Duties

• You will ensure that the correlator software and hardware components are working optimally in order to produce accurate information for analysis by USNO staff.
• You will serve as a primary point of contact for the worldwide VLBI community with the Washington correlator facility while providing feedback to the Washington Correlator VLBI Network Analyst and Correlator Technician.
• You will lead efforts to research and organize lesson learned from research, develop prototypes, test, and integrate into operations potential, theoretical, and/or new correlation hardware and software techniques.
• You will lead and coordinate others using project management and other skills to leverage additional personnel and other resources to achieve efficiencies and improved results.
• You will actively participate in the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS), and/or other national and international forums, including DoD task forces or technical working groups, as needed.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a US Citizen.
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
• Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
• New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
• 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.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Per the preliminary nationwide injunction on E.O. 14043, COVID-19 vaccinations will not be implemented or enforced. For more information on vaccine status and workplace safety protocol requirements see Additional Information below.
• You will be required to obtain Security + certification within 4 months of reporting onboard.
• You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final TS/SCI security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal
• Successful completion of a pre-employment drug test (including marijuana) is required. A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if you fail to report to the drug test appointment or fail the test. You will be subject to random testing.
• This position may require travel (approximately 10%) from normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS and may include remote or isolated sites. You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time.
• This position requires evening and weekend work.
• This position is eligible for part time, substantial or ad-hoc telework at the discretion of management.
• A relocation incentive is generally a single payment intended to offset some of the relocation costs experienced by the selectee. A relocation incentive or recruitment bonus may be authorized.
• You will be required to obtain and maintain a U.S. Passport.

Qualifications

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE FOR THE GS-13: In order to qualify for this position, your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the (GS-12) grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled and has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities, to perform successfully the duties of the position such as:

• Subject Matter Expert (SME) in astronomy and/or geodesy and/or Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) correlation and fringing, to include a background in physics and mathematics.
• Expert in processing (correlating and fringing) VLBI observations using the DiFX (Distributed FX) and Haystack Observatory Postprocessing System (HOPS) geodetic software.
• SME in developing and leading a team to develop correlator improvements using enhanced hardware, software, or cloud-instances to meet very challenging future correlator needs.
• Conducting VLBI research and representing at national and international scientific conferences.
• Thorough understanding and familiarity with high level computer languages (FORTRAN, C, C++, Python).

Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PROF .

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1300/astronomy-and-space-science-series-1330/

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

Education

In addition to the above Specialized Experience, Applicants must meet the following Basic Education requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Standards Manual: Applicants must possess:

A. Degree: in one or a combination of astronomy, physics, mathematics, space science, or electronics. The course work must have included differential and integral calculus and 12 semester hours in astronomy and/or physics. (TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE PROVIDED).

or

B. Combination of education and experience -- at least 30 semester hours of courses equivalent to a major in any combination of astronomy, space science, physics, mathematics, and electronics, with required course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. (TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE PROVIDED).

Additional information

COVID VACCINATION INFORMATION: To comply with the recent preliminary nationwide injunction on Executive Order 14043, Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees, the Department of the Navy is not taking any action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement. New hires will need to provide their vaccination status as well as comply with workplace safety protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

This position is covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program.

Several vacancies may be filled.

A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.

Federal annuitant information: The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants. Policy information may be found at: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/donhr/Documents/CivilianJobs/FedCivAnnuitants.pdf .

Veteran's preference does not apply when selecting individuals under this specific hiring authority. However, if you claim veteran's preference, you will be required to submit supporting documentation with your application as described in the Required Documents section below.