Summary
The National Science Foundation is seeking a qualified candidate for a Physical Scientist (Program Director) position for the Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education (FARE) Program within the Directorate for Geosciences (GEO), Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) in Alexandria, VA.
For more information on GEO please click here.
For more information on AGS please click here.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from all US citizens who meet citizenship and eligibility requirements. Please see the "Other Information" section for further information.
Duties
The responsibilities of the NSF program director are constantly evolving. The program director is guided by the goals of NSF's Strategic Plan: (1) enable the United States to uphold a position of world leadership in all aspects of science, mathematics, and engineering, (2) promote the discovery, integration, dissemination, and employment of new knowledge in service to society, and (3) achieve excellence in U.S. science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education at all levels. The core strategies NSF staff employ include developing intellectual capital, strengthening the physical infrastructure, integrating research and education, and promoting partnerships.
Responsibilities of the program director include, for example, long-range planning and budget development for the areas of science represented by the program or program cluster, the administration of the merit review process and proposal recommendations, the preparation of press releases, feature articles and material describing advances in the research supported, and
coordination and liaison with other programs in NSF, other Federal agencies and organizations.
Working closely with colleagues in the Infrastructure Cluster (IC), AGS, and throughout NSF, the Program Director, Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education (FARE) will have primary responsibility for the programmatic oversight, award management and lifecycle planning of the AGS-funded atmosphere observing facilities and related programs. The FARE PD will also support the Section's oversight of NCAR and cross-cutting programs. Specific duties will include:
- Manage solicitations, programs and budgets for operating and deploying AGS-funded atmosphere observing facilities.
- Oversee and serve as the primary point of contact for the atmosphere observing facilities operated by NCAR.
- Conduct program reviews and other evaluations. Work with NSF science program officers to ensure that the deployment of the AGS atmosphere observing facilities is well-coordinated, technically feasible and equitable.
- Work with colleagues, the scientific community and facility managers, to lead the development of long range plans for the AGS atmosphere observing facilities.
- Serve as a Divisional point of contact and program officer for NSF-wide research infrastructure initiatives.
- Serve on intra-agency, interagency and international committees involving atmosphere observing facilities.
- Undertake other program officer responsibilities as needed. Develop solicitations and Dear Colleague Letters. Manage proposal review, ensuring a rigorous and fair process with appropriate participation by members of underrepresented groups.
- Proactively support NSF's strategic goals in the area of broadening participation.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
This position is outside the competitive civil service.
You must meet eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
All online applicants must provide a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full/blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
This position is in the bargaining unit represented by AFGE Local 3403.
The Selected Candidate(s) may be subject to a background investigation.
Qualifications
Candidates must have a Ph.D. in an atmospheric science or a closely related field plus after award of the Ph.D., six or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position; OR a Master's degree in an atmospheric science or a closely related field plus after award of the degree, eight or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position.
Education
Please refer to the Qualifications section.
If your degree was obtained from a foreign institution, please also submit the certification from the Association for International Credential Evaluation Professionals, or certification equivalency.
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.
You will be evaluated on the extent and quality of your experience, expertise, education, and research activities relevant to the duties of the position. In some cases, additional assessment processes may also be used. We strongly encourage you to specifically address the Quality Ranking Factors below. This will ensure that you receive full consideration in the evaluation process.
Quality Ranking Factors
- Demonstrated understanding of atmosphere observing facilities and their role in supporting fundamental research and education in atmospheric science.
- Demonstrated understanding of the mission and goals of NSF, including how NSF interacts with the scientific community.
- Proven expertise in managing large research and facility-related projects and/or programs, including strategic planning, development of budgets and schedules, resource management, identification and mitigation of risk, and program evaluation.
- Proven expertise in financial management and oversight associated with contracts and/or cooperative agreements.
- Demonstrated ability to cooperate and work with peers in other scientific disciplines and to advocate program plans and policies to individuals in the Foundation, other government agencies, and academic institutions.
- Demonstrated research, analytical, and technical writing skills that evidence the ability to perform extensive inquiry into a wide range of significant issues related to research programs and scientific centers and facilities and make recommendations based on findings.
- Demonstrated ability to provide intellectual leadership to achieve results that significantly enhance the strength and potential of the national atmospheric science research community.
Required Documents
All applicants must submit a resume in any format and may also submit a cover letter.
In order to be considered for federal appointments, Non-Citizens must affirm that they meet the Appropriations Law eligibility criteria by signing and attaching this Citizenship Affidavit to their application. Non-citizens who do not provide the affidavit at the time of application will not be considered. Non-Citizens who are exempt from the Appropriations Law requirements due to their status as officers or employees of the U.S. government on December 16, 2009 must provide a statement with their application noting their exemption with documentation of proof of status as officers or employees of the U.S. government on that date.
You are strongly encouraged to upload a current performance appraisal and/or letter(s) of recommendation and a supplemental statement that describes how your background relates to the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) listed in the Qualifications and Evaluation Requirements section of this announcement. Additionally, you are encouraged to list all applicable awards either in your CV or in a supplemental statement. This information will be used in the evaluation process.
Transcripts are not required; however, please indicate the year that each degree was obtained on your application materials. If your degree was obtained from a foreign institution, you MUST submit the certification from the Association for International Credential Evaluation Professionals, or certification equivalency.
All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.
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
Applicants must complete and submit an application online at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) USAJOBS website at https://www.USAJOBS.gov. An account must be established at the OPM website following the instructions provided in order to apply for the position. Once you have completed the USAJOBS process, you will be re-directed to the USA Staffing system to complete your application process, answer the online questions, and submit all required documents. Applications submitted other than the USAJOBS online application WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED under this announcement.
- Your application and all supporting documents must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Applicants applying online for this position will be able to apply until 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Please allow adequate time to complete your application.
-If you encounter technical difficulties during the process, please submit a USA Staffing Help Ticket for assistance. If you have technical difficulties applying to the vacancy on the USAJOBS website, click on Contact USAJOBS. It is suggested that you do not wait until the last day to apply for a vacancy announcement. We will not accept applications other than those submitted through USAJOBS.
- As the applicant, it is your responsibility to verify that information entered, uploaded, and submitted is received and is accurate. Ensure that your application includes the required documents listed under "Required Documents" and that they are uploaded in the appropriate fields.
- If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of this application and hiring process, please notify the point of contact on this job opportunity announcement.
IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR DATE OF BIRTH ON YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.
WARNING! Applications submitted online must have a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full or blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
Next steps
You may check the status of your application at any time on the USAJOBS website
Applicants should click 'Track this Application' in the Applicant Dashboard to receive application updates.
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