Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The office of the DOT&E was established by statute and is a position comparable to an Assistant Secretary of Defense. The Director is the Principal Staff Assistant to the Secretary of Defense on all matters related to operational test and evaluation and live fire test and evaluation (LFT&E), and reports directly to the Secretary of Defense and Congress.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

This is a Direct Hire Public Notice, under this recruitment, applications will be accepted for each location and/or installation identified in this Public Notice and selections are made for vacancies as they occur. There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time you submit your application.

This position is being filled under Direct Hire Authority (DHA) in accordance with Section 1109 of FY 2020 NDAA; P.L. 116-92 and Section 9905 of title 5, U.S.C.This Public Notice is to gather applications which may or may not result in a referral or selection.

This Public Notice is to gather applications which may or may not result in a referral or selection.

Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.

Incumbents typical work assignments may include the following:

• The incumbent applies operational and technical experience to execute adequate oversight of survivability and lethality test and evaluation programs for major DOD weapons, systems, equipment, and infrastructure.
• Advises, assists, and supports the DOT&E and is responsible for managing the oversight of congressionally mandated LFT&E programs, in accordance with Title 10, U.S. Code and the associated DoD Directives.
• Initiates and develops new or upgraded system survivability and lethality test and evaluation concepts and strategies, methods, and techniques providing a significant technical or operational impact or breakthrough in increasing defensive and offensive capabilities of DOD systems.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
None

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
• Total salary varies depending on location of position
• This position is subject to provisions of the WHS/OSD PPP Pilot Program
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment
• Required to participate in the direct deposit program
• This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
• This position requires you to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/Special Sensitive security clearance.
• This position requires incumbent to work other than normal hours, which may include evenings, weekends, holidays, or overtime
• Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft
• Incumbent is required to file and OGE Form 450, Confidential Disclosure report, upon appointment and will be required to file annually
• Recruitment incentive may be authorized in accordance with regulatory requirements

Qualifications

For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment for each position listed on your resume (i.e., hours per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application will be marked as incomplete and you will not receive consideration for this position.

You may qualify at the GS-15 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:
One year of experience at the same or similar work equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-14) requiring application of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the position being filled. Candidates for this position must clearly demonstrate in their resume that they possess specialized experience in: 1) applying analytical and technical skills to ensure survivability and lethality of major DOD systems in operational mission to higher level acquisition and fielding decisions to inform and develop survivability/security or lethality test and evaluation strategies, policies, concepts and objectives to inform Congressional decisions; 2) providing test and evaluation alternatives to apply risk analysis techniques while balanced with administrative laws, policies, regulations; 3) applying a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods for the assessment of and improvement of survivability/security or lethality test and evaluation programs; 4) developing innovative methods and/or new techniques to support evolving test and evaluation strategies; 5) initiating and directing complex studies requiring application of advanced analytical and statistical methods and techniques; and; 6) applying detailed system design knowledge of DOD operations, systems, infrastructure and networks with emphasis on survivability/security, lethality, force effectiveness and protection.

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). 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.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

Education

Education cannot be substituted for experience.

Additional information

PPP PILOT: The Washington Headquarters Service is currently operating under an approved reengineered Priority Placement Program (PPP) pilot for all positions in its serviced workforce. This pilot is application based and current PPP registrants who are registered for activity codes 293A and 295A (regardless of the location) are required to apply to the job announcement via USAJobs in order to exercise their priority placement status. This pilot permits priority candidates to be assessed with other competitive applicants. Anyone claiming priority status must provide a copy of their PPP registration and supporting documentation (e.g. RIF notice, Sponsor's PCS orders, Certification of Expected Separation) at the time of application to verify priority placement and eligibility.

Other priority consideration programs will continue under their current operating procedures.

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.

Washington Headquarters Services uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: http://www.dhs.gov/E-Verify

If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application. Please view the following link for information on how to obtain an alternative application https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?%20title=Alternate_Application_Information

Appointment Authorities: For more information on appointment authority eligibility requirements:

• https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/individuals-with-disabilities/
• https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/
• https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/military-spouses/
• Other Special Appointment Authorities https://www.usajobs.gov/
• Interchange Agreements https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#url=Types-of-Appointments

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. /www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/

Current or Former Political Appointees: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Nepotism: Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Your application (resumes and supporting documentation) will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required as listed in this announcement.

Best Meets Mission Requirements definition: Applicant has the knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or competencies to substantially exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. This equates to the best qualified assessment criteria established for the vacancy and based on overall demonstrated experience, education, training, appraisals/evaluations, job-related awards, certifications, honors and relevant outside activities.

When the application process is complete, we will review your resume to ensure you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements listed in this announcement. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume and responses to the Occupational Questionnaire , along with your supporting documentation to determine your ability to demonstrate the following competencies:

• Customer Service
• Management Analysis
• Organizational Awareness
• Planning and Evaluating
• Scientific Project Planning
• Scientific Project Planning
• Strategic Planning
• Test and Evaluation

Your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility and qualifications for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Your responses to the questionnaire may be compared to the documents you submit. The documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "insufficient information" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information

Drug test required
Yes

Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DOCUMENT IN YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR ELIGIBILITY AND QUALIFICATION CLAIMS. You MUST upload the applicable documents with your application package. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume may be submitted in any format that includes your name and contact information (telephone number and/or email).
If you submit more than one copy of your resume, only the most recent version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent."

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 will not be considered for this vacancy.

2. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• Most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade held (WHS serviced employees SF-50s will be verified via eOPF).
• College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education or if the position has a basic requirement (WHS serviced employees will be verified via eOPF or you may include them in your application package)
• DD-214, SF-15 Form and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty from Veterans for consideration under Veteran hiring authorities
• Noncompetitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
• PPP Registrants/Eligibles: Must submit the following applicable documents: 1) PPP registration 2) PCS orders (if applicable)

ARE YOU A VETERAN CLAIMING SOLE SURVIVORSHIP PREFERENCE OR 5-POINT VETERANS' PREFERENCE?
1. You must provide legible copy/copies of the following: DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," showing all dates of service, as well as type of discharge and character of service (Honorable, General, etc.) or Statement of Service/Proof of Service (in lieu of a DD-214) from your command or local Personnel Support Detachment (PSD). The Statement of Service/Proof of Service must provide all dates of service, the expected date of discharge and anticipated character of service (Honorable, General, etc.). Veterans should upload their DD-214 once they receive it upon separation.
2. You should also document your complete military service information in the Veterans Preference and Military Service Section of the assessment questionnaire (type of preference, dates of service, date of VA letter, character of service, disability claim and rank and date of retirement if retired).

ARE YOU A DISABLED VETERAN or CLAIMING 10-POINT VETERANS' PREFERENCE?
1. Disabled veterans, veterans, widows, spouses or the mother of a veteran, who are eligible for 10-point veterans' preference, you must provide legible copies of the following: Applicable supporting documents as noted on Standard Form-15 (SF-15). To obtain a copy of SF-15, go to: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/ng-paths/veterans/

ARE YOU A CURRENT OR FORMER POLITICAL SCHEDULE A, SCHEDULE C, NON-CAREER SES OR PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEE EMPLOYEE?
1. Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:

. Position title;
. Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
. Agency; and,
. Beginning and ending dates of appointment.