Teaching and Learning (T&L). Participates and supports education and leader development activities as an individual with vision and leadership qualities, who can build strong working relationships with students, faculty,
and internal staff as well as supporting staff at the Combatant Command level.

Research and Analysis (R&A). Performs research and analysis to publish or inform publications that contribute to the JSOU Press, journal articles, policy-oriented essays, operational publications focused on education, blog postings, special reports, books, or book chapters. Conducts self-initiated research as well as directed research at the request of key stakeholders including Commander, USSOCOM and the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff in support of JSOU President. Works independently and collaboratively to develop recommendations to achieve key national security objects specifically oriented toward special operations, thinking critically and strategically in applying joint special operations forces warfighting principles and concepts to joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational (JIIM) operations. Non-traditional research and analysis may include innovative approaches including the ability to leverage experiments and wargames to actively analyze how special operations forces and their enablers best learn so adaptation is organic to the formations based on education as an active investment for the future global operating environment.

Service and Outreach (S&O). Conducts both internal and external service to JSOU on a variety of special operations and leader development issue areas for both special operations operators and their enablers. Interacts with faculty of colleges and universities that deal with national security affairs, international relations, and military operational art to exchange ideas and concepts of mutual benefit and to project special operations contribution to
national security into the civilian community.

Incumbent is responsible to ensure the core classified national information protection security disciplines of information are fully covered from a policy and programmic view point to ensure overall information protection requirements meet mission requirements. Analyzes, documents, and ensures the sensitivity of documents is protected from unauthorized users. The incumbent establishes priority processing of classified information.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• Must be registered for Selective Service, see Legal and Regulatory Guide
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a TOP SECRET (TS) security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access
• Recruitment and /or Relocation incentives may be authorized.
• Disclosure of Political Appointments
• Position may be subject to random drug testing.
• Employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, to include evenings, weekends and/or holidays
• Employee must maintain current certifications.
• 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.
• The Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) is located at MacDill Air Force Base, FL.
• Depending on the type of position (competitive/excepted) you are selected for, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period.
• Upon completion of your probationary/trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
• All federal employees are required to have direct deposit
• Work will occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station to both CONUS and overseas locations on military or commercial aircraft
• A PhD (or terminal degree) and notable post-doctoral experience is highly desired. (Continued below)
• Experience in teaching at graduate level, an established professional reputation, and a record of publications within the field of expertise are positive factors for selection
• Highly desired incumbent possesses academic credentials and experience in a faculty position at a post-secondary Joint Professional Military Education Institution or equivalent, accredited university system
• Locality Pay is calculated at the 'All of U.S.' rate, and within the Tampa, FL and MacDill AFB area according to the "U.S. Air Force Administratively Determined (AD) Pay Plan (Rest of U.S.)
• This is a TERM position NTE 3 years
• Starting September 27, 2025, USAJOBS began restricting all resumes to two pages in length. The restriction does NOT apply to this position. Please upload your Resume/Curriculum Vitae using the Other Documents - Curriculum Vitae option

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENT AD-1701-00 POSITIONS: A Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) that included or was supplemented by major study in education or in a subject-matter field appropriate to the position. NOTE: You must submit copies of your transcripts.
AND in addition to meeting the basic requirements above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Serves as the principal research, analysis, and wargaming liaison between Headquarters, U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), JSOU, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (OASD SOLIC), supporting senior-level decision making across the SOF enterprise.

• Conducts applied research and analysis addressing SOF operational challenges, future force programming, and strategic issues using rigorous qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
• Applies subject-matter expertise to advance analytical efforts supporting SOF current operations, future force development, and strategic design.
• Analyzes issues affecting SOF equities, including joint warfighting, force design and posture, joint capability development, procurement, deterrence, and related strategic and operational topics.
• Coordinates, integrates, and contributes to collaborative research initiatives across USSOCOM, OASD SOLIC, and the OASD SOLIC Center for Special Operations Analysis, enhancing alignment and synchronization of analytical efforts.
• Represents OASD SOLIC, USSOCOM, and JSOU-within supervisory guidance-in meetings, conferences, working groups, and research engagements with Joint Staff elements, SOF components, sub-unified commands, academic institutions, FFRDCs, civilian research labs, and national security stakeholders.
• Provides expert briefings and analytical assessments to senior SOF leaders and staff, translating complex research findings into clear, actionable insights for policy, strategy, and operational planning.
• Maintains deep, current knowledge of national security policy, national defense strategy, joint military strategy, and joint operations to ensure analytical relevance.
• Produces high-quality scholarly research and analytical products for classified and unclassified dissemination, including research papers, reports, wargame products, summaries, and professional publications.
• Performs additional research, analytical, and academic duties as assigned by the President, Joint Special Operations University, in support of institutional education, research, and outreach missions.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

1. Knowledge and experience in the particular subject matter field including educating adults across multiple levels of experience including instruction techniques, curriculum development, and applied learning opportunities.
2. Knowledge of academic processes, policies, and procedures used to develop, assess, execute, evaluate and revise resident, virtual, and integrated courseware and curricula to maintain the highest academic standards consistent with civilian university and senior military professional education institutions.
3. Knowledge of educational support systems and commercial information management systems that support education, learning, research, analysis, outreach and collaboration; analyze new technologies that support education and collaboration efforts used by or being developed by public and private that can be adapted to support education and learning for JSOU.
4. Skills in research methodologies and publishing findings in area of expertise including the ability to write and edit to publishable scholarship standards across multiple mediums and in requisite required formats.
5. Skills in service and outreach as required to maintain currency or further knowledge in subject matter area of expertise including participating in or supporting relevant forums or conferences, networking with other academia or
6. industrial communities of interest, or engaging with joint, interagency, intergovernmental or multinational communities as applicable.
7. Ability to translate vision into action, a record of program innovation, strong team-building, "teaming" and communication skills, and experience with professional military education (PME) or equivalent public or private university systems.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Starting September 27, 2025, USAJOBS began restricting all resumes to two pages in length. The restriction does NOT apply to this position. Please upload your Resume/Curriculum Vitae using the Other Documents - Curriculum Vitae option. You are still required to provide a document in the Resume section to successfully submit your application. In the Resume section, please upload a document informing your Resume/Curriculum Vitae was submitted using Other Documents.

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.

Your responses to the questionnaire may be compared to the documents you submit. The documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "insufficient information" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

The following documents are required and must be provided with your application for this Public Notice: Applicants who do not submit required documentation to determine eligibility and qualifications will be eliminated from consideration. Other documents may be required based on the eligibility/eligibilities you are claiming. Click here to view the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide and the required documents you must submit to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming.

1. Online Application - Questionnaire
2. Resume/Curriculum Vitae: When applying, please submit your Resume/Curriculum Vitae using the Other Documents - Curriculum Vitae section on the Documents page due to the resume length restriction addressed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section above.
3. Transcripts/Registration/License: If qualifying on education/position requires education, you must submit copies of your transcripts - must contain the university logo (can be a copy) and if required for the position, submit an active, current registration/license.
4. Veterans: If claiming VRA, VEOA or Veterans' Preference - Submit VOW certification memo or copy of the official DD Form 214, which must include the character of service/type under honorable conditions (i.e., with an honorable or general discharge). This will be annotated in block 24 on member copy 2, 4, or 7 of the DD Form 214. If you are also claiming 10-point preference and/or 30% Disabled Veteran, you must submit a VA Letter or a disability determination from a branch of the Armed Forces (or documentation of Purple Heart, if applicable).
5. Current or Former Federal Civilian Employees (includes current Air Force employees): You must submit a legible copy of a SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action. The SF-50, block 24 must contain "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a "1". Employees eligible under an OPM approved interchange agreement, block 34 may contain a "1" or "2".
6. Promotion Consideration: If you wish to be considered as a promotion candidate and your SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you meet the one-year time-in-grade requirements. You will need to provide additional SF-50s which clearly demonstrates you meet the time-in-grade requirements (examples of appropriate SF-50s include Promotions, Within-Grade, Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s with an effective date more than one year old).

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. Active duty members applying for a civil service position without submitting a valid certification memo or DD Form 214 with their application will render the member ineligible for the position. 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 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.

OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS:
Performance Appraisals for Current Federal Civilian Employees - Most recent performance appraisals (dated within last 3 years) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable.
Awards for Current Federal Civilian employees - List any awards received within the last 3 years on the resume.
Note: Applicant must not submit award Notification of Personnel Actions (SF50s).

Next steps