Senior Research Scientist (Information Sciences) Job

Vacancy No. DA-24-CMK-12573224 Department United States Army Futures Command
Salary $147,649.00 to $221,900.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/26/2024 Close Date 12/26/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MDAdelphi, MD


Summary

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: To ensure the submission of a complete application package, please review the information and instructions provided in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement thoroughly.

**This is an interdisciplinary job. Series assigned to individual positions under this job will be determined based on the selectee's paramount qualifications at the time of selection.**

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All US Citizens

Duties

**This is an interdisciplinary job. Series assigned to individual positions under this job will be determined based on the selectee's paramount qualifications at the time of selection.**

The incumbent of this position will serve as the Army's leading authority on the development and utilization of intelligent technologies for current and future mobility systems; this position is within the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL), Intramural Research Directorate (IRD). Advises senior leaders, managers, and technologists on strategic research efforts, and will conduct unique independent investigations that lead and advance the state-of-the- art in intelligence systems. Provide Laboratory-wide and Command-wide benchmarks for scientific quality in intelligent systems research, providing cost- saving and time- saving advice to managers regarding decisions to initiate, continue, and/or terminate research efforts based on his/her technical expertise.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
You must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position.
You must be able to submit and pass designated and/or Random Drug Testing as required.
You must be able to obtain/maintain the appropriate clearance level and access for this position.
This position requires a minimum of a Graduate Degree, preferably a Ph.D. For detailed education requirements, please refer to the "Education" Section.

Other Requirements:

  • 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.
  • One-year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Appointment is subject to the completion of a favorable suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a background investigation.
  • Direct deposit of pay is required.

Qualifications

Position requires substantial experience and significant scientific contributions related to the scientific disciplines and topic areas described in this position description. Incumbent demonstrates ability to think about issues creatively and with a practical view for applicability to inform policy, programs, and operational needs. Scientific achievements have demonstrated innovation and potential for maturation through applied and advanced technology research. Incumbent has peer-reviewed publications, invited presentations, and held positions with status in DoD/national/international scientific/professional organizations and societies.

Incumbent demonstrates expertise as an independent principal investigator/researcher, leading complex programs of research, scientific leadership/mentoring of other scientist, and close collaboration with scientists of various disciplines within DoD, academia, and industry.

In order to qualify, you must meet the 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.

1. Specialized Experience. Is experience closely related to, the field in which the candidate will work. Experience must have been sufficiently specialized to ensure adequate familiarity with the area of specialization, be both nationally and internationally recognized as an authority within the scientific and engineering community, or have direct application in the area for which the applicant is being considered.

2. Technical Qualification (TQ). (Mandatory Submission) A supplemental statement must be submitted separately addressing this TQ. TQ must provide specific examples that address relevant experience end accomplishments. Failure to meet or address the mandatory Technical Qualification automatically disqualifies an applicant from consideration: TQ write up should not exceed 2 pages. Applicants must reflect superior technical qualification demonstrated through leadership and management in the following:

Technical QualificationI have proven pertinent experience leading scientific advancement in theoretical or experimental research in information science, including machine-assisted perception, non-physical agent intelligence, information synthesis, multi-modal data analytics, information fusion, value of information, human-information interaction, foundation models, trust, adversarial AI, resiliency, AI performance management and graceful performance degradation. Research emphasis must have been on new and novel understandings or techniques.

3. Senior Professional Qualifications (SPQ) (Mandatory Submission)
A supplemental statement must be submitted separately addressing both Senior Professional Qualifications. Applicants must provide specific examples that address relevant experience end accomplishments. Failure to meet or address the mandatory Scientific Professional Technical Qualification automatically disqualifies an applicant from consideration. Limit your responses to 1 page per SPQ.

Senior Professional Qualification 1 (SPQ1): I possess the ability to establish and maintain impactful working relationships with key management, professional and scientific personnel; advise and consult on scientific and technological programs and problems; and serve as an effective spokesperson for the organization both nationally and internationally. If YES, you MUST submit the Senior Professional Qualification found in the job announcement (Limit 1 page). Failure to do so, will result in an 'ineligible' rating.

AND

Senior Professional Qualification 2 (SPQ2): Stature in the profession as indicated by memberships, activity, and tangible contributions in professional and scientific societies or equivalent organizations, honors, awards, and other recognition and leadership in national and international scientific communities. Contributions and professional reputation as evidenced by citations, patents, publications and/or documented transitions of science which advance knowledge and maturity in the field. If YES, you MUST submit the Senior Professional Qualification found in the job announcement (Limit 1 page). Failure to do so, will result in an 'ineligible' rating.

Education

This position requires a minimum of a Graduate Degree (preferably, Ph.D. or equivalent experience) in one of the following disciplines:

0801/0850/0854/0855/0896: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf
OR
1520: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1500/mathematics-series-1520/
OR
1550: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1500/computer-science-series-1550/

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

  • Reemployed Annuitant: 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.
  • Drug Testing: You must submit to a drug test and receive a negative drug test before you can be appointed into this position.
  • Financial Disclosure: The individual selected will be required to file an 'Executive Branch Personnel Financial Disclosure Report' (OGE-278) in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
  • Suitability: If selected, the Army will ask you to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. The Army will also ask you to sign and certify the accuracy of all the information in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired, you may be fired after you begin work, or you may be fined or jailed.
  • Political Recommendations: The Army is barred by 5 USC 3303 from accepting or considering political recommendations regarding appointment or any other personnel action; any violation of the bar on recommendations is a prohibited personnel action. The Army is obligated to take appropriate adverse action against employees who solicit, or Army officials who consider prohibited political recommendations.
  • Veteran's Preference: By law Veteran's Preference does not apply to the Senior Professional Positions.
  • False Statements: If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work, or you may be subject to fine, imprisonment, or other disciplinary action.
  • Non Discrimination: All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, political affiliation, age, sex, sexual orientation, disabling condition, membership in an employee organization, or any other non-merit factors.
  • Adverse Information Screening: Applicants proposed for selection are subject to inquiries as to any incidences of misconduct, malfeasance, neglect of duty, or the appearance there of information gained in this check will be considered in the approval decision.
  • E-verify: If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" system. Federal Law requires DHS to use the E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of all new hires, and obligates the new hire to take affirmative steps to resolve any discrepancies identified by the system as a condition of continued employment. The U.S. Department of Army is an E-Verify Participant.

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 résumé and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your résumé 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 will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

  • Basis of Rating: The best qualified candidates will be distinguished from other applicants by an evaluation panel of senior professionals referencing the additional evaluation criteria.
Additional Evaluation Criteria:
Mandatory Technical QualificationI have proven pertinent experience leading scientific advancement in theoretical or experimental research in information science, including machine-assisted perception, non-physical agent intelligence, information synthesis, multi-modal data analytics, information fusion, value of information, human-information interaction, foundation models, trust, adversarial AI, resiliency, AI performance management and graceful performance degradation. Research emphasis must have been on new and novel understandings or techniques. If yes, you MUST submit TQ write-up providing specific examples that address relevant experience and accomplishments as stated in the job announcement (Limit 2 pages). Failure to do so, will result in an 'ineligible' rating.

Senior Professional Qualification 1 (SPQ1): I possess the ability to establish and maintain impactful working relationships with key management, professional and scientific personnel; advise and consult on scientific and technological programs and problems; and serve as an effective spokesperson for the organization both nationally and internationally. If YES, you MUST submit the Senior Professional Qualification found in the job announcement (Limit 1 page). Failure to do so, will result in an 'ineligible' rating.

Senior Professional Qualification 2 (SPQ2): Stature in the profession as indicated by memberships, activity, and tangible contributions in professional and scientific societies or equivalent organizations, honors, awards, and other recognition and leadership in national and international scientific communities. Contributions and professional reputation as evidenced by citations, patents, publications and/or documented transitions of science which advance knowledge and maturity in the field. If YES, you MUST submit the Senior Professional Qualification found in the job announcement (Limit 1 page). Failure to do so, will result in an 'ineligible' rating.

Required Documents

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. Mandatory Submission: Submit a resume. Applications must contain ALL the following information:

  • Vacancy Announcement Number - DA-24-CMK-12573224
  • Full name; email and mailing address; day and evening telephone numbers; Country of Citizenship; Highest Federal civilian grade held (give job series and dates held); and *Annuitant Status (Former federal civilian employees).
  • Educational information including the name, city, and state of colleges or universities you attended.
  • Information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including: job title, duties and accomplishments, employer's name and address, duration of employment, and salary.
  • Information about honors, awards, and special accomplishments; for example, publications, memberships in professional or honor societies, leadership activities, public speaking, and performance awards. (Provide dates but do not send documents.).
  • Job-related training courses (title and year); skills; for example, other languages, computer software/hardware; certificates and licenses (current only).
2. Mandatory Submission: Mandatory Technical Qualification (TQ) Statement addressing the TQ (Limit 2 pages)

TQ: I have proven pertinent experience leading scientific advancement in theoretical or experimental research in information science, including machine-assisted perception, non-physical agent intelligence, information synthesis, multi-modal data analytics, information fusion, value of information, human-information interaction, foundation models, trust, adversarial AI, resiliency, AI performance management and graceful performance degradation. Research emphasis must have been on new and novel understandings or techniques.

3. Mandatory Submission: Senior Professional Qualifications briefly addressing both factors (Limit 1 page per each factor)

Senior Professional Qualification 1 (SPQ1): I possess the ability to establish and maintain impactful working relationships with key management, professional and scientific personnel; advise and consult on scientific and technological programs and problems; and serve as an effective spokesperson for the organization both nationally and internationally.

AND

Senior Professional Qualification 2 (SPQ2): Stature in the profession as indicated by memberships, activity, and tangible contributions in professional and scientific societies or equivalent organizations, honors, awards, and other recognition and leadership in national and international scientific communities. Contributions and professional reputation as evidenced by citations, patents, publications and/or documented transitions of science which advance knowledge and maturity in the field.

4. Mandatory Submission: A letter of reference which addresses all of the "Additional Evaluation Criteria". You are responsible for ensuring the letter is received by the application deadline. The letter can be included as part of your application package.

5. Mandatory Submission: An unofficial copy of your transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) which includes semester hours and degree received. For more information, you may refer to the following U.S. Department of Education website: US Dept of Education - College Accreditation

6. SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) - Current Federal employees should submit a copy of their latest personnel action. Former Federal employees should submit a copy of a personnel action documenting their career status.

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 below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/26/2024 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/12573224).
  • Follow the prompts to select your résumé 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/.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

Agency contact information

Claudia Keit
Address
EN-APF-W262AA US ARMY COMBAT CAPABILITIES DEV CMD
DO NOT MAIL
Adelphi, MD 20783
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.

After all application packages have been received, we will review your application to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications based on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability and/or security background investigation. You should expect to hear back on the outcome of your application within 90 days of the closing date of the announcement. Pay is set based on consideration of selectee's current salary and other factors.

Once you enter on duty, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278e) within 30 days of entering this position. Please notify your servicing ethics counselor (part of the legal office) as soon as possible after starting your ST duties so the ethics counselor can assign you a new entrant report in the online Integrity system, (https://integrity.gov/efeds-login/).


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


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