The National Science Foundation is seeking qualified candidates for a Behavioral Scientist (Program Director) position in the Cognitive Neuroscience Program, within the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS), Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences (SBE), Alexandria, VA.
The National Science Foundation is seeking qualified candidates for a Behavioral Scientist (Program Director) position in the Cognitive Neuroscience Program, within the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS), Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences (SBE), Alexandria, VA.
Applications will be accepted from all US citizens who meet citizenship and eligibility requirements. Please see the "Other Information" section for further information.
The Cognitive Neuroscience Program focuses on highly novel theories, techniques and models directed toward enabling basic scientific understanding of a broad range of issues involving brain, cognition, and behavior. Applicants for the Program Director position are expected to be knowledgeable about the frontiers of cognitive neuroscience research including different data collection and stimulation techniques, multivariate and machine learning approaches, and integration of data across spatial and temporal dimensions. Familiarity with related developments in computational modeling, neuroinformatics, cyberinfrastructure, and open science are advantageous. The Program highly values the exploration of new methodologies, utilization of the latest analytic approaches, and the convergence of cutting edge techniques for addressing basic questions about human cognition.
Program Director responsibilities include long-range planning and budget development for the Program, the administration of the merit review process and proposal recommendations, identification of strengths and weaknesses in a given field, assisting with preparation of press releases, feature articles and material describing advances in the research supported by the Program, and coordination and liaison with other programs in NSF, other Federal agencies and organizations.
NSF Program Directors have an unparalleled opportunity and responsibility for carrying out the agency's mission to support research through a merit review process that promotes the progress of science, advances national welfare, and secures the national defense. The Program Director should have deep and broad knowledge of Cognitive Neuroscience, be committed to high standards, be receptive to new ideas, have good inter-personal skills, value fairness, and hold a high degree of personal integrity.
Additional duties and responsibilities include:
PROGRAM PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT • Maintains a healthy balance of support for all the needs of the research and education enterprise through program, division, directorate, Foundation, or interagency activities.
• Manages program resources to provide optimal appropriate scientific judgment to ensure integrity and consistency in the grant/declination process without conflict of interests, and with balance among appropriate sub-fields and institutions, and participation of all qualified scientists.
• Incorporates cross-directorate responsibilities into program administration.
• Provides scientific expertise, evaluation and advice for other programs in NSF, including international programs, and other research programs, and cross-directorate programs.
• Advises and assists in the development of short-and-long range plans, establishing goals and objectives for support of research programs.
• Plans the budget for the program/programs considering past, present and future fiscal years, allocates resources within the budget by distributing scarce resources among major competitive programs, and manages post-award evaluation.
• Controls waste, fraud and abuse.
REPRESENTATION, COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP • Represents the Program, Division and the Foundation within the scientific community, accurately reflecting NSF policy and positions.
• Creates and maintains linkages to other NSF units and other Federal agencies in pursuit of the overall NSF mission.
• Participates in staff, panel, committee and other meetings, providing input relevant to program area and/or Division.
• Pursues affirmative action and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) goals.
• Pursues and/or is responsive to assignment on special projects and temporary function teams across the Foundation to solve problems, improve staff communication, and effect coordination for special programs.
• Contributes ideas and effort to improving the quality of policies and NSF's performance of the overall mission.
• Develops policies and plans for strengthening support of research and education programs.
• Provides information to the community on how NSF is pursuing its mission and gathers data and impressions from the community on the effectiveness of NSF's performance of its mission.
• Prepares and disseminates a variety of informational documents which may include data on progress being made toward NSF goals, trends and opportunities, and budget plans.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT • Establishes contacts and maintains active involvement in Program and related areas through participation in professional activities.
• Maintains familiarity with salient current research developments.
• Pursues individual research as workload and travel funds permit.
• Expands administrative capabilities through training courses or assumption of new management.
Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.
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.
Qualifications
Applicants must possess a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, Neuroscience, Biology, Computer Science, Engineering or related fields, plus after award of the Ph.D., six or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position. Experience and expertise in basic research areas relevant to the goals of BCS and other programs such as Perception, Action, and Cognition would be especially beneficial.
In addition to above qualifications, the ability to organize, implement and manage a proposal-driven grant program, allocate resources to meet a spectrum of goals and ensure transparency and accountability in the grant award/declination management process is highly desired. Candidates should be able to communicate effectively and work productively with the scientific community, peers and co-workers at all levels to advocate program policies and plans and to fulfill NSF's mission.
This position is outside the competitive civil service.
You must meet eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
A GREAT LOCATION! The National Science Foundation Headquarters is conveniently located across the street from the Eisenhower Ave. Metro Station, in Alexandria, VA, a few miles from downtown D.C. There are shops and restaurants within walking distance, as well as historic Old Town Alexandria a short trip away.
Under the provisions of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act, assignees remain on the payroll of his/her home institution and the home institution will continue to administer pay and benefits. NSF will reimburse the home institution for NSF's negotiated share of the cost of the assignment. Individuals eligible for an IPA assignment include employees of State and local government agencies, institutions of higher education, Indian tribal governments, federally funded research and development centers, and qualified nonprofit organizations. Under the provisions of the IPA Act, non-citizens may be considered as long as the individual is employed at an IPA-eligible institution. For more information regarding an IPA assignment, visit our website.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
A GREAT LOCATION! The National Science Foundation Headquarters is conveniently located across the street from the Eisenhower Ave. Metro Station, in Alexandria, VA, a few miles from downtown D.C. There are shops and restaurants within walking distance, as well as historic Old Town Alexandria a short trip away.
Under the provisions of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act, assignees remain on the payroll of his/her home institution and the home institution will continue to administer pay and benefits. NSF will reimburse the home institution for NSF's negotiated share of the cost of the assignment. Individuals eligible for an IPA assignment include employees of State and local government agencies, institutions of higher education, Indian tribal governments, federally funded research and development centers, and qualified nonprofit organizations. Under the provisions of the IPA Act, non-citizens may be considered as long as the individual is employed at an IPA-eligible institution. For more information regarding an IPA assignment, visit our website.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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. This also applies to individuals considered for Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignments to NSF. 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 position. 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 rotator@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:
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.
Your application must be submitted online and all document faxing/uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date. You must answer all of the job-related questions to ensure full consideration for this position. For more detailed information, please review our NSF eRecruit Frequently Asked Questions.
WARNING! Applications submitted online must have 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. If you are unable to apply electronically, please use the Contact Information below for special instructions on how to submit your application materials. Hearing impaired individuals may call TDD (703) 292-8044 assistance.
IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR DATE OF BIRTH ON YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
2415 Eisenhower Ave
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
United States
Next steps
Shortly after the announcement closes, you will be notified as to whether or not you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you do, you will receive further consideration and evaluation. All qualified applicants will receive final notification of the outcome of the job opportunity announcement.
You may check the status of your application at any time on the USAJOBS website
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
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. This also applies to individuals considered for Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignments to NSF. 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 position. 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 rotator@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:
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.
Your application must be submitted online and all document faxing/uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date. You must answer all of the job-related questions to ensure full consideration for this position. For more detailed information, please review our NSF eRecruit Frequently Asked Questions.
WARNING! Applications submitted online must have 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. If you are unable to apply electronically, please use the Contact Information below for special instructions on how to submit your application materials. Hearing impaired individuals may call TDD (703) 292-8044 assistance.
IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR DATE OF BIRTH ON YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
2415 Eisenhower Ave
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
United States
Next steps
Shortly after the announcement closes, you will be notified as to whether or not you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you do, you will receive further consideration and evaluation. All qualified applicants will receive final notification of the outcome of the job opportunity announcement.
You may check the status of your application at any time on the USAJOBS website
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
