Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Research Psychologist, GS-0180-13

Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Coast Guard
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, Research Development Center, Technical Division, New London, CT.

Overview

Help
Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
10/25/2019 to 11/08/2019
Salary
$98,827 to - $128,472 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
New London, CT
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - This position may require up to 25% travel per month.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - This is a permanent appointment.
Work schedule
Full-time - This is a full time position.
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
20-1126-NE-BS-M
Control number
549607200

Duties

Help

If selected you will serve as a Research Psychologist providing support in the execution of the Coast Guard’s research project portfolio. Responsibilities include serving as a Project Manager on assigned projects and as the subject matter expert on a variety of technology projects and studies that require human system design, human factors analysis, cognitive psychology, and tasks that require experimental design with human subject involvement.

Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include:

  • Proposing, planning, coordinating, and conducting broad research studies in human factors and cognitive psychology related to human interactions.
  • Developing innovative assessments and tools for use in multiple areas of human resources ( occupational studies, competency models, skills gap assessments, simulations, and adverse impact studies)
  • Formulates and conducts a systematic multi-year research program on a problem area of considerable scope and complexity.
  • Conducts analytical studies and experiments in support of workforce planning and/or organizational initiatives.
  • Developing valid and reliable data collection methods using both experimental based observations and subjective instruments.
  • Writing detailed reports describing the research projects objectives, protocols, analysis and results. Prepares articles for referred journals. Reviews reports of other scientists and contract personnel for quality, accuracy, professional standards, and compliance with regulations and style manuals.
  • Conducting research studies on a wide range of human traits to help in the process of designing Coast Guard machines or systems that people can use properly, safely, and comfortably.
  • Providing expert consultation in cognitive psychology psychophysics, human cognitive performance, and statistical analysis and maintains extensive liaison relative to areas of specialization.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. This includes Time-In-Grade requirements for current status employees applying through merit promotion procedures. Status applicants applying for a promotion must have 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

Degree: major or equivalent in psychology

AND;

To qualify for this position, you must have at least one full year of specialized experience comparable in difficulty and responsibility to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service performing the following types of tasks on a regular and recurring basis:

  1. Conducting independent research (e.g., hypothesis development, research design, data collection, statistical analysis of data, or report writing) in relevant areas of the behavioral and social sciences (e.g., personnel, training, leader development, human resources, and human relations).
  2. Developing, testing, and/or reviewing survey instruments for relevancy of question sets to insure comprehensiveness, technical validity, and reliability
  3. Preparing appropriate technical reports, papers, articles, book chapters, and briefings.
  4. Developing valid and reliable data collection methods using both experimental based observations and subjective instruments.
  5. Supporting the design and implementation of a variety of experiments that involve human subjects or considerations for the purposes of evaluating mission performance improvement including the introduction of technology applications.

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees.  If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule, C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Education

This position does have a positive education requirement. You must provide your transcripts. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Required Documents section for detail.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here

Additional information

Applicants will be required to complete questions contained on the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) at the time a tentative job offer is made. Certain responses on the form could pose a problem with suitability for employment determinations. If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete/make updates to the OF-306 and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, or imprisonment.

DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about e-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities at click here

Recruitment incentives will not be authorized.

All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit.

For Veterans' preference eligibility, visit Veterans' Employment Resources. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. See the required documents section of the announcement.

More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact 410-636-3980. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your résumé and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using the on-line self assessment questions that are based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job:

  • Knowledge of range of professional psychological methodology or assessment for human factors and cognitive psychology.
  • Skill in creating analytical studies and experiments in support of workforce planning and human integration.
  • Knowledge of advanced statistical methods as it relates to research.
  • Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing experimental human factor research projects.
  • Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to Human Factors psychology and behavioral health.

Your resume and responses to the self-assessment questions are an integral part of the process for determining your qualifications for the position. Therefore, you must support your responses to the self-assessment questions by providing examples of past and present experience in your resume.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience; no points will be assigned.


To preview questions please click here.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.