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Interdisciplinary Scientist (Physical Scientist/Chemist)

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Germantown, Maryland
Closing date
Aug 22, 2019
Duties

Summary

The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, providing more than 40 percent of total funding for this vital area of national importance The Office of Science manages fundamental research programs in basic energy sciences, biological and environmental sciences, and computational science. In addition, the Office of Science is the Federal Government's largest single funder of materials and chemical sciences.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As an Interdisciplinary Scientist (Physical Scientist/Chemist), you will:
  • Serve as a recognized scientific authority and expert and consultant to other scientists and senior DOE leadership in the physical and chemical behavior of materials, including quantum behaviors, with responsibility to plan, coordinate, implement, and evaluate research programs in this field on a national and international level.
  • Serve as a Program Manager determining scientific focus and direction of physical and chemical behavior of materials including quantum phenomena, preparing calls for proposals, organizing independent peer reviews, recommending funding allocations, organizing Principal Investigators' meetings, serving as a liaison on committees, and monitoring scientific progress of the program. Plan, schedule, and carry out all aspects of the program, making final judgments, decisions, and commitments, exercising a high degree of initiative to resolve problems of a critical or controversial nature that occur within projects.
  • Compose, justify, and oversee portions of the budget relating to the group's programs in physical and chemical behavior of materials, including quantum behavior. Evaluate research proposals and performance of grantees and national laboratory contractors based on reviews and evaluations to determine funding levels and programmatic priorities.
  • Prepares critical technical evaluations based on reviews of the scientific literature, reports, studies prepared by other offices in DOE and other Federal agencies, as they impact physical and chemical behavior of materials, including quantum behaviors. Develop, compose, and present analytical documents to communicate with DOE and other government leaders on the status of programmatic phases and new developments and opportunities.


Travel Required

Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a United States Citizen.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
  • Resume and question responses must be submitted online.
  • Must pass a pre-employment drug test and random testing after appointment.
  • Subject to satisfactory security and suitability determinations.


OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

You must meet both the positive educational requirement known as "Basic Requirements" and the specialized experience as described in the " Qualifications " section of this vacancy announcement.
  • May be required to complete a one-year probationary period, if not previously completed.
  • This position is included in the bargaining unit.
  • This position is eligible for telework, however the approval is at the discretion of the supervisor.
  • Eligible candidates for this position must be able to obtain and maintain an Q security clearance.
  • If selected for this vacancy, you will be required to file the OGE Form 450 (Confidential Financial Disclosure Report) upon your appointment to this position and as necessary to meet regulatory guidance.


Qualifications

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized for the GS-15 level of this position is defined as:

Experience in analyzing and interpreting interdisciplinary activities.

Experience in preparing budget justification for implementing program goals.

Your application and resume should demonstrate that you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must describe in your application how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the KSAs identified below. Cite specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position. DO NOT write "see resume" in your application!
  • Knowledge of the advanced concepts, theories, principles, and practices of Chemistry or the physical science fields emphasizing chemical and physical behavior of materials including quantum behaviors.
  • Ability to plan, budget, justify, and allocate funds among a variety of competing programs and requirements.
  • Ability to provide technical guidance on issues requiring interaction with both DOE and other Federal agency officials on topics that require expert knowledge to perform highly scientific and technical, in-depth scientific analyses. This includes the ability to evaluate a variety of complex problems associated with unique and highly interdisciplinary research programs.
  • Ability to effectively communicate in writing in order to prepare analysis and recommendations of complex interdisciplinary basic science research programs.
  • Skill to effectively communicate orally in order to present a variety of scientific issues to management.

  • "Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

    CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

    You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

    Education

    EDUCATION:

    This announcement has a positive education requirement. You must provide transcripts with your application to receive consideration.

    Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

    Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

    BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR GS-1301, PHYSICAL SCIENTIST:

    TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE PROVIDED

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

    OR

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

    BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR GS-1320, CHEMIST:

    TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE PROVIDED

    A. Degree: physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics.

    OR

    B. Combination of education and experience -- course work equivalent to a major as shown in A above, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

    In addition to meeting the "Basic Requirements" described above, applicants must also have at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service.

    Additional information

    The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
    • New employees to the Department of Energy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify .
    • Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the FedsHireVets website.
    • If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the OPM ICTAP/CTAP website for more information. In order to be considered under the ICTAP program, your application must score within the pre-established "well qualified" category as stated in the Qualifications section.
    • More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
    • Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.
    • Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
    • All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register . If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.
    EEO Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/EEO_Policy_Statement
    Reasonable Accommodation Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Reasonable_Accommodation_Policy_Statement
    Veterans Information: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Veterans_Information
    Telework: www.telework.gov
    Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/

    How You Will Be Evaluated

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

    The Department of Energy uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the applicant assessment questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications necessary for this position. Then, the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to determine if your qualifications meet the criteria for referral to the selecting official.

    We will also verify that you are eligible for Merit Promotion positions by reviewing your previous Federal employment to ensure you meet Time-in-Grade requirements. If you are eligible to apply to Merit Promotion announcements based on Veteran or other non-competitive statuses, we will verify your supporting documentation prior to referral.

    If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the definition of "well qualified" which is defined as having a score of 85 or better.

    If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.
    To preview questions please click here .

    Background checks and security clearance

    Security clearance
    Q Access Authorization

    Drug test required
    Yes

    Required Documents

    Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants.
    If you are unsure, click the link for each document type to read more.

    ALL APPLICANTS: You must submit a about what is expected in your resume." href="https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/How_to_create_your_resume" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">resume supporting your specialized experience and responses to the online questionnaire.
    • Your resume should list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you must list the full name and address of the each employer.
    • For all types of work experience, you should indicate the start and end dates (include month, day, and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that you worked.
    • For paid work experience, please indicate your starting grade/salary for each position and the highest grade/salary you earned (if different).
    • Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
    • For more information about what to include in your resume, please view this USAJOBS Resume Tutorial video on YouTube.

    Most DOE offices will allow you to submit a resume in the format of your choice (as an attached document or as a USAJOBS Resume Builder format). However, some offices may require one specific format. You will be notified at the time you click 'Apply Online' which type of resume is acceptable. It is important that you are complete and thorough in your resume. If any of the above information is not included in your resume, we may not be able to fully credit you for your experience.

    Current and former Federal employees: Most recent SF-50 (Standard Form 50 - Notice of Personnel Action).

    To properly verify status eligibility, your SF-50 must show the following. If you do not submit an appropriate SF-50, we cannot verify your status eligibility!
  • Full position title;
  • appointment type;
  • occupational series;
  • pay plan, grade, and step;
  • tenure code; and
  • service computation date (SCD).

  • If specific educational requirements are indicated for this vacancy: experience." href="https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Education" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Documentation verifying your educational claims which can include unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned and final grade. Please see the Education section for more information.

    Veterans: authorities and the documentation you need to submit" href="http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/shav/index.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">veteran eligibility documentation (DD-214 Member #4 Copy, VA Letter, Standard Form (SF) 15 as applicable). Please note: If you are a veteran who has not yet been discharged, you may provide a statement of intent to discharge from your agency to receive Veterans Preference under the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.

    Persons with Disabilities: Individuals with intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities may apply for appointment through the Schedule A hiring authority. flexibilities for persons with disabilities" href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Certified verification of a disability from a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist; or any Federal, state, or District of Columbia agency or U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits will be required.

    Displaced Federal employees who qualify for CTAP/ICTAP: If you are a former Federal employee who was displaced due to a Reduction-in-Force (RIF) or surplused by some other means, please submit a copy of the separation letter or RIF notice from your agency. To be selected under I/CTAP, you must still be found well-qualified for this position. Please see the OPM Guide to Career Transition for more information.

    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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