Research Psychologist Job in Alexandria, VA

Vacancy No. NC7X-26-12943030-DHA Department Department of Defense Education Activity
Salary $143,913.00 to $187,093.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 4/23/2026 Close Date 4/27/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Alexandria, VA


Summary

About the Position:
This position is assigned to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy (DASD (MC&FP), Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs (M&RA), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Personnel and Readiness (USD (P&R)).

This is a Direct Hire Solicitation.

This position may be eligible for situational telework as determined by the agency policy.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Duties

  • Evaluate and analyze a broad range of data, research, programs, and metrics addressing the needs and challenges of Service members and their families.
  • Research and coordinate evaluations of complex time-essential actions relating to the Military Community Advocacy policy areas, such as Family Assistance Program, Coordinated Community Response, and Child and Youth Advocacy.
  • Collect, verify, transform and aggregate data from diverse sources in order to perform statistical analysis manually as well as through automated systems such as dashboards.
  • Develop evidence-based recommendations and solutions to policy and programs supporting the military community, including implementation strategies for recommended actions resulting from analysis of data, research, metrics, and trends.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Requirement.
  • Proof of U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • One year trial or probationary period may be required.
  • Appointment subject to a suitability/fitness determination, as determined by a background investigation.
  • This position is designated Non-Critical Sensitive (Secret) and requires a Tier 3 investigation favorably adjudicated.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: U.S. Citizens

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.

Basic Requirement for Research Psychologist:

Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) with a major or equivalent in psychology.

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 collecting and/or analyzing data from diverse sources; conducting research to evaluate the effectiveness of policies or operations for support programs serving Service members and their families; and analyzing data, research, metrics, or trends to develop recommendations and evidence-based solutions for policy and programs to support the military community. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-13).

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.

Education

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of War referral system for displaced employees.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Applicants with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should notify David Walton ra@dodea.edu
  • This position is not covered by a bargaining unit.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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 resume 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, 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.

An unscreened referral list will be provided to management.

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 External.

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 must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
  • For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
  • Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
  • 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 additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.

2. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • Transcripts: This position has an individual occupational requirement and/or allows for substitution of education for experience. You MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible.
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) on04/27/2026 to receive consideration.

  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section.
  • 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. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may 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://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), 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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
DEAHM DoWEA OUSD Personnel and Readiness
4800 Mark Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22311
US

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.

Department of Defense Education Activity

The Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Military Community & Family Policy (MC&FP) is directly responsible for policies and programs that establish and support community quality of life for Service members and their families worldwide. This office also serves as the focal point for a broad range of quality of life and family support areas within the DoW to include family support centers, child care, youth programs, family advocacy, relocation, mobilization and deployment support, casualty and mortuary affairs, spouse employment and career opportunities, non-medical counseling and 24/7 virtual family support, state liaison on military community issues, as well as Morale, Welfare and Recreation and Resale programs.

Connecting you to your best MilLife - www.militaryonesource.mil /800-342-9647

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
DEAHM DoWEA OUSD Personnel and Readiness
4800 Mark Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22311
US

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