Physical Scientist
- Employer
- USAJobs
- Location
- Washington, D.C
- Closing date
- Jan 19, 2021
View more
- Industry
- Government and Public Services, Federal
- Function
- Administrative
- Hours
- Full Time
- Career Level
- Experienced (Non-Manager)
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Duties
Summary
Located in the Office of Chemical and Biological Weapons Affairs, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance (AVC/CBW). AVC/CBW serves as the lead office within the Department of State to promote the global ban on chemical weapons as embodied in the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Serves as a Physical Scientist Officer who has duties and responsibilities drawn from a wide range of functions handled by AVC/CBW.
Learn more about this agency
Responsibilities
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required.
Supervisory status
No
Promotion Potential
13
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements, including education, and any selective placement factors described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.
Applicants MUST meet the required basic entry qualification requirements described below:
BASIC REQUIREMENT:
A. Have an undergraduate or higher level degree from an accredited college or university in 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. Have 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.
Note: All applicants WILL BE required to submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.
IN ADDITION to meeting the basic entry qualifications requirements listed above, the applicants to the GS-11 MUST also meet one of the requirements listed below:
Have at least 1 year of specialized experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience must be related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
OR
Have 3 full years of progressively higher- level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work of the position to be filled;
OR
Have a combination of graduate level education and specialized experience (as described above) which is equivalent to the work of the position and equivalent to the GS0-9 level in the Federal service. This education and experience must meet 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.
GS-12
IN ADDITION to meeting the basic entry qualifications requirements listed above, the applicants to the GS-12 MUST have at least one year of specialized experience that has equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience is related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
Education
See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements, if applicable.
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click on the link for a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials.
Additional information
For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or ReasonableAccommodations@state.gov.
EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) - U.S. law requires organizations to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States - either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee's information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs) and other characteristics that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:
Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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). Your resume should include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week. For assistance with creating a resume, please click here .
Qualified candidates are assigned a score between 70 and 100. Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) candidates must be rated "Well Qualified" for the position and earn a score of at least 85 (when applicants are rated in a range of 70 to 100) to receive consideration for selection priority. If, after reviewing your resume and self-assessment questionnaire responses and a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, a score will be manually determined that reflects your documented experience. This may result in a lower score, which may also eliminate you from consideration for this position.
Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements and submit any required supporting documentation by the closing date of this job opportunity. Your application package must contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic/specialized experience requirements as stated in this job opportunity announcement for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.
To preview questions please click here .
Background checks and security clearance
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test required
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Credentialing , Suitability/Fitness , National security
Required Documents
All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
1. Resume - your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section. Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.
2. A completed online job specific self-assessment questionnaire through the Department's automated system "Gateway to State".
3. Transcripts - if applicable, see the Qualifications section of the announcement. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
4. If you are qualifying based on other criteria listed under the Qualification Section of this announcement, you must submit the required supporting documentation (certificates, certifications, etc.) with your application by the closing date.
5. Performance Appraisal - All current Federal employees and reinstatement eligible applicants must submit a copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal that includes the final rating. If a performance appraisal does not exist, is incomplete or unavailable, a Form DS-1812 (Applicant Appraisal) or equivalent form from another agency signed by the current supervisor is acceptable. Mid-year progress reviews will not be accepted.
6. Current, former, and non-competitive Federal employees must submit SF-50s (Notification of Personnel Action) that show: effective date, position title, series, grade, salary, tenure, position occupied, full promotion potential, and name of agency. Examples include promotion & within-grade increase actions. Award SF-50s often do not show this information. Multiple SF-50s may be needed to show all information.
7. Veterans who are preference eligibles OR who have been separated from the Armed Forces under honorable conditions (honorable or general discharge) after 3 or more years of continuous active service may apply under the Veterans Employment Opportunities act (VEOA). You must submit a DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4 is preferable) showing the dates you served as well as your type of discharge and qualifying service campaign medals OR if you are still on active duty, you MUST submit a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this job announcement.
Current Federal employees applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) must submit a qualifying SF-50 to show you meet time-in-grade requirements.
If you are applying as a preference eligible with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more, in addition to the DD-214 or certification, you must also submit a current version of the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference), dated October 2013, and the required supporting documents listed on that form. Previous editions of the SF-15 will not be accepted. For more information on veterans' preference, click here . To gain access to your DD-214 online, please visit: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/get-service-records.html.
For more information on Veteran Authorities, consult the Vet Guide .
8. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation with their application. See links below:
ICTAP Considerations
CTAP Considerations
9. If you are applying under a special hiring authority you MUST submit proof of eligibility with your application. For information related to special hiring authorities for severely disabled persons visit: http://www.opm.gov/disability/PeopleWithDisabilities.asp
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.
Summary
Located in the Office of Chemical and Biological Weapons Affairs, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance (AVC/CBW). AVC/CBW serves as the lead office within the Department of State to promote the global ban on chemical weapons as embodied in the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Serves as a Physical Scientist Officer who has duties and responsibilities drawn from a wide range of functions handled by AVC/CBW.
Learn more about this agency
Responsibilities
- Serves as a point of contact for incoming actions regarding scientific and technical issues from Departmental offices, U.S. embassies/posts, international organizations such as the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), etc.
- Monitors scientific, political and technical developments and trends relevant to chemical and biological weapons arms control and nonproliferation in order to facilitate efforts to achieve U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives.
- Analyzes information from a wide variety of sources to understand the current situation and possible future developments and the implications for U.S. interests.
- Provides informational consultations and orientations to colleagues and more senior officials in the Department and the interagency arena.
- At the GS-11 level, the incumbent performs essentially the same duties as outlined above; however, the scope and complexity of assignments are of less responsibility and independence and receives closer than normal supervision.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required.
Supervisory status
No
Promotion Potential
13
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
- Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required.
- One year probationary period, unless excepted by regulation.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
- U.S. Citizenship is required.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements, including education, and any selective placement factors described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.
Applicants MUST meet the required basic entry qualification requirements described below:
BASIC REQUIREMENT:
A. Have an undergraduate or higher level degree from an accredited college or university in 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. Have 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.
Note: All applicants WILL BE required to submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.
IN ADDITION to meeting the basic entry qualifications requirements listed above, the applicants to the GS-11 MUST also meet one of the requirements listed below:
Have at least 1 year of specialized experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience must be related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
- Experience addressing information on, and analysis of, scientific and technical information to identify, assess and report on matters significant to the development and execution of U.S. chemical and biological weapons arms control and nonproliferation policy.
- Experience assisting in meetings and/or working groups with decision makers in government on issues related to chemical or biological weapons.
- Experience assisting with trends, developments and changes in scientific/technical fields relevant to national negotiating positions and policies related to arms control in order to recommend polity positions and actions.
OR
Have 3 full years of progressively higher- level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. This education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work of the position to be filled;
OR
Have a combination of graduate level education and specialized experience (as described above) which is equivalent to the work of the position and equivalent to the GS0-9 level in the Federal service. This education and experience must meet 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.
GS-12
IN ADDITION to meeting the basic entry qualifications requirements listed above, the applicants to the GS-12 MUST have at least one year of specialized experience that has equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience is related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
- Experience providing information on, and analysis of, scientific and technical information to identify, assess and report on matters significant to the development and execution of U.S. chemical and biological weapons arms control and nonproliferation policy.
- Experience participating in meetings and/or working groups with decision makers in government on issues related to chemical or biological weapons.
- Experience analyzing trends, developments and changes in scientific/technical fields relevant to national negotiating positions and policies related to arms control in order to recommend polity positions and actions.
Education
See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements, if applicable.
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click on the link for a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials.
Additional information
For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or ReasonableAccommodations@state.gov.
EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) - U.S. law requires organizations to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States - either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee's information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs) and other characteristics that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:
- Knowledge of the realm of Foreign policy/International Affairs.
- Ability to plan, initiate, organize, and coordinate activities within and outside the government.
- Knowledge of real world issues in complex international civilian nuclear energy programs.
- Knowledge of agencies, organizations, or institutions involved in policy aspects of radiological and nuclear technology.
Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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). Your resume should include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week. For assistance with creating a resume, please click here .
Qualified candidates are assigned a score between 70 and 100. Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) candidates must be rated "Well Qualified" for the position and earn a score of at least 85 (when applicants are rated in a range of 70 to 100) to receive consideration for selection priority. If, after reviewing your resume and self-assessment questionnaire responses and a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, a score will be manually determined that reflects your documented experience. This may result in a lower score, which may also eliminate you from consideration for this position.
Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements and submit any required supporting documentation by the closing date of this job opportunity. Your application package must contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic/specialized experience requirements as stated in this job opportunity announcement for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.
To preview questions please click here .
Background checks and security clearance
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test required
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Credentialing , Suitability/Fitness , National security
Required Documents
All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
1. Resume - your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section. Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.
2. A completed online job specific self-assessment questionnaire through the Department's automated system "Gateway to State".
3. Transcripts - if applicable, see the Qualifications section of the announcement. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
4. If you are qualifying based on other criteria listed under the Qualification Section of this announcement, you must submit the required supporting documentation (certificates, certifications, etc.) with your application by the closing date.
5. Performance Appraisal - All current Federal employees and reinstatement eligible applicants must submit a copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal that includes the final rating. If a performance appraisal does not exist, is incomplete or unavailable, a Form DS-1812 (Applicant Appraisal) or equivalent form from another agency signed by the current supervisor is acceptable. Mid-year progress reviews will not be accepted.
6. Current, former, and non-competitive Federal employees must submit SF-50s (Notification of Personnel Action) that show: effective date, position title, series, grade, salary, tenure, position occupied, full promotion potential, and name of agency. Examples include promotion & within-grade increase actions. Award SF-50s often do not show this information. Multiple SF-50s may be needed to show all information.
7. Veterans who are preference eligibles OR who have been separated from the Armed Forces under honorable conditions (honorable or general discharge) after 3 or more years of continuous active service may apply under the Veterans Employment Opportunities act (VEOA). You must submit a DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (Member Copy 4 is preferable) showing the dates you served as well as your type of discharge and qualifying service campaign medals OR if you are still on active duty, you MUST submit a certification on letterhead from your military branch which contains your military service dates, expected date of discharge or release, and the character of service to show that your military service was performed under honorable conditions. The expected date of discharge or release must be no later than 120 days after the certification is submitted for consideration for this job announcement.
Current Federal employees applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) must submit a qualifying SF-50 to show you meet time-in-grade requirements.
If you are applying as a preference eligible with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more, in addition to the DD-214 or certification, you must also submit a current version of the SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference), dated October 2013, and the required supporting documents listed on that form. Previous editions of the SF-15 will not be accepted. For more information on veterans' preference, click here . To gain access to your DD-214 online, please visit: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/get-service-records.html.
For more information on Veteran Authorities, consult the Vet Guide .
8. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation with their application. See links below:
ICTAP Considerations
CTAP Considerations
9. If you are applying under a special hiring authority you MUST submit proof of eligibility with your application. For information related to special hiring authorities for severely disabled persons visit: http://www.opm.gov/disability/PeopleWithDisabilities.asp
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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