Duties

Summary

The Sciences and Exploration Directorate, Earth Sciences Division, Biospheric Sciences Laboratory (Code
618), is looking for a highly skilled individual to conduct research to interpret remotely sensed indicators of
plant physiological state, and understand how environmental conditions affect ecosystem function.
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

• As Research Physical Scientist, specializing in Earth Sciences Remote Sensing, you will collect and analyze field, airborne, and satellite remote sensing data to assess the role of environmental conditions on vegetation condition and function.
• Integrates remote sensing observations, laboratory studies, and theoretical models to understand vegetation physiology and identify new opportunities for the use of remote sensing for ecosystem studies.
• Uses tools (including models of plant metabolism and radiative transfer) to better understand
  spectral properties of vegetation, and how these spectral properties relate to vegetation physiology, function, and composition.
• Integrates various study and analysis results into comprehensive technical briefings, reports, and technical papers. Is recognized within and beyond NASA as an expert in the field of ecosystem science.
• Provides technical advice and counsel to management and others, both within and outside the organization, in areas such as measurement and instrumentation, ecosystem science, and earth science.
• Publishes study results in the peer reviewed literature. You will plan and coordinate scientific projects in unexplored areas where new techniques and approaches are needed.
• Develop, review, and provide recommendations for proposed project requirements, expected results, and budgetary estimates.
• Analyze and consolidate project approaches and resource requirements for interdisciplinary projects or programs in areas such as measurement and instrumentation.
• Provides expert guidance to management for strategic planning and program development in areas such as ecosystem science and earth science.
• Maintains knowledge of current developments in optical remote sensing, hyperspectral instrumentation and data analysis, and vegetation physiology.
• Ensures application of the latest state-of-the-art technology to NASA missions and programs by relying on previous experience and keeping abreast of current developments in related technology fields in areas such as life science and earth science.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Travel may be required for training or other work-related duties

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• A one-year probationary period may be required
• Applicants must possess at least a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent
• Occasional travel may be required
• Position subject to pre-employment background investigation
• Successful completion of a security investigation will be required

Qualifications

You must meet Basic Education Requirement and you must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade, which has equipped you with the particular competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of the position described above.

Specialized experience for GS-15 is define as planning, developing, conducting, or coordinating research studies and evaluating complex and innovative scientific projects related to terrestrial carbon cycle and ecosystems; lead highly complex and difficult data analysis, including supervising development of specialized instruments including imaging spectrometers, and related instrumentation systems, equipment, computer programs, and statistical analysis technique; publishing results in the peer-reviewed literature.

You may lose consideration for the position if your application does not include all the information
requested on the vacancy announcement. The USAJOBS Resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you met the required specialized experience. Experiences copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

Education

Basic Education Requirement: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major study in Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Architecture, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Biomedical Engineering, Ceramic Engineering, Ceramics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science*, Earth and Planetary Science, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Geology, Geophysics, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Mathematics (Pure or Applied), Applied Mechanics, Engineering Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Metallurgy, Meteorology, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Physics, Oceanography, Optical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering Physics, Space Science, Structural Engineering, Welding Engineering or other appropriate physical science or engineering field. Degrees in engineering technology are not considered to be qualifying for this position. *Note: Curriculum must include 30 semester hours of course work in a combination of mathematics, statistics and computer science. Of the 30 semester hours, 15 must be in any combination of statistics and mathematics which includes differential and integral calculus.

Additional information

If you have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must:

Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position. The USAJOBS resume asks you to identify your ICTAP eligibility; the NASA Supplemental Information asks you to identify your CTAP eligibility.

Be well qualified for this position to receive consideration. See 'How You Will Be Evaluated' for NASA's definition of well qualified.

Be prepared to submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP if you are selected for the position. This includes copies of your agency notice, most recent Performance Rating and most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) noting current position, grade level, and duty location

To receive consideration, you must submit a resume and answer NASA-specific questions. The NASA questions appear after you submit your resume and are transferred to the NASA web site. If you successfully apply, USAJOBS will show your application status as "Received". If your status is "application Status No Available", you have not successfully applied. Do not rely on USAJOBS email to confirm successful application. Only an email from NASA confirms a successful application.

This position is being announced at the GS-13/14 level under announcement number GS19H0003. Only one position will be filled as a result of these two vacancy announcements. To
ensure the broadest consideration applicants are encouraged to apply to both announcements.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This position is announced under Direct Hire authority. A Human Resources Specialist will review your resume to determine if you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements as listed in 'Requirements'.

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be assessed using NASA STARS, an automated system that matches the competencies extracted from your resume to the competencies identified by the selecting official for the position. Based on the competencies you match, you are placed in one of three categories identified as 90, 80, or 70 point quality categories, which are defined as:

90 pt. Category - Tentatively meets (until subsequent confirmation upon referral) the basic qualification requirements identified in the vacancy announcement and has experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated superior proficiency in the primary requirements of the position.

80 pt. Category - Tentatively meets (until subsequent confirmation upon referral) the basic qualification requirements identified in the vacancy announcement and demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in the primary requirements of the position.

70 pt. Category - Fails to meet criteria described in the 80 pt. category.

For the purpose of the CTAP and ICTAP, candidates rated in the top quality (90 pt.) category are considered well-qualified.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

NASA's application process has been specifically developed to ensure that we only ask you for the information we absolutely need to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility. In order to apply for this position, you only need to submit your resume and answer the screening questions and supplemental information. No additional documentation is accepted at the time of application. (For example you need not submit narrative 'KSA' statements; they are not required and will not be evaluated.) In this way we allow you to focus on preparing a resume that best describes your background and abilities. For assistance in preparing your resume, consult the Applicant Guide . Nothing further is required until requested by the Human Resources Office. At that point, we may ask you to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume. For example, we may ask you to provide academic transcripts or proof of Federal employment status. If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.

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.