Duties

Summary

The National Science Foundation is seeking qualified candidate for a Chemist (Associate Program Director) position for the Division of Chemistry (CHE) within the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), Alexandria, VA.

For more information on MPS please click here .

For more information on CHE please click here .

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Responsibilities

This position is available in the Division Chemistry (CHE), Directorate of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. The incumbent is guided by the goals of NSF Strategic Plan to achieve excellence in U.S. science, particularly in chemistry; to promote the discovery, integration, dissemination, and employment of new scientific knowledge to society; and to enable the United States to attain or maintain a position of global competitiveness and leadership in science and technology.

The responsibilities include: the administration of merit review processes and development of proposal recommendations; the scientific management of a strong and diverse program portfolio; leadership in the development and implementation of a communication strategy for the Division, which includes the preparation of press releases, feature articles, highlight materials, social media, workshops and other events within the chemistry community; data analytics with regard to long-range planning, cross-cutting investments, resource development and program implementation that assist in the development of the Chemistry Division's strategic goals; coordination and liaison activities with other divisions and offices in NSF, other federal agencies and organizations; and outreach and engagement with the external chemistry communities to promote broadening participation at all levels. The responsibilities of this position will evolve with time; the incumbent will be highly flexible in terms of their work assignments.

MAJOR DUTIES

PROGRAM PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

• Manage program resources for the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program, through adherence to the NSB Review Criteria and NSB policies and practices. Provide appropriate scientific judgement to ensure integrity, transparency, and consistency in the award recommendation and declination processes without conflict of interests.
• Manage an effective, timely merit review process with attention to increasing the size and quality of the reviewer pools and insuring participation by women, minorities and disabled scientists. Engage in effective communication between the program, proposers and their institutions, and the general public.
• Manage a strong and diverse award portfolio that maintains a healthy balance of support for the needs of the academic enterprise through division, directorate, Foundation and/or interagency activities. Balance support for sub-fields and institutions and encourage participation of all qualified scientists.

COMMUNICATIONS

• Lead the development and implementation of a communication strategy for the Division, which includes the preparation of press releases, feature articles, highlight materials, social media, workshops and other events within the chemistry community.
• Coordinate activities with other divisions and offices in NSF, other federal agencies, and external organizations to promote broadening participation at all levels within the chemistry community.

DATA ANALYSES

• Conduct data analytics with regard to long-range planning, cross-cutting investments, resource development and program implementation that assist in the development of the Chemistry Division's strategic goals and investments.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
03

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Background investigation.
• Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.

It is NSF policy that NSF personnel employed at or IPAs detailed to NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign government talent recruitment programs. Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment and referral to the Office of Inspector General. Foreign Talent Definitions

You will need to successfully complete a background security investigation before you can be appointed into this position.

All online applicants must provide 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.

This position is in the bargaining unit.

Please preview "Evaluations" section and "Qualifications" for additional requirements and Quality Ranking Factors.

Qualifications

Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Chemistry, plus after award of the Ph.D., four or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position.

This position is outside the competitive civil service.

You must meet eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

Additional information

Relocation expenses MAY be paid contingent upon the availability of funds

This announcement is open to (All US Citizens OR current NSF employees) who meet citizenship and eligibility requirements.

Federal Appropriations Law requires that Non-Citizens meet certain eligibility criteria to be considered. Therefore, Non-Citizens must certify eligibility by signing and attaching this Citizenship Affidavit to their application. Non-citizens who do not provide the affidavit at the time of application will not be considered.

This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the National Science Foundation.

NSF has determined that all of its positions are eligible for telework. Work suitable for telework depends on job duties; therefore, employees must receive approval from their supervisor for telework and have a telework agreement in place. Entering into a telework agreement is voluntary.

The Selected Candidate(s) may be subject to a background investigation.

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

Expertise in the chemical sciences or closely related fields.

Knowledge of NSF process and policies specific to merit review. Ability to organize, implement and manage a proposal-driven grant program, allocating resources to meet a spectrum of goals, including research portfolio balance, integrity and consistency in the award recommendation process, and efforts to broaden participation.

Ability to develop new data tools for portfolio analysis; Serve as an analytical resource in terms of data mining and analytical and evaluative skills. Demonstrate the ability to analyze funding and participation trends from budget data, annual reports, and other available data sources and to suggest course of future actions.

Ability to develop divisional and program highlights that communicate the results of programmatic investments for multiple purposes and various stakeholders with regard to NSF's goals, trends and opportunities.

Ability to assist in planning and coordinating outreach activities to represent the Division and NSF effectively to the scientific community and the public.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

All applicants must submit a resume in any format, and may also submit a cover letter.

In order to be considered for federal appointments, Non-Citizens must affirm that they meet the Appropriations Law eligibility criteria by signing and attaching this Citizenship Affidavit to their application. Non-citizens who do not provide the affidavit at the time of application will not be considered. Non-citizens who are exempt from the Appropriations Law requirements due to their status as officers or employees of the U.S. government on December 16, 2009 must provide a statement with their application noting their exemption with documentation of proof of status as officers or employees of the U.S. government on that date.

You are strongly encouraged to submit a current performance appraisal and/or letter(s) of recommendation and a supplemental statement that describes how your background relates to the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) listed in the Qualifications and Evaluation Requirements section of this announcement. This information will be used in the evaluation process.

We also ask that you complete and submit the Applicant Survey . This will help NSF to ensure that our recruiting efforts are attracting a diverse candidate pool; it will be used for statistical purposes only.

You can fax or upload your letter of recommendation(s) or the individual(s) can email the letter of recommendation(s) to adsearch@nsf.gov ; please ask him/her to put your name and the job announcement number in the subject line.

Transcripts are not required; however, please indicate the year that each degree was obtained on your application materials.

All faxing/uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date. If you are faxing your information, please use extreme care in dialing the fax number to assure we receive your information. You will receive an email confirmation of receipt of your faxed/uploaded document(s).

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.