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Research Astrophysicist, AST, Fields and Particles

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Goddard Space Flight Center
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Sciences and Exploration Directorate, Heliophysics Science Division, Heliospheric Physics Laboratory (Code 672) is looking for a highly skilled individual to serve as Principal or Co-Investigator to conceive, initiate and conduct programs of original research directed toward the understanding, description and prediction of the behavior of charged particles in the heliosphere and to serve as project scientist or deputy project scientist for NASA missions.

Comments:

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To receive consideration, you must submit a resume and answer NASA-specific questions. The NASA questions appear after you submit your resume and are transferred to the NASA web site. If you successfully apply, USAJOBS will show your application status as 'resume received - complete.' If your status is 'Application Started,' you have not successfully applied. Do not rely on a USAJOBS email to confirm successful application. Only an email from NASA confirms a successful application.

As identical vacancies are identified, additional selections may be made.

If you are an individual with a disability and have questions regarding the Federal special hiring authorities for individuals with disabilities or would like to request a reasonable accommodation for the application or hiring process, please contact the Disability Program Manager by email at gsfc-disability-programs@mail.nasa.gov. Goddard Space Flight Center offers a wide array of reasonable accommodations and programs for individuals with disabilities including onsite sign language interpreters, readers, and is a participating agency with the Computer Electronics Accommodations Program.

(NOTE: For additional information for job seekers with disabilities, please copy and paste the following address into your browser: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/hiring/)

Please list your General Schedule (GS) equivalency on your resume for every federal position you have held.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/01/2017 to 06/30/2017
Salary
$112,021 to - $145,629 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Greenbelt, MD
1 vacancy
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Announcement number
GS17D0129
Control number
471013400

This job is open to

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Duties

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As a Research Astrophysicist, specializing in Fields and Particles, and as project or deputy project scientist, you will direct the mission science working group and represent science teams to NASA Project Management and to the Program Office. Maintain close professional contacts with the U.S. and international science community. You will also work closely with civil service and contractor scientists and programmers in order to ensure that flight hardware, data processing computer algorithms and data analysis and archiving software applications are developed according to international standards. Provide scientific guidance and oversight of all elements of the project implementation and serve as a scientific spokesperson and advocate on behalf of the Project.

As Principal or Co-Investigator, you will initiate, lead and oversee the activities of important research projects, including the activities of civil service and external co-investigators. Provide leadership on complex analysis issues or problems where new analytical techniques must be developed to identify and evaluate findings. You will study the global and local properties of solar wind ions and electrons relying on both remote sensing solar observations and in-situ particle and magnetic field measurements. Conceive, plan and conduct research on unexplored areas relative to solar wind where there is little or no theory to guide experimentation or analysis of novel data. Originate and establish unique data analysis methods, techniques, algorithms, applications and data products that significantly impact the research area and the work of other experts and that provide innovative solutions to complex and unprecedented solar wind data analysis issues. Resolve challenging and critical problems that impact the research of other scientists, partners or stakeholders. Ensure application of the latest state-of-the-art technology in programs by keeping abreast of current developments in related technology fields.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • A one year probationary period may be required.
  • Applicants must possess at least a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent.
  • Position subject to pre-employment background investigation.
  • Selectee must complete a financial disclosure statement.
  • Occasional travel may be required.

Under Executive Order 11935, only United States citizens and nationals (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) may compete for civil service jobs.

Qualifications

In addition to the Basic Education Requirement, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-13), which has equipped you with the particular competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of the position described above.

Specialized experience is defined as studying the properties of the solar wind, conducting research on advanced principles and practices of space plasma physics as evidenced by publications in peer reviewed scientific journals; and process and calibrate in-situ or remote sensing solar wind instrument field or particle data.

To receive consideration, your resume MUST contain your complete degree information (i.e., type of degree-received, year degree received, and major area of study). If you have received a degree in Computer Science, you MUST list all courses you have taken which meet the education requirements as stated in the qualification requirements section as well as the semester hours awarded. You MUST include the descriptive title, course code, and number of semester/ quarter hours. (i.e., CMSC-435-Software Engineering, 3 Semester hours) If this information is not provided, your education may not be appropriately evaluated and you may lose consideration for this position. Please note that degrees in engineering technology are not considered to be qualifying for this position. If you are selected for this position, you will have to provide an official copy of your transcripts prior to entering on duty.

Education

Basic Education Requirement: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major study in Aeronautical Engineering, Aeronautics, Aerospace Engineering, Architecture, Astronautical Engineering, Astronautics, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Biomedical Engineering, Ceramic Engineering, Ceramics, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science*, Earth and Planetary Science, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Geology, Geophysics, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science, Mathematics (Pure or Applied), Applied Mechanics, Engineering Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Metallurgy, Meteorology, Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Engineering Physics, Oceanography, Optical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, Engineering Physics, Space Science, Structural Engineering, Welding Engineering or other appropriate physical science or engineering field. Degrees in engineering technology are not considered to be qualifying for this position. *Note: Curriculum must include 30 semester hours of course work in a combination of mathematics, statistics and computer science. Of the 30 semester hours, 15 must be in any combination of statistics and mathematics which includes differential and integral calculus.

Additional information

Any applicant tentatively selected for this position may be required to undergo a pre-employment background investigation.

Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. See 'How You Will Be Evaluated' for definition of well qualified. Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP consideration must indicate their eligibility when applying for a position. The USAJOBS resume asks you to identify your ICTAP eligibility; the NASA Supplemental Information asks you to identify your CTAP eligibility. If you are selected for the position, you must be prepared to submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

As a condition of employment, male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. In order to receive preference in hiring, you must clearly identify your claim for veterans preference on your resume.

NASA's Applicant Guide provides the information needed to assist you in determining whether or not you can claim 5 or 10 point veterans preference. You should not submit documents to prove your eligibility for veterans preference at this time. However, you must be prepared to submit proof of veterans preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, SF-15 plus proof required by that form) as requested by the Human Resources Office. Veterans preference will only be considered based on what is supported For instance, if you claim 10-point preference, but are only able to document 5-point preference, you will be considered accordingly. If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.

Your USAJOBS account asks you to assign a name to each of your resumes. When you apply to a NASA position, we will show you the text of the resume you have submitted, but we do not maintain the name you have assigned to that resume. If you wish to keep track of that information, we recommend you make note of it at the time you apply.


Fair Employment Opportunities for Applicants
NASA Credit for National Service

The payment of relocation expenses is authorized.

How you will be evaluated

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

NASA uses an automated system (Resumix) that matches the competencies extracted from your resume to the competencies identified by the selecting official for the position. Based on the competencies you match, you are placed in one of three categories identified as 90, 80, or 70 pt. quality categories, which are defined as:

90 pt. Category - Tentatively meets (until subsequent confirmation upon referral) the basic qualification requirements identified in the vacancy announcement and has experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated superior proficiency in the primary requirements of the position.

80 pt. Category - Tentatively meets (until subsequent confirmation upon referral) the basic qualification requirements identified in the vacancy announcement and demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in the primary requirements of the position.

70 pt. Category - Fails to meet criteria described in the 80 pt. category.

Additional application guidance is available in NASA's Applicant Guide.

Information for Veterans: The Category Rating Process protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles who meet qualification requirements and have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed at the top of the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher.

For the purpose of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), candidates rated in the top quality category are considered well-qualified

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