Senior Scientist Digital Advanced Materials Job

Vacancy No. MRL2024-31A Department Department of the Air Force - Agency Wide
Salary $163,956.00 to $204,000.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/9/2024 Close Date 1/8/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Dayton, OHPentagon, Arlington, VA


Summary

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The primary purpose of this position is to serve as the principal scientific authority, technical leader, and independent researcher driving advancements and establishing an AFRL, DoD, interagency, and industrial community in Digital Advanced Materials for USAF and USSF systems.

Duties

The incumbent supports the Director and Chief Scientist of Materials and Manufacturing as well as the AFRL Chief Technology Officer and other Directors in technical reviews and assessment of programs and new related study areas, and interacts with other DAF and government agencies in matters relating to digitization of advanced materials science and engineering, including support of the National Materials Genome Initiative, materials data standards, cloud architectures, automation of data collection and ingestion, validation of data quality, integration of experimental and computational databases, high performance computing, and modeling and simulation technology. The Senior Scientist is responsible for planning, conducting, evaluating, and coordinating research and development (R&D) in digital advanced materials technology with AFRL and with other DoD laboratories, agencies, and US industry, and its efficient and effective deployment with digital design for air and space systems. Leads the community to define and select specific topics for investigations based on technical objectives, and own authoritative knowledge of subjects. Integrates scientific advances with the technical state-of-the-art and military technology requirements and technically guides research and development efforts accordingly. The incumbent supports the Director and Chief Scientist of Materials and Manufacturing as well as the AFRL Chief Technology Officer and other Directors in technical reviews and assessment of programs and new related study areas, and interacts with other DAF and government agencies in matters relating to digitization of advanced materials science and engineering, including support of the National Materials Genome Initiative, materials data standards, cloud architectures, automation of data collection and ingestion, validation of data quality, integration of experimental and computational databases, high performance computing, and modeling and simulation technology.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. citizenship is required
  • If authorized, PCS will be paid IAW JTR and AF Regulations. If receiving an authorized PCS, you may be subject to completing/signing a CONUS agreement. More information on PCS requirements, may be found at: https://afciviliancareers.com/regulatory/
  • Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov.
  • Position is designated as a Testing Designated Position (TDP). Position requires the incumbent sign a Drug Testing letter and pass urinalysis testing prior to appointment.
  • Must have or be able to obtain a TOP SECRET/SCI Security clearance.
  • Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be offered.
  • Active Duty Military Members must indicate retirement eligibility.
  • Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
  • Disclosure of Political Appointments
  • EXECUTIVE PERSONNEL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT (Standard Form 278). Selected candidate must file this report in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
  • Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants.

Qualifications


Eligibility will be based upon a clear showing the applicant has training, education and experience of the scope and quality sufficient to effectively carry-out the duties of the position. Candidates must exemplify the corporate perspective, leadership vision, broad experience and character needed in the SES corps not only to satisfy the immediate vacancy, but future vacancies which will occur in a variety of organizations, functions and locations

.A. MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (NTE 6 Pages Total): A supplemental statement must be submitted separately addressing each TQ. TQs must provide specific examples that address relevant experience and accomplishments. Applicants should focus on recent experience, education, and training, as some Recruitment Panel members may consider experience that's over 10 years old to be outdated. The MTQ write-up should not exceed 6 pages total. Applicants must reflect superior technical qualifications demonstrated through leadership and management in the following:

1. Demonstrated leadership experience initiating, planning, coordinating, evaluating and conducting basic and applied research and development that increases Department of the Air Force capabilities relative to key technology areas.

2. Expert level technical knowledge reviewing and designing technology program(s), as well as orienting research efforts to maximize technology advances and mission relevance.

3. Proven Executive level experience in research program development and management. Ability to lead diverse teams of scientists and engineers in research & development efforts to advance the knowledge and capabilities resulting from the integration of digital technologies (data, analytics, AI/ML, autonomy, computational modeling, etc.) with advanced materials science and engineering, and the subsequent impact in enhancing USAF and USSF aircraft, missile and space systems.

B. MANDATORY SENIOR PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (NTE 3 Pages Total): Upload in PDF format - Applicants should focus on recent experience, education, and training, as some Recruitment Panel and Executive Resources Board members may consider experience that's over 10 years old to be outdated. Supplemental statement addressing the following: Limit your responses to 1 page per SPQ and upload as a PDF titled SPQ.

(1) Contributions: Achievements that impacted the organizations mission and contributed to knowledge advancements in the integration of digital technologies with enhanced materials science and engineering.

(2) Leadership: Recognized leader in Advanced Materials Science and Engineering and Research & Development (R&D) program development and management, as evidenced by personal impact to and enhancement of the organization's capability and scope.

(3) Professional Stature: Recognized standing as indicated by memberships and activity in professional organizations and/or within the larger DoD/Industry professional community. This includes citations, honors, awards, patents, and publications and other forms of recognition, such as requests for professional consultation, which indicate acceptance by peer group as an authoritative source in the field.

C. Specialized Experience: It is desired that the incumbent have executive-level experience in R&D program development and management. The incumbent must have a high level of personal initiative, creative problem solving skills, and the ability to formulate and communicate positions on relevant topics; must ensure that an operational philosophy to attain these ends is clearly enunciated, adopted, and followed. Must have the ability to analyze and integrate extremely complex technological programs and to continually motivate a diverse group of team members. Experience with industry, other Services or Agencies is preferred.

1. To meet the minimum requirements for this Department of the Air Force ST position, you must have (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-14/GG-14/NH-04 or equivalent or specialized experience obtained in the private sector related to the duties of this ST position.

Education

The candidate is expected to have national recognition as evidenced by significant technical achievements and contributions; participation on national level committees and panels, etc.; high level honors and awards; and other equivalent recognition are necessary. The position requires particularly responsible experience in broad multidisciplinary areas of relevant technologies, including a high order of awareness of national research and development programs relating to USAF and USSF requirements, and an understanding of the R&D relationships among all elements of the federal, industrial, and academic community. Must be capable of originality and resourcefulness in order to assure that a progressive and aggressive research program is pursued; and that an operational philosophy to attain these ends is clearly enunciated, adopted, and followed. Must have the ability to analyze and integrate extremely complex technological programs and to continually motivate a diverse group of professional engineers and scientists.

1. General Physical Science (1301) series requires:

a. A degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics degree that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.

b. A combination of education and experience - education equivalent to one of the majors shown in above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience, or additional education.

2. General Engineering (0801) series requires:

a. A degree in professional engineering.

- or -

b. A combination of education and experience- at least 60 hours of college-level education, in the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineers combined with specialized training and/or technical experience (as demonstrated by registration as a professional engineer or successful completion of the Engineer-in-Training examination). An advanced degree or doctorate in a related professional discipline is highly desired.

Additional information

Education: A master's or advanced degree from an accredited institution is highly desired. An undergraduate technical degree or an advanced degree in either a technical or management field is highly desired.

Veterans' Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to Scientific and Professional (ST) positions.

Relocation Authorized: Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is authorized in accordance with the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR).

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: May be offered.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.

If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here. Tax Law Impact for PCS: On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 - the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017" suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit GSA Bulletin FTR 20-04 here for additional information.

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.

Applications will be evaluated against the foregoing qualification requirements. Failure to meet any one of the mandatory technical or senior professional qualification standards will eliminate a candidate from further consideration. Candidates will be evaluated for this position by a screening panel composed of a diverse mix of senior executives and/or general officers selected for organizational and/or functional backgrounds relevant to this position. The panel discusses each application and reaches consensus as to the Best Qualified, Qualified or Not Qualified candidates. Only the Best Qualified candidates will be interviewed. The panel will then make a recommendation of those Best Qualified candidates who should be referred to the selecting official, in priority order. Final selection is contingent upon USecAF approval.

REMINDER: Before uploading your required PDF documents (Resume, Technical Qualification narrative, Senior Professional Qualifications), please ensure they DO NOT EXCEED the noted page limits.

Required Documents

To receive full consideration, each applicant must submit the documents in the format as designated. Packages that do not include all of the required documents or meet format requirements will not be forwarded for consideration.

**************ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED IN PDF FORMAT*******************

The Qualifications Documents must be formatted using Times New Roman, size 12 font, with 1-inch margins. Do not use borders, provide photos, or list a Social Security Number on any of the Qualifications Documents. DO NOT COMBINE DOCUMENTS.

A. Resume in the preferred (Limit 5 pages). Upload in PDF format. PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER.

B. Mandatory Technical Qualifications Statement addressing each of the TQs (NTE 6 pages Total). Upload in PDF format and include the MTQ statement as indicated in the announcement.

C. Mandatory Senior Professional Qualifications briefly addressing all 3 factors (NTE 3 pages Total). Upload in PDF format. Current OR former ST career/career conditional employees not required to provide a separate narrative response to the Senior Professional Qualifications. However, you must include a copy your ST career/career conditional appointment (please submit SF50).

D. Most recent completed Performance Appraisal (current and/or former federal employees) or Performance Report (OPR or EPR). For applicants in the private sector, please provide a copy of your equivalent Evaluation Report.

E. Most recent Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50, noting your current position, grade level and salary level (applies only to current or former civilian government employee).

F. College transcript(s) (copy is acceptable) which demonstrates the acceptable combinations of education and experience as noted by OPM.

G. Military: Retired - a copy of your DD214 and/or Retirement orders; Active Duty - submit a Statement of Service Letter and state highest rank held date of promotion and date eligible to retire or date of retirement. Documents are required.

H. (Optional): Ethnicity and Race Identification, SF-181 -- Form available at: https://www.opm.gov

I. (Optional): Self-Identification of Disability, SF-256 -- Form available at: https://www.opm.gov

DO NOT SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials such as copies of position descriptions, award certificates and transmittal letters will not be forwarded for review.

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

Please follow the below instructions to submit applications. Any applications received that do not include all of the required documents or do not meet format requirements will not be forwarded for consideration.

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 01/08/2025.

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process.

PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.

Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.

PREFERRED RESUME FORMAT: (Limit 5 pages/Times New Roman 12-font) (Do Not Use the USAJOBS Resume Builder) - Please submit a typewritten resume (upload as a PDF), including the following information:

Job Information: Announcement number (MRL2024-31A) and title of the position to which you are applying.

Personal Information: Full name, mailing address (with zip code), day and evening phone numbers (with area code) and complete e-mail address where you would like to receive correspondence regarding your application. **PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER**

Active-Duty/Retired Military: State highest rank held, date of promotion and date eligible to retire or date of retirement, (e.g., Colonel/June 2006/December 2014). NOTE: IAW 5 U.S.C. 3326, a 180-day waiver will be required for retired or retiring members of the armed forces during the period of 180 days immediately after retirement. Please note: you will be ineligible for consideration if your statement of service is not submitted with your application or it shows an expected discharge or release date greater than 120 days from the date of the submission of the certification.

Education: Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degree received. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, you may refer to the following U.S. Department of Education website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

Work Experience: Give the following information for your paid and non-paid work experience related to the job for which you are applying: (Do not send job descriptions).
- Starting and ending dates (month and year)
- Job title (for government position, include civilian series and grade or military rank)
- Employer's name and address
- Supervisor's name and phone number, please indicate if we may contact your current supervisor
- Salary (current)
*Applicants should focus on recency of experience, hiring officials may consider experience over 10 years outdated.

References: Provide the names, addresses and telephone numbers of three individuals who can comment on your qualifications for this position. Please do not list supervisors already listed above.

This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please notify this office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be on a case-by-case basis.

SAF/MRL CONTACT INFORMATION: Questions regarding this announcement may be directed to Terence Lett at terence.lee.8@us.af.mil

Agency contact information

Terence Lee
Address
AF Senior Executive Management
1040 Air Force Pentagon Room 4D
Washington, DC 20330
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your application package is received an acknowledgement email will be sent.

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 and qualifications for consideration. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

If you do not provide an email address, you are responsible for checking status updates and notifications in USAJOBS. Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.


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


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