Summary
*This is a Non-Tenure Track position. Academic tenure is based upon performance and approval of the faculty and may be considered after initial or subsequent 3-year appointment period. Selectee may be offered an initial appointment with tenure if their academic credentials warrant such action.
Performs faculty duties in the Department of Engineering Physics, Graduate School of Engineering and Management at AFIT.
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from U.S. Citizens (U.S. citizenship required at time of application).
Duties
- The primary role of a Research Assistant (RA) is to provide assistance to a faculty mentor to enhance the value and effectiveness of AFIT sponsored research, which feeds and enhances AFIT graduate education and coursework.
- RA duties will generally include activities directly supporting sponsored research including, but not limited to: maintaining labs, equipment, hardware, and software; literature reviews; collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data; adapting existing equipment to support new research; and developing research products such as papers, presentations, and code that support sponsored research deliverables.
- RAs work under the close supervision of an experienced graduate faculty member, and the association is meant to be collegial and educational. In consultation with the supervisor, the RA works to gain research skills and to enhance his/her grasp of the essentials of the academic discipline, the conduct of research, the role and responsibilities of a faculty member, and the role of technology in support of the Air Force. RAs will perform duties consistent with their prior academic preparation and experience.
- The primary duty of a Teaching Assistant (TA) is to provide teaching assistance to the instructor of record in the classroom, which cannot be classified as routine clerical work, to enhance the value and effectiveness of AFIT graduate education.
- TA duties will generally include: coordinating courses, assisting with classroom discussions, supporting in-classroom activities, recommending grades on homework and exams, conducting review and assistance sessions, assisting with classroom management (e.g. attending classes, taking notes, taking attendance, proctoring exams, and corresponding with class members), setting up labs, developing supporting course material, and other relevant duties as assigned.
- TAs with at least a MS/ME may also deliver lessons under controlled conditions (e.g., with the instructor of record present), prepare lecture materials, and assist in the development of homework and exams. TAs will work under the close supervision of an experienced instructor of record for each course, and the association is meant to be collegial and educational. In consultation with the instructor of record, the TA works to gain instructional skills and to enhance his/her grasp of the essentials of the academic discipline, the role and responsibilities of a faculty member, and the role of technology in support of the Air Force.
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship is required.
- The selected candidate will be subject to a security investigation leading to successful completion of a background investigation with a favorable adjudication.
- Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov.
- Initial appointment is under Schedule A appointing authority, Excepted Appointment Not-to-Exceed 366 days.
- At the time of the expiration of the initial appointment an employee who adequately demonstrates professional competence can be extended in increments up to 3 years or for an indefinite period.
- Employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, to include evenings, weekends and/or holidays.
- Employee must maintain current certifications.
- Incumbent may be subject to serve a one-year trial period.
- Candidates are not required to have active duty service or veterans' preference to be referred and considered. All qualified candidates who meet the recruitment assessment criteria will be referred to the selecting official.
- Essential qualities expected of every faculty member include the personal attributes of integrity, industry, cooperation, initiative, and breadth of intellectual interests.
- Travel by military or commercial transportation to gather ideas for improving the curriculum, establish research contacts and agreements, conduct research, and present results of research may be required.
- An initial appointment can be allowed to expire for an employee who does not adequately demonstrate professional competence.
- The appointment cannot be converted to a permanent tenure in the competitive service.
- Current Federal employees on a permanent or indefinite appointment will be required to have a minimum of 3 day break in service if selected.
- Recruitment and/or retention incentives may be offered.
- Permanent Change in Station (PCS) expenses WILL NOT be paid.
- Work may require travel away from the normal duty station on military and commercial aircraft.
- This position meets the professional exemption criteria for the Fair Labor Stands Act (5 CFR 551.207).
Qualifications
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT CONTINUED
- This job is being filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive civil service. This is an Administratively Determined position in the excepted service.
- This announcement may result in a 180-day register that may be used to fill like vacancies for 180 days after the closing date. Applicants will be referred every 30 days to management.
- All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.
- This position does not require drug testing.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Candidates must be a U.S. citizen with a relevant technical undergraduate degree in science or engineering disciplines which include but not limited to the following occupational series: 04XX, 08XX, 13XX or 15XX series from an accredited institution by the time employment begins and in rare cases, those with equivalent experience, education and professional recognition. General Schedule Qualification Standards (opm.gov)
- The ability to write programs in Python, Java, C++, or other higher-level languages and/or computational packages such as Matlab or Mathematica, and plotting packages for data processing and presentation.
- Possess the ability to communicate clearly and expertly (in English) in both verbal and written forms concerning academic, administrative, and technical subject matters is required.
This is an open continuous announcement and will be used to fill vacancies as openings occur. To receive consideration for vacancies, applicants must submit complete applications prior to the established cut-off date(s). Application initial cut-off date is 17-FEB-2024 and every 30 days thereafter. You are encouraged to apply as early as possible. This announcement will remain open until the closing date indicated; however, those who apply after the cut-off date will be considered for referral to the hiring manager only if no selection is made from the initial group or if additional vacancies occur and the initial referral list yielded an insufficient number of candidates. If you make corrections and resubmit your application, the date the application is last submitted will be used to determine those who are considered to have met the cut-off date.
PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.
VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
ACTIVE-DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act requires federal agencies to treat an eligible active-duty service member as a veteran, disabled veteran, and preference eligible (as applicable) when applying for civil service positions before the effective release or discharge date. Appointment of military members before the release or discharge date is permissible if the member is on terminal leave. At the time the active-duty member applies for a civil position, he or she must submit a "certification" memo in lieu of a DD-Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. The certification memo must originate from the member's military service branch on official letterhead and contain the following:
- Name/Rank/Grade of Service Member
- Branch of Armed Forces
- Dates of Active Service (Start and End Date(s)
- Expected Date of Discharge/Release from Active Duty
- Terminal leave start date (if applicable)
- Expected character of service/discharge (honorable/general) and type of separation (i.e. separation or retirement)
- Must be certified within 120 days of anticipated discharge
- Signature by, or by direction of the adjutant, personnel office, unit commander, or higher headquarters commander
NOTE: The VOW Act provides tentative preference. If appointed, a DD Form-214 must be submitted upon receipt.
NOTICE OF VETERANS' PREFERENCE:
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference for AD appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Defense considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for hiring AD positions. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation to their submissions.
Although the point-preference system is not used, applicants eligible to claim Veterans Preference must submit VOW certification memo or copy of the official DD Form 214, which must include the character of service, and a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference," and supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed. (SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preference and the required supporting documents, is available from the Office of Personnel Management Website at www.opm.gov.)
NOTE: Appointments do not require veterans' preference in order to be eligible for consideration.
Education
This position has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications, you MUST submit transcripts with the application. Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if position has a positive degree requirement, qualifying based on education alone or in combination with experience, transcripts must be verified prior to appointment. An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. Click here to check accreditation.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.
If selected, you will be requested to provide original copies of ALL OFFICIAL transcripts for degrees being pursued or obtained (or letter of degree completion if an OFFICIAL transcript is not available due to recent graduation) to support your educational claims as stated in your curriculum vitae. Your transcripts must also reflect the degree awarded/conferred date.
Ensure you include ALL transcripts to support your educational claims as stated in your curriculum vitae (resume) even if not required for this 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.
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.
Applicants possessing the required qualifications as contained within this announcement will be evaluated and ranked by a Faculty-Rating Panel based on the extent to which their experience and education relate to the requirements of the position. A personal interview and presentation to the faculty may be required of the top applicants.
Applicants will be assessed based on their teaching credentials, scholarship, service, and education. Your application package(curriculum vitae, OFFICIAL transcripts, supporting documents, etc.) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. An incomplete package will result in non-consideration of your application.
AFIT is dedicated to the goal of building a pluralistic faculty committed to a multicultural environment that enriches the educational experience of our students. Hence, we are especially interested in candidates whose teaching, life experience and/or research interests contribute to a climate that values and uses diversity in all its forms. Interested persons should submit a curriculum vitae and a statement of interest that addresses the ways in which the applicant's qualifications meet the requirements of the ad to include evidence of teaching excellence, promise of research productivity, and commitment to diversity/inclusion. Additional documents are required to complete your application package, please reference the "How to Apply" and "Required Documents" section for more information.
Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.
The following documents are required and must be received by AFIT/MSC by the closing date of the announcement.
- Letter of application (cover letter) (Highly Desired)
- Curriculum vitae (resume)-If your curriculum vitae/resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, you will not be considered for this vacancy. Your resume may be submitted in any format. For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., hour per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). Resumes that do not contain this information may be marked as insufficient and applicants may not receive consideration for this position. (Required)
- Transcripts - This position has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications, you MUST submit transcripts with the application. Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if position has a positive degree requirement, qualifying based on education alone or in combination with experience, transcripts must be verified prior to appointment. An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. (Required)
- U.S. Equivalency from a Department of Education approved (non-federal) credentialing agency (i.e. AICE, NACES), who will complete a U.S. Standard of Education Conversion for education completed in foreign colleges or universities. (If applicable)
- List of three professional references (to include name, complete mailing address and phone number) (Required-May be in CV)
- Three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with your professional work. (Highly Desired)
- Veterans' preference documents, if applicable (i.e. DD-214, SF-15, Veterans Affairs letter for federal employment) (If applicable)
- Statement of Teaching-(Optional)
- Statement of Research interests-(Optional)
An incomplete package will result in non-consideration of your application.
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.
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.
The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/17/2024
To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12278150
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process.
A complete application package will include a letter of application (cover letter), curriculum vitae, statement of citizenship, legible copies of ALL transcripts. A Doctoral/Master's/Bachelor's degree is required, but ALL transcripts must be provided for ALL degrees being pursued or obtained as stated in your curriculum vitae, and a list of three professional references (to include names, complete mailing addresses, telephone numbers and emails) are required. Three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with your professional work is highly desired.
An incomplete package will result in non-consideration of your application. Your curriculum vitae may include detailed information in the following areas, as appropriate (if applicable):
1. Teaching accomplishments: Include teaching experience and teaching awards
2. Professional Accomplishments: Include research, consultations, publications, and awards
3. Service Accomplishments: Include membership, leadership roles, nature of service and contribution in collegial and/or professional organizations, societies, etc.
If you are claiming veterans' preference, please provide basic eligibility information in your cover letter. Also include in your application a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4) and, if disabled, a completed SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference), along with a letter for federal employment from the Department of Veterans Affairs indicating your service-connected disability rating.
IF APPLICABLE: An active-duty military member's statement of service/certification letter will be accepted in lieu of a DD-214. The statement/ certification letter can be obtained from your servicing military personnel office and must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters and must indicate your rank, dates of active-duty service, and type of discharge/character of service (i.e. honorable). Your preference and/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment. Military members may be appointed before the effective date of their military separation, if member is on terminal leave, and if applicable, with the appropriate 180-day approved waiver.
PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.
Next steps
Upon vacancy closeout, applicants will be notified via e-mail acknowledging receipt of their application package and advised of the anticipated selection date.
Upon candidate selection, all applicants will be notified via e-mail of their sele Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.
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