Clarification from the agency

* All qualified U.S. citizens; * Current Federal employees serving under a career or career- conditional appointment in the competitive service; * CTAP/ICTAP eligible; * National Service (Peace Corps & VISTA); * Applicants eligible under special hiring authorities (i.e., Appointment of certain military spouses, Schedule A).

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The Director of the Disaster and Failure Studies (DFS) Program will lead a multi-disciplinary program within NIST. DFS Director will manage field response efforts post disasters and structural failures, including collaboration within NIST and coordination outside of NIST. DFS Director will update and execute standard operating procedures and criteria for safe field data collection studies and NCST investigations. DFS Director will carry out the statutory responsibilities assigned by the National Construction Safety Team Act, including the development of field investigation expertise, team readiness, and metrology. DFS Director will ensure effective national coordination in investigations/studies by establishing strategic partnerships and standing agreements with appropriate federal agencies, state and local governments, and academic and industry organizations. DFS Director will promote the implementation of recommendations from completed investigations/studies for improvements to codes, standards, and practices. DFS Director will develop, maintain, and expand a DFS database, adhering to agency security and privacy protocols, to serve as an archival repository of hazard and failure events. DFS Director will also represent the Disaster and Failure Studies Program at professional meetings/conferences, technical committee meetings, and federal coordination meetings.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen
• You must be registered for Selective Service if applicable (www.sss.gov)
• You must be suitable for Federal Employment
• This position requires the passing of a drug test
• This position requires the submission of a Financial Disclosure form OGE450

This position is a testing designated position subject to applicant testing and random drug testing.

Applicants must meet requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

TO QUALIFY, APPLICANTS MUST MEET BOTH BASIC REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE

Basic Requirements

Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

OR

Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

Specialized Experience

In addition to meeting the Basic requirements listed above, applicants must have 52 weeks of SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the federal service (ZP-IV at NIST), in leading multi-disciplinary teams investigating the failure and performance of materials, components, structures or systems associated with a structural collapse, natural disaster, or human-initiated event, including but not limited to earthquakes, hurricanes, wind and storm surge, structural fires, fires at the wildland urban interface, or the response of people and emergency responders intimate to these disaster and failure events.

Applicants must have knowledge of one or more of the following technical areas: structural engineering, wind engineering, fire protection engineering, earthquake engineering, mechanics of materials, forensic sciences, and emergency response and evacuation procedures.

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.

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains Federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the OPM website located at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/

Applicants may request reconsideration of their qualifications determination within three business days from the date their applicant status was changed. Applicants should email the Agency Contact listed in this vacancy announcement with their written request listing the announcement number; explaining why the original determination was improper; what factors were not considered; and, should provide any other pertinent information that would enable reevaluation. 

How you will be evaluated

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

Applications will be evaluated against the basic qualifications. Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, salary, duties performed for each position, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level/pay band. Please also include in your resume a list of all publications and patents/patent applications on which you are a named inventor and provide the title and patent/patent application number for each. Qualified candidates will be considered in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management Direct Hire Guidelines. Veterans' Preference does not apply to the direct hire recruitment procedures. Selections made under this notice will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. You may not be considered for the position if any part of the application is incomplete. Your application may not receive appropriate consideration without the required supporting documentation.