This position is the Director of the Performance Audits team in the U.S. National Science Foundation's Office of Inspector General (OIG). The mission of the OIG is to provide independent and objective oversight of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and economy of its programs and operations and to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.
Summary
This position is the Director of the Performance Audits team in the U.S. National Science Foundation's Office of Inspector General (OIG). The mission of the OIG is to provide independent and objective oversight of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and economy of its programs and operations and to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.
Plan, direct, and coordinate a comprehensive audit program to ensure the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of NSF's programs, operations, and processes.
Lead development of audit scope, objectives, methodologies, and work plans for performance, financial, operational, and compliance audits.
Serve as a technical advisor, reviewing audit reports and other audit products, developing and planning audits and reviews, ensuring relevant and actionable audit recommendations are made and implemented, and establishing OIG audit policies and procedures.
Oversee the auditing of NSF grantee institutions for compliance with federal cost principles and administrative requirements.
Oversee the performance of quality assurance reviews of Certified Public Accountant (CPA) audits of grantee institutions performed under the Single Audit Act.
Direct audit teams in the planning and implementation of audits and evaluations of agency programs to assess vulnerabilities in operations, processes, and systems.
Lead the review of policies, procedures, regulations, manuals, and guidelines to identify areas of vulnerability that may result in financial recoveries and savings in agency programs and operations.
Oversee analysis and evaluation of the effectiveness of programs or operations in meeting established goals and objectives.
Review audit reports and products to ensure the findings, conclusions, and recommendations are accurate, supportable, and actionable.
Work with key agency management officials to provide precise guidance on how to improve their operations' efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Ensure adherence to professional audit standards and requirements.
Monitor and evaluate audit work plans, assignments, and outcomes to ensure quality, timeliness, and strategic alignment with OIG priorities.
Plan work to be accomplished by subordinate auditors; set priorities; and assign work to subordinates based on priorities, complexity, and staff capabilities.
Evaluate staff performance, provide coaching and counseling, and address administrative and work-related concerns.
Identify employee developmental and training needs and provide or arrange the necessary development and training.
Represent the Assistant Inspector General for Audit in meetings, conferences, and consultations with high-level officials and professional organizations.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
You may be subject to a background/security investigation
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID-compliant cannot be used as acceptable forms of identification for employment.
This is a positive education position. Transcripts are required to be considered for this position.
You must meet all eligibility requirements within thirty days of the date the announcement closes and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
You will not need a clearance to accept this position, but you must be able to obtain a clearance if needed.
If you are a current federal employee holding a General Schedule (GS) position, you must meet the time-in-grade requirements.
All online applicants must provide a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full/blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
Qualifications
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
Degree: accounting, auditing, or a degree including auditing courses in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration that included or was supplemented by 24 semester hours in accounting. The 24 hours may include up to 6 hours of credit in business law.
OR
Combination of education and experience: at least 4 years of experience in accounting, or an equivalent combination of accounting experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional accounting knowledge. The applicant's background must also include one of the following:
Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law;
A certificate as a Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or
Completion of the requirements for a degree that included substantial course work in accounting or auditing, e.g., 15 semester hours, but that does not fully satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement of paragraph A, provided that (a) the applicant has successfully worked at the full-performance level in accounting, auditing, or a related field, e.g., valuation engineering or financial institution examining; (b) a panel of at least two higher level professional accountants or auditors has determined that the applicant has demonstrated a good knowledge of accounting and of related and underlying fields that equals in breadth, depth, currency, and level of advancement that which is normally associated with successful completion of the 4-year course of study described in paragraph A; and (c) except for literal nonconformance to the requirement of 24 semester hours in accounting, the applicant's education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements.
To qualify at the GS-15 level, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level in the Federal service.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: To qualify at the GS-15 level,you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level in the Federal service that includes:
Experience in planning and executing complex performance audits of major agency programs and activities within an Office of Inspector General (OIG), and ensuring that audit work is conducted in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Audit Standards (GAGAS). Also, has experience briefing reports and findings to senior OIG leadership, agency management, officials, and other major stakeholders.
This experience must be fully supported and articulated in your resume to receive consideration. Please do not cut and paste the specialized experience from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
TIME-IN-GRADE: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-14 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess one year of time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year of time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Do not submit an award SF-50. It is highly recommended that multiple SF-50s are submitted to verify time-in-grade requirements are met.
Education
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.
Additional information
Relocation Expenses will not be paid.This is a non-bargaining unit position.
This announcement may be used to fill similar positions in other organizations within the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies, including OIG offices.
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP or CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP or CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified, you must meet the following: OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors, where applicable; special OPM-approved qualifying conditions for the position; be physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receive a rating of at least "Very Good" on the questionnaire. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP or CTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information regarding ICTAP or CTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources.
Veteran's Preference:If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For 5-point veterans' preference, please provide your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions. For 10-point veterans' preference, please submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, DD-214, and the VA letter or other required documentation as specified on the SF-15.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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 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. Learn more about federal benefits.
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.
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 rated on the following Competencies for this position:
Auditing
Government Auditing Standards
Strategic Thinking
Oral Communication
Written Communication
Accountability
Developing Others
Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and include the job title, duties, grade/salary, and dates worked. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited based on the time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. If your resume is missing the job title, duties, grade, or salary, and dates worked, you might not be referred for consideration to the hiring manager.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
To evaluate the quality of applicants for referral to the selecting official, a four-phase process will be used.
Phase 1: Applicants' resumes and supporting documents will be reviewed by Human Resources (HR) to determine whether they meet the basic qualification requirements.
Phase 2: Applicants who are minimally qualified may be advanced to a Structured Resume Review assessment conducted by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel. SMEs may review applicants' resumes to evaluate technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience.
Phase 3: Applicants who successfully pass the Structured Resume Review assessment may be advanced to a Structured Interview conducted by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel. SMEs may assess applicants' ability to demonstrate the required competencies for the position.
Phase 4: A final score, which may combine the results from one or more assessments, may be used to identify the top-rated applicants. Applicants meeting the established cut-off score may be referred to the selecting official for consideration and may be required to participate in one or more additional interviews as part of the hiring process.
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 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. Learn more about federal benefits.
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.
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.
RESUME: You must submit a resume (a two-page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history:
Resumes must include all of the following information outlined below:
Contact Information: Name and preferred contact method, including email address and phone number.
Relevant Work Experience
Job Title and Employer
Start and end dates with month/year (e.g., 05/2019 -08/2022 or present)
The number of hours you worked per week
Series and grade for any Federal positions, and salary for non-Federal positions
If work was completed as a contractor, please clearly indicate that
MOST RECENT PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: If a performance appraisal is not dated within the last 18 months, or if you are unable to provide a performance appraisal, an explanation of why must be provided. Please include a document in your application package explaining why the performance appraisal is not available.
NOTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ACTION (SF-50): You must submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or equivalent agency form. Do not submit an award SF-50; these do not contain sufficient information about your appointment. Your SF-50 should list the full position title, series, grade, and step, organization, duty location, service computation date, effective date, and your service type and tenure status. Applicants are encouraged to submit multiple SF-50s to meet eligibility requirements. If you are a current or former Federal employee:
You must submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or equivalent agency form. Do not submit an award SF-50; these do not contain sufficient information about your appointment. Your SF-50 should list the full position title, series, grade, and step, organization, duty location, service computation date, effective date, and your service type and tenure status. Applicants are encouraged to submit multiple SF-50s to meet eligibility requirements.
Submit a copy of your most recent performance evaluation or appraisal, signed, showing your final rating. If a performance appraisal is not available, submit a statement explaining why one is not available.
When claiming a Veteran's Preference, you must submit your last DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) form, specifically the Member #4 Copy, indicating dates and character of service and discharge type.
If you are a Veteran with a service-connected disability rating, you will need to additionally submit the SF-15 (Application for 10-point Veterans Preference) and a copy of your VA Letter stating your disability rating.
If you are the qualifying parent or spouse of a disabled, deceased, or deployed Veteran, and are seeking a derived preference eligibility, you must submit appropriate supporting documentation, such as the Veteran's DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter, and/or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. See Veteran Family Preference for more information.
For more information on each type of Veterans Preference, and the documentation required for each, see FedsHireVets.
You must submit "proof of a disability" documentation ("Proof of a disability" is a letter stating that you have an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability).
You must get this letter from your doctor, a licensed medical professional, a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any Federal, state, or local agency that issues or provides disability benefits.
The NSF OIG provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Individuals with disabilities may contact
OIG-HR@nsf.gov for assistance with the application or hiring process.
Individuals who are eligible for a non-competitive appointment under an Office of Personnel and Management (OPM) special appointing authority may apply for consideration under a comparable non-competitive appointing authority.
Selectees will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment" (OF-306) prior to being appointed to determine their suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. False statements or responses on your resume or questionnaire can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from federal service.
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.
Applicants must complete and submit an application online at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) USAJOBS website at https://www.USAJOBS.gov. An account must be established on the OPM website following the instructions provided to apply for the position. Once you have completed the USAJOBS process, you will be redirected to the USA Staffing system to complete your application process, answer the online questions, and submit all required documents. Applications submitted other than the USAJOBS online application WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED under this announcement.
Your application and all supporting documents must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Applicants applying online for this position may do so until 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Please allow adequate time to complete your application.
If you encounter technical difficulties during the process, please submit a USA Staffing Help Ticket for assistance. If you have technical difficulties applying to the vacancy on the USAJOBS website, click on Contact USAJOBS. It is suggested that you do not wait until the last day to apply for a vacancy announcement. We will not accept applications other than those submitted through USAJOBS.
As the applicant, it is your responsibility to verify that the information entered, uploaded, and submitted is received and is accurate. Ensure that your application includes the required documents listed under "Required Documents" and that they are uploaded in the appropriate fields.
Need Help? If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help or Application Manager Online Help websites which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc.
Reasonable Accommodation: To request reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact OIG-HR@nsf.gov for assistance.
National Science Foundation, Office of Inspector General
401 Dulany Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
US
Next steps
Once you submit your online application, you will receive a confirmation email. However, you can also see your application status any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account and looking at the "Applications" page. Click the position title to expand the display for each application in the list.
After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued, and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.
Email is our preferred method of communication. Please use the email address above, OIG-HR@nsf.gov, to contact the HR Department.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
RESUME: You must submit a resume (a two-page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history:
Resumes must include all of the following information outlined below:
Contact Information: Name and preferred contact method, including email address and phone number.
Relevant Work Experience
Job Title and Employer
Start and end dates with month/year (e.g., 05/2019 -08/2022 or present)
The number of hours you worked per week
Series and grade for any Federal positions, and salary for non-Federal positions
If work was completed as a contractor, please clearly indicate that
MOST RECENT PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: If a performance appraisal is not dated within the last 18 months, or if you are unable to provide a performance appraisal, an explanation of why must be provided. Please include a document in your application package explaining why the performance appraisal is not available.
NOTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ACTION (SF-50): You must submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or equivalent agency form. Do not submit an award SF-50; these do not contain sufficient information about your appointment. Your SF-50 should list the full position title, series, grade, and step, organization, duty location, service computation date, effective date, and your service type and tenure status. Applicants are encouraged to submit multiple SF-50s to meet eligibility requirements. If you are a current or former Federal employee:
You must submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or equivalent agency form. Do not submit an award SF-50; these do not contain sufficient information about your appointment. Your SF-50 should list the full position title, series, grade, and step, organization, duty location, service computation date, effective date, and your service type and tenure status. Applicants are encouraged to submit multiple SF-50s to meet eligibility requirements.
Submit a copy of your most recent performance evaluation or appraisal, signed, showing your final rating. If a performance appraisal is not available, submit a statement explaining why one is not available.
When claiming a Veteran's Preference, you must submit your last DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) form, specifically the Member #4 Copy, indicating dates and character of service and discharge type.
If you are a Veteran with a service-connected disability rating, you will need to additionally submit the SF-15 (Application for 10-point Veterans Preference) and a copy of your VA Letter stating your disability rating.
If you are the qualifying parent or spouse of a disabled, deceased, or deployed Veteran, and are seeking a derived preference eligibility, you must submit appropriate supporting documentation, such as the Veteran's DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter, and/or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. See Veteran Family Preference for more information.
For more information on each type of Veterans Preference, and the documentation required for each, see FedsHireVets.
You must submit "proof of a disability" documentation ("Proof of a disability" is a letter stating that you have an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability).
You must get this letter from your doctor, a licensed medical professional, a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any Federal, state, or local agency that issues or provides disability benefits.
The NSF OIG provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Individuals with disabilities may contact
OIG-HR@nsf.gov for assistance with the application or hiring process.
Individuals who are eligible for a non-competitive appointment under an Office of Personnel and Management (OPM) special appointing authority may apply for consideration under a comparable non-competitive appointing authority.
Selectees will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment" (OF-306) prior to being appointed to determine their suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. False statements or responses on your resume or questionnaire can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from federal service.
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.
Applicants must complete and submit an application online at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) USAJOBS website at https://www.USAJOBS.gov. An account must be established on the OPM website following the instructions provided to apply for the position. Once you have completed the USAJOBS process, you will be redirected to the USA Staffing system to complete your application process, answer the online questions, and submit all required documents. Applications submitted other than the USAJOBS online application WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED under this announcement.
Your application and all supporting documents must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Applicants applying online for this position may do so until 11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. Please allow adequate time to complete your application.
If you encounter technical difficulties during the process, please submit a USA Staffing Help Ticket for assistance. If you have technical difficulties applying to the vacancy on the USAJOBS website, click on Contact USAJOBS. It is suggested that you do not wait until the last day to apply for a vacancy announcement. We will not accept applications other than those submitted through USAJOBS.
As the applicant, it is your responsibility to verify that the information entered, uploaded, and submitted is received and is accurate. Ensure that your application includes the required documents listed under "Required Documents" and that they are uploaded in the appropriate fields.
Need Help? If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help or Application Manager Online Help websites which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc.
Reasonable Accommodation: To request reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact OIG-HR@nsf.gov for assistance.
National Science Foundation, Office of Inspector General
401 Dulany Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
US
Next steps
Once you submit your online application, you will receive a confirmation email. However, you can also see your application status any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account and looking at the "Applications" page. Click the position title to expand the display for each application in the list.
After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued, and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.
Email is our preferred method of communication. Please use the email address above, OIG-HR@nsf.gov, to contact the HR Department.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
