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Research Psychologist

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Closing date
Aug 20, 2019
Duties

Summary

About the Position: Position(s) will be filled under the Department of the Army Pathways Recent Graduates Program. Click here for more information on program participation. After Program completion, Recent Graduates MAY be converted to a permanent position.

Predictive Analytics & Modeling Unit explores personnel psychology, data science, and Big Data analytics, by applying new statistical approaches to Soldier testing and assessment, career and performance modeling, and job analysis.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

  • Develop research plans and integrate into a larger program of research.
  • Provide guidance to other research psychologists at lower grades and provide guidance to operational personnel in the preparation and execution of evaluations and tests.
  • Develop valid and reliable data collection methods using both experimental based observations and subjective instruments.
  • Perform and/or oversee data reduction and analysis and write reports describing the completed research.
  • Review reports of other scientists and contract personnel for quality, accuracy, professional standards, and compliance with regulations and style manuals.
  • Prepare and provide briefs after receiving minimal input from the unit chief and/or team leader.


Travel Required

25% or less - Up to 25% business travel required.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
None

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • This position requires you to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE 278) or a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter.
  • Recent Graduates must sign a Participant Agreement with the Agency.
  • One year trial period may be required.
  • Applicants must be able to fulfill credentialing requirements.


Qualifications

Who May Apply: Positions are open to:
  • Recent graduates who have completed, within the previous two years (or will complete no later than August 2019), a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution. Short-term training programs (e.g. several two-week programs completed) are not considered an academic course of study.
  • Preference eligible veterans who were precluded from applying due to their military service obligation begin their two-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty. Eligibility for these veterans cannot exceed six years after degree or certificate completion.
The target grade of this position is GS-12.

After Program completion, Department of the Army Recent Graduates MAY be converted to a permanent position or to a term position (a project-based term of employment lasting between one and four years).

To be eligible for conversion to a permanent or term position, Recent Graduates must:
  • Be a U.S. Citizen
  • Successfully complete all the requirements of the Recent Graduate Program as defined in the Agency Participant Agreement.
  • Demonstrate successful job performance.
  • Meet the Office of Personnel Management qualification standard including any applicable positive education requirements and/or selection placement factors and any other designated special qualifications requirements and conditions of employment (e.g. medical standards) appropriate for the position to which being converted.
To learn more, please visit the Office of Personnel Management webpage, Hiring Authorities: Students & Recent Graduates .

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience 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. Additional information about transcripts is in this document .

Basic Requirements for a Research Psychologist:

Degree:
Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) with a major or equivalent in psychology.

Experience required: To qualify based on your experience, your resume must describe at least one year of experience which prepared you to do the work in this job.

Specialized experience is defined as: experience conducting research (e.g., hypothesis development, research design, data collection, statistical analysis of data, or report writing) in relevant areas of the behavioral and social sciences (e.g., personnel, training, leader development, human resources, and human relations). This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11).

OR

Education
Substitution at the GS-12 : Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (or will complete no later than August 2019) in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as Psychology.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: If you have some, but not all, of the experience or education described above, you may still qualify by combining the amount of creditable experience and education that you possess. To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education in excess of 36 hours (total semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify.

In addition to meeting the above requirements, candidates must possess the following:

Eligibility for a Pathways GS 12 Recent Graduate:


Degree: Ph.D or equivalent degree directly related to the position (or will complete no later than August 2019).

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
  • Education and Training
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Program Management
  • Statistical Analysis


Education

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

  • 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.
  • Two year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
  • This is a Career Program (CP) 16 - Scientist and Engineers (Non Construction) position.
  • Recent Graduates must sign a Participant Agreement with the Agency.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • 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.
  • You may claim military spouse preference.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • 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 https://www.gsa.gov/cdnstatic/FTR%20Bulletin%2018_05%20Relocation%20Allowances_0.pdf for more information.
  • 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 .
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) allowances may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations and an agency determination that a PCS move is in the Government Interest.


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.

The automated system will assign an initial rating to your application based on your responses to the online questionnaire. After the vacancy closes, your application may be quality reviewed by human resource professionals, federal managers, or subject-matter experts. Your initial rating may be adjusted during the quality review process. Your resume must support your responses to the self-assessment questions or your final rating may be adversely affected. The best-qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager and may be invited to an interview. Please ensure your resume provides enough detail to support your answers to the questionnaire.

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.

Basis for Rating: Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of three quality categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified and Qualified. Veteran preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category.
  • Best Qualified: Candidates in this category possess exceptional skills and experience to exceed well above the minimum requirements for the announced position.
  • Highly Qualified: Candidates in this category possess good skills and experience above the minimum requirements for the announced position.
  • Qualified: Candidates in this category meet the minimum experience requirements for the announced position.


Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Secret

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist (External) .

1. Your resume:
  • Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
  • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
  • For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position.
  • For additional information see: What to include in your resume .

2. Transcripts:
  • Unofficial transcripts for education claimed in your resume and occupational questionnaire is required. If you provide an unofficial transcript at the time of application and you are selected, you will be asked for official versions prior to appointment. See: Transcripts and Licenses

3. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • Applicants claiming Veterans Preference or Military Spouse preference (MSP): to verify your preference claim you MUST submit supporting documents with your application package.
  • If you are currently serving on active duty: You MUST submit a certification from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date you apply to this opportunity. If you supply a certification at this stage, your preference/eligibility will be verified prior to appointment. More information about Veteran's Preference is located on the Feds Hire Vets website. Please upload veteran's documents under the appropriate category.

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.

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