in your resume, but it is acceptable to provide elsewhere in your application package: employer's name, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr), hours per week, and pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09) for relevant federal experience.

A separate narrative statement is required. Your narrative statement must address the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) listed above.

Are you claiming membership in any professional organizations, or possession of a license, certificate or credentials? Check the Conditions of Employment section above to see if any are required. If you claim membership, license, certification, or credentials, you must submit a copy of said document in your application package.

Is there a basic education requirement for this position? Are you using education as a substitute for some or all of the experience requirement? Check the Education section above to see what is allowed and what is required. Any claims you make in your resume or assessment questionnaire regarding education or degrees MUST be supported by submitting with your application official or unofficial transcripts or a list of courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned issued from your school. While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial application, an official transcript will ultimately be required if you are selected for the position. You may submit a copy your degree(s) if specific coursework does not have to be verified.

Are you a veteran claiming 5-point veterans' preference or claiming sole survivorship preference? You must submit a copy of your latest DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (any copy that shows all dates of service, as well as character of service [Honorable, General, etc.] is acceptable) OR a VA letter that shows dates of service or service connected disability AND character of service. If you have more than one DD-214 for multiple periods of active duty service, submit a copy for each period of service. If you were issued a DD-215 to amend aforementioned information on the DD-214 you must submit that too. If you are not sure of your preference eligibility, visit the Department of Labor's website: Veterans' Preference Advisor

Are you a disabled veteran or claiming 10-point veterans' preference?
If you are eligible to claim 10 point veterans preference you must submit a DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty as described above for 5-point preference.

You must also provide the applicable supporting documentation of your disability (e.g. disability letter from the VA) as described on Standard Form-15 (SF-15). http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf.

Are you an active duty service member? Active Duty Service Members are required to submit a statement of service printed on command letterhead and signed by the command. The statement of service must provide the branch of service, rate/rank, all dates of service, the expected date of discharge and anticipated character of service (Honorable, General, etc.).

Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents contain personal information such as SSN and DOB and some documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove said personal information before you submit your application. You must provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected.

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

Click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Complete resume with relevant experience, job title, duties and accomplishments. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support minimum qualifications. The following information should be provided in your resume, but it is acceptable to provide elsewhere in your application package: employer's name, starting and end dates (Mo/Yr), hours per week, and pay plan, series and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09) for relevant federal experience.
2. Complete assessment questionnaire. For a quick preview of the assessment questionnaire click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12611402
3. Supporting documentation

Failure to submit a complete application package will result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration.

Your complete application (resume, assessment questionnaire, and all supporting documents) must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 12/20/2024. Applications received after 12/20/2024 will generally result in an ineligible rating and loss of consideration. If more than one resume is received, only the last resume received and processed will be reviewed.

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account: https://mydon.usajobs.gov/Account/Login select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process so please plan appropriately.

You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

Do not email or send hard copy resumes/applications to the Contact Information or Agency Information listed in this vacancy announcement. All resumes/applications received at the addresses listed in the Contact Information or Agency Information will be destroyed and will not be considered for this vacancy announcement.

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that all information in their resume and documents are legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers/documents submitted by an applicant.

Agency contact information

Dept of the Navy Executive Hiring
Address
NAVSURFWARCEN IH DIV
4247 S Patterson Rd
Suite 116
Indian Head, MD 20640-5150
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

When the application process is complete, your complete application (resume, assessment questionnaire, and all supporting documents) will be reviewed to determine if you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements for which you requested consideration. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume and responses to the questionnaire, along with your supporting documentation to determine your level of knowledge, skill, and ability related to the job requirements.

Generally, only best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager. Sometimes well qualified andminimally qualified candidates are referred. Occasionally, candidates eligible for priority consideration are referred, and no other candidates are referred.

The hiring manager may choose to conduct interviews.

You will be notified of our rating and referral decision. If you are referred, you will be notified when a hiring decision is made.


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