R&D Scientist

Company: National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
Location: Sterling
Posted on: April 9, 2021

Job Description:

Job Summary

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION: R&D Scientists apply the scientific method in one or more disciplines (e.g., Photogrammetry, Geodesy, Computer Science, Mathematics, Image Science, Human Terrain Analysis) to advance Geospatial Science and enhance Agency tradecraft. They conduct and develop novel scientific research projects and facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration to further scientific inquiry and application. They provide technical guidance and oversight, report results, and advise management on new and evolving technology. They address a variety of complex data-related analytical problems by applying quantitative and qualitative analytic methods.

Additional Job Information

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: NGA Research seeks an R&D Scientist within the Geospatial Cyber (GC) pod. This position will foster, administer, and execute an integrated project portfolio of applied research, advanced technology development, and capability transition for NGA to deliver technical intelligence superiority and decision advantage to the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense (DoD). The Geospatial Cyber pod focuses on deriving meaningful intelligence from the association of geospatial information with data in cyberspace. Topics include cyber-based pattern-of-life discovery, mobility modeling, and geospatial inference, as well as protection from threats to GEOINT data and methods.

Specific duties of this position will include:

* Construct, implement, and manage novel research programs in the spatial and/or temporal data mining, spatial and/or temporal databases, spatial and/or temporal statistics, and/or machine learning domains to advance the field of geospatial cyber with new and innovative capabilities for NGA, DoD and IC, adapting agilely to emerging needs and opportunities with well-designed R&D programs.
* As a member of NGA Research, collaborate across the Research organization and NGA to achieve desired outcomes and ensure that NGA Research delivers new, impactful GEOINT capabilities.
* Work with all GC customers to ensure that innovative geospatial cyber capabilities meet expectations and transition rapidly and effectively.
* Promote interaction and collaboration with other government agencies, allied partners, industry, and universities to advance the geospatial cyber mission of NGA.
* Provide subject matter expertise to advise stakeholders across NGA, DoD, and IC by communicating the potential impact of developments in the field.

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.

Mandatory 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 applications 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 experience in one or more domains of spatial and/or temporal data mining, statistics, databases, and/or machine learning.

2. Demonstrated experience successfully managing advanced R&D programs (e.g. budgets, schedules, risks, etc.)

3. Demonstrated use of at least one object-oriented programming language (e.g., C++, Java, Python, etc.)

4. Demonstrated experience developing algorithms in R&D programs or environments.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A. Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering, Mathematics, Physical Science, Computer Science, or a related discipline that includes 24 semester (36 quarter) hours in Mathematics, Science and/or a related Engineering Science such as Dynamics, Electronics, Mechanics, and Properties of Materials. Such coursework includes, but is not limited to, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Programming, Data Mining, Cybersecurity, Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, or Statistics. Although not mandatory, coursework in differential and integral calculus is preferred. -OR- B. Combination of Education and Experience: A minimum of 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of coursework as 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.

Highly Desired Qualifications

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

1. Graduate degree (Doctorate preferred) in Computer Science, Applied Math, and/or Statistics; with one or more concentrations in Data Mining, Machine Learning, Geography, Spatial and/or Temporal Statistics

2. Demonstrated 3+ years' experience in working with projects for DoD and/or IC customers.

3. Demonstrated publication of 1 or more peer-reviewed research paper(s) in spatial and/or temporal data mining, databases, statistics, or machine learning.

4. Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills

5. Demonstrated experience designing, developing, evaluating, and transitioning research programs

Additional Job 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.

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule

PROMOTION OPPORTUNITY: Promotion opportunities allow applicants at all band levels to be considered. Qualifications for NGA positions do not include specific time-in-band requirements. NGA will emphasize quality of experience, rather than duration, and assess how the quality of the experience demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies necessary for successful job performance in the NGA occupational structure.

Band 04 $103,690 - $159,286

PERMANENT CHANGE IN STATION: PCS expenses are authorized.

Pay is only part of the compensation you will earn working for the Federal Government. We offer a broad array of benefits programs and family friendly flexibilities to meet the needs of you and your family.

For more information on the array of benefits programs, please visit https://www.intelligencecareers.gov/nga/ngabenefits.html

Cover Letter

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. Applicants should place their narrative information in the Cover Letter / Other Professional Details field.

Who may apply

External Applicants Only

How to apply

Application submission involves applying using the Intelligence Community's Applicant Gateway on-line application process.

ONLY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

How will I be evaluated?

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.

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.

Conditions of Employment

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

DCIPS Disclaimer

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 your application.

Keywords: National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, Sterling , R&D Scientist, Other , Sterling, Virginia