Duties
This position is located in the Office of the Assistant Director (OAD), Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS).
MPS is a complex directorate with five divisions encompassing the fields of astronomical sciences, chemistry, materials research, mathematical sciences, and physics, plus the Office of Strategic Initiatives. The five disciplinary areas represent the core intellectual foundation of science and engineering and, as a consequence, have connections to almost every other activity at NSF. The Directorate has responsibilities that range from its critical investment in the support of creative individuals and their students to the management of complex facilities and instrumentation that push the frontiers of science and engineering.
Major Duties and Responsibilities
The Staff Associate in OAD/MPS will demonstrate leadership in the following duties and responsibilities:
- Participate in meetings, conferences, activities, and professional societies; keeping leadership apprised of current issues, the needs of the communities NSF serve, and current management initiatives.
- Engage in ongoing outreach, interagency coordination, and strategic planning on behalf of the Assistant Director (AD) and the Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) and representing the Directorate in internal and external activities.
- Serve as an advisor to AD, DAD, and division leadership, using their knowledge of current management and operational issues that could impact NSF practices, policies, and mission through participation in relevant internal and external activities.
- Represent the Directorate and NSF, as appropriate, on internal committees and interagency committees at meetings of other Federal agencies, professional organizations, and universities on behalf of the AD and DAD; will contribute/support the NSF Office of the Director and its work across organization boundaries and in partnerships that support the Foundation's statutory mission and new directions stemming from strategic planning undertaken by NSF senior management.
- Serve as Program Officer for the OSI program, working closely with the Head of OSI. The Staff Associate will oversee the review of proposals for programs that cross all divisions in MPS, coordinate co-funding efforts between OSI and divisions both inside and outside MPS, and make funding recommendations to the Head of OSI on awards that OSI has agreed to contribute to.
- Serve as a member of the MPS OAD Scientific Staff, with explicit focus on science drivers for the Directorate, including participating as an active member in relevant internal and external activities, task forces, working groups and providing advice and draft recommendations and reports based on the outcomes of such meetings. Maintain currency with NSF, NSB, NSTC and Presidential initiatives relevant to MPS, MPS programs and the Foundation.
- Organize and oversee the MPS Advisory Committee (AC) and its meetings, as well as oversee the work of the AC's subcommittees, including Committees of Visitors for all MPS Divisions, as needed.
- Support OAD by handling and reviewing, as necessary, solicitations, Dear Colleague Letters, and interagency memoranda of understanding sent to OAD for scientific content and relevant to stated Directorate and Foundation-wide goals. Oversee the approval process of interagency memoranda of understanding from MPS in DRS.
- Handle MPS reconsideration requests on behalf of the AD and coordinate assistance to reconsideration requests from other directorates/offices. Contribute to directorate-level support of the Office of the Director and its work across organizational boundaries and partnerships that support the Foundation's statutory mission and new directions stemming from strategic planning undertaken by NSF senior management.
- Partner with directorate-level leadership to develop innovative and effective strategies that support the organization's mission and accomplish goals identified in the NSF strategic plan.
- Works as a team member and communicates effectively in areas of directorate-level responsibility. Special tasks might include preparing reports or responding to Congressional inquiries, Office of Inspector General inquiries, proposal reconsiderations, etc., developing and delivering speeches, presentations, and white papers for NSF and government-wide efforts.
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 a Physical Science, Engineering or Mathematics plus after award of the Ph.D., six or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position.
Incumbent must be able to communicate and interact, on a peer basis, with senior science, engineering, and managerial personnel throughout the Foundation, in other agencies, and in the general science and engineering community. He/she is expected to know and diplomatically express the views and the goals of the Assistant Director in all contacts - both within and outside - the National Science Foundation. He/She must have outstanding oral and written communications skills, and the capacity to deal on a priority basis with a variety of materials or changing venues, often under tight deadlines.
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
- Strong communication skills and demonstrated ability to interact effectively and productively with peers, co-workers, and management; scientific community members; related organizations; other federal agencies; and international programs to effectively present, advocate, and advance program policies, plans, and goals.
- Experience managing budgets and making resource allocation decisions considering competing priorities while maintaining alignment with the organization's values and goals.
- Skill in applying analytic reasoning to complex issues and problems, identifying the key priorities, solutions, and options, and making recommendations.
- Selects top researchers and experts for the peer review process and manage proposal review at all junctions, including conducting fair and objective reviews and ensuring compliance with NSF regulations and procedures.
- Makes funding decisions and recommend awards to the worthiest proposals, ensuring that those funded reflect a diverse range of scientific opportunities and strong broader impacts (e.g., advancing discovery and understanding; promoting teaching, training, and learning; broadening participation of underrepresented groups; enhancing infrastructure for research and education).
- Communicates with members of your scientific community and internal NSF Staff about what they envision, identify new directions and trends in your field, and write with colleagues to help push the vision forward and shape the cutting edge of science.
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.