RESEARCH COMPUTER SCIENTIST Job in Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD

Vacancy No. DAFN240790245382 Department United States Army Futures Command
Salary $139,395.00 to $191,900.00 Grade 4 to 4
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/26/2024 Close Date 7/3/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD


Job Description (Please follow all instructions carefully)

Summary

About the Position: This position is an S&T Advisor within the Network, Cyber & Computation Sciences Division.

Current Flexible Length Renewable Term (FLRT) employees MUST apply under the Reinstatement to be considered. This position is also being filled under announcement number DAFN240790245379 for current permanent Department of Army Civilians (DAC). If you are a current permanent DAC, you must apply under announcement number DAFN240790245379 to be considered.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

See "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.

Duties

The candidate will be a member of a small and diverse cross functional team (CFT) that is tasked with delivering a network that is expeditionary, mobile, hardened and intuitive.

As the DEVCOM ARL representative, the selected will provide the N-CFT visibility and understanding of near and far term technologies and capabilities being developed by DEVCOM ARL in the areas of cybersecurity, communications & networking, electronic warfare and artificial intelligence.

Coordinates with S and T stakeholders (DEVCOM, ERDC, PEOs and PMs) to drive requirements and transitions from basic and applied (6.1/6.2) research through prototyping (6.3/6.4) and transition into Programs of Record (PoR).

Reviews the NCFT S and T portfolio, identifying S and T priorities during the POM process.

Maintains knowledge of the relevant research across the DoD, academia, and broader industry, and working with other organizations in AFC including the Army AI Center and the University Technology Development Directorate (UTDD).

Organizes workshops and supporting focused technology exchange meetings with CFT stakeholders.

Supports the N-CFT Director and the senior S and T Advisor by performing a wide variety of special, unusual, or ad hoc assignments.

Work independently with initiative and creativity in an unstructured environment to solve a wide variety of problems dealing with program management, budget, planning, and analysis; often specified by only sparse or general guidance.

Communicates orally and in writing with senior Army, DoD, industrial, and academic managers and a variety of external customers.



Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Appointment to this position is subject to a three-year probationary period unless the appointee has previously met the requirements as described in 5 CFR Part 315.
  • This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Confidential Executive Order security clearance or access for the duration of employment.
  • This position has a Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel requirement of 30% of the time.
  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
  • Military Spouses, under Executive Order (E.O.) 13473
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible
  • Reinstatement

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement for RESEARCH ELECTRONICS ENGINEER -0855:

A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (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
B.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:

1. Professional registration or licensure - Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), 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.

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

3. 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 A above. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program.

4. 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 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.

Basic Requirement for RESEARCH COMPUTER SCIENTIST - 1550:

Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in computer science or bachelor's degree (or higher degree) with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

Specialized experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) applying advanced techniques and methods using far term technologies and capabilities such as artificial intelligence (AI) for a research and development organization; 2) identifying technical challenges, including relevant scientific research gaps, to formulate research plans and timelines; and 3) using research and development (R&D) principles to develop strategic plans, budgeting and expending appropriations for an organization. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower band grade/level position in the federal service (DB 03/GS-12/13).

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:

  • Problem Solving
  • Research
  • Technical Competence


Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (DB 03/GS-12/13)..

Education

***NOTE: TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED even if you are a current federal employee.***

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

  • Term Appointment NTE 5 years - Position may be filled as a Term Appointment NTE 5 years. Term appointments may be extended beyond of six (6) years, up to eight (8) years. With DoD approval, Term appointments may be extended beyond eight (8) years Term Appointment NTE - Position may be filled as a Term Appointment NTE 5 years. Term appointments may be extended beyond of six (6) years, up to eight (8) years. With DoD approval, Term appointments may be extended beyond eight (8) years.
  • Current permanent Federal employees (to include permanent Army employees) applying for a Term appointment will be appointed/converted into a Term appointment with no statutory return rights back to a permanent position
  • Selectee must be informed in writing regarding the nature and consequences of accepting the appointment. The selectee must complete the Statement of Understanding - Conditions of Term Appointment or Statement of Understanding - Conditions of Temporary Appointment.
  • Command may appoint using the Flexible Length Renewable Term (FLRT) Authority (if applicable).
  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • Three-year trial period may be required.
  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • This is a(n) 16 Career Field position.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement..
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.t.

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.

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

You may claim Military Spouse preference.

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) applicants will receive preference consideration and will be placed (if selected) at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined best qualified, up to and including the full performance level.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc). Please review the following links to see which documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility to apply: Applicant Checklist for Internal/Merit Promotion Announcements.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

  • Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
  • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
  • For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
  • For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
2. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • Proof of Eligibility to Apply: Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy. The Proof of Eligibility document describes authorities commonly used in merit promotion recruitment and what document(s) are required to prove you meet the requirements of the authority. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the Who May Apply section above to receive further consideration.
NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

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

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on07/03/2024 to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12445382).
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your 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/

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Address
FN-W262AA US ARMY COMBAT CAPABILITIES DEV CMD
DO NOT MAIL
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.


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