Duties

Summary

JOB DESCRIPTION: S&T Programmatics Officers apply technical and programmatic management expertise to investigate Government and industry R&D programs, determine resource requirements, and direct activities that create customized methodologies and products to address a variety of geospatial-intelligence problems. They recommend ways to facilitate technology transfer and insertion and may develop multiple intellige

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Working within a collaborative team environment, the R&D System Engineer generates and explores new approaches to develop and apply Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) solutions to GEOINT data. The system engineer will engage multi-disciplinary teams to design, develop and/or evaluate AI/ML capabilities, propose new solutions, engineer data, and conduct research resulting in proof of concepts demonstrating the automation of geospatial-intelligence workflows.
POTENTIAL DUTIES
* Develop new capabilities and integrated workflows to increase efficiency of processing and exploiting GEOINT data, in particular image and video data.
* Integrate new capabilities into enterprise systems; promote and drive adoption of advanced analytics.
* Maintain awareness of state of the art, employ and document solutions to automate Geospatial-Intelligence analysis of imagery and video.
* Work across teams to define requirements, design and lead technical research projects from idea creation to system evaluation, including data curation in support of these projects.
* Represent NGA Research GEOINT RDT&E initiatives to internal and external organizations, and relay information to and gather from stakeholders.
* Interpret technical requirements in context of an overall system plan that makes the best working capability at the most reasonable cost.
* Make recommendations on program scope concerning RDT&E investments to include considerations across internal organizations, the IC, military services, and with international coalition partners.
* Provide oversight of performers, evaluate technical merit, and/or test criteria of proposed solution.
* Evaluate existing systems and provide technical direction to IT support staff.
* Contribute to future year budget planning for project execution.

This position may be eligible for an INCENTIVE: selected candidates may be offered an incentive as part of the offer of employment, based on budget availability. To receive the incentive, selected candidates must be eligible under 5 CFR Part 575 upon issuance of the Final Offer Letter. Changes in federal employment status prior to issuance of the Final Offer Letter may affect eligibility. Incentive recipients sign a service agreement depending on the approved amount or duration of the incentive. If the employee leaves before the end of the service agreement, the employee may be required to repay a pro rata share amount of the incentive to the government.

Candidates may receive an invitation to provide additional information or respond to questions via email and/or HireVue as part of the candidate evaluation process.

Additional Application Requirement: You may be asked to complete one or more assessments in addition to the application you submit on this website as part of your application to NGA. These assessments may include but are not limited to:
1) Online questionnaires or assessments that require you to describe your job-related knowledge, skills(U) , abilities, or other characteristics that are aligned with the mandatory and desirable qualifications of this job posting. The information you provide in the application you submit must support the response you provide to this questionnaire.
You will receive an email to describe any additional assessments required. Please monitor your emails and complete any required assessments as soon as possible.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
PB4

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• US Citizenship is required.
• Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
• Security Investigation

SPECIAL INFO:
As a condition of employment at NGA, persons being considered for employment must meet NGA fitness for employment standards.

- U.S. Citizenship Required

- Security Clearance (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information)

- Polygraph Test Required

- Position Subject to Drug Testing

- Two Year Probationary Period

- Direct Deposit Required

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
You must be able to obtain and retain a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information. In addition, you are subject to a Counterintelligence Polygraph examination in order to maintain access to Top Secret information. All employees are subject to a periodic examination on a random basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Refusal to take the examination may result in denial of access to Top Secret information, SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs.

Employees with SCI access and who are under NGA cognizance are required to submit a Security Financial Disclosure Report, SF-714, on an annual basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Failure to comply may negatively impact continued access to Top Secret information, Information Systems, SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs.

NGA utilizes all processes and procedures of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). Non-executive NGA employees are assigned to five distinct pay bands based on the type and scope of work performed. The employee's base salary is established within their assigned pay band based on their unique qualifications. A performance pay process is conducted each year to determine a potential base pay salary increase and/or bonus. An employee's annual performance evaluation is a key factor in the performance pay process. Employees on term or temporary appointments are not eligible to apply for internal assignment opportunity notices.

This position is a DCIPS position in the Excepted Service under 10 U.S.C. 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to preference eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are an external applicant claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must self-identify your eligibility in our ERecruit application.

Qualifications

MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: For this particular job, applicants must meet all competencies reflected under the Mandatory Qualification Criteria to include education (if required). Online resumes must demonstrate qualification by providing specific examples and associated results, in response to the announcement's mandatory criteria specified in this vacancy announcement:

1. Demonstrated project leadership experience and knowledge of systems engineering methodology and practices.

2. Demonstrated experience designing software and hardware specifications for AI/ML research projects (such as with: Python, Docker, Jupyter Notebook, Apache Spark, GPU hardware)

3. Demonstrated experience curating, acquiring, and conditioning large quantities of data to support research and development projects

4. Demonstrated experience analyzing, collecting, and formatting of GEOINT data (e.g. EO imagery, IR imagery, full motion video (FMV), wide area motion imagery (WAMI), etc.) in support of research and development.

5. Demonstrated experience developing new ideas, innovations, and approaches to address cutting edge programs/processes.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A. Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Optics, Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Earth Science, Computer Science, Data Science, Multi-Media, Social Sciences or in a related discipline that included 24 semester hours in those fields or Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Cybersecurity, Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, Data Analysis/Visualization, Math, or Computer Science. -OR- B. Combination of Education and Experience: A minimum of 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of coursework listed in option A, plus experience that demonstrates the ability to successfully perform the duties associated with this work. As a rule, every 30 semester (45 quarter) hours of coursework is equivalent to one year of experience. Candidates should show that their combination of education and experience totals to 4 years. -OR- C. Experience: A minimum of 5 years professional experience in any of the areas listed above or one or more of the following fields: Intelligence; DoD Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance, remote sensing, field/laboratory experimentation, laboratory infrastructure/IT or technical writing that demonstrates the ability to successfully perform the duties associated with this work.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: In addition to the mandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired:

1. Demonstrated experience capturing and documenting project requirements (e.g. Statement of Work), developing research project topics (e.g. Broad Area Announcements) and executing research projects.

2. Demonstrated project life cycle management experience, especially for research and development projects.

3. Geospatial professional certification is desired, in particular one or more of the following: GEOINT Fundamentals (GPF-C), Geospatial Analysis (GA-II), Geospatial Data Management (GDM-II), Imagery Science (IS-II).

4. Demonstrated experience with statistical and quantitative analysis, to measure data quality or performance.

5. Demonstrated experience with the government budget process.

6. Demonstrated experience in the DoD/IC community.

Education

Additional information

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Applicants are not required to submit a cover letter. The entire cover letter cannot exceed the specified limits provided in the Cover Letter field (3,000 characters). Pages exceeding this limit will not be considered. THE COVER LETTER IS RECOMMENDED BUT IS NOT REQUIRED FOR EMPLOYMENT CONSIDERATION WITH THE NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE AGENCY.

APPLICANT EVALUATION PROCESS: Applicants will be evaluated for this job opportunity in three stages:

1) All applicants will be evaluated using the Mandatory Qualification Criteria,
2) Qualified applicants will then be evaluated by an expert or panel of experts using a combination of qualification criteria to determine the best-qualified candidates,
3) Best-qualified applicants may then be further evaluated through an interview process.

Military retiree applicants, if selected, may be impacted by the 180-day appointment restrictions of DODI 1402.01. HD personnel will provide additional information if applicable.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the Assignment Description, Additional Information Provided By the Selecting Official, and the Qualification Requirements; and then construct their resumes to highlight their most relevant and significant experience and education for this job opportunity. This description should include examples that detail the level and complexity of the performed work. Applicants are encouraged to provide any education information referenced in the announcement. If education is listed as a mandatory requirement, only degrees obtained from an institution accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the Secretary, US Department of Education will be accepted.

As a condition of employment at NGA, persons being considered for employment must meet NGA fitness for employment standards.

In accordance with section 9902(h) of title 5, United States Code, annuitants reemployed in the Department of Defense shall receive full annuity and salary upon appointment. They shall not be eligible for retirement contributions, participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, or a supplemental or redetermined annuity for the reemployment period. Discontinued service retirement annuitants (i.e., retired under section 8336(d)(1) or 8414(b)(1)(A) of title 5, United States Code) appointed to the Department of Defense may elect to be subject to retirement provisions of the new appointment as appropriate. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300, at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives.)

All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation.

NGA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Applications will only be accepted online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us at recruitment@nga.mil. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

None

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.