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Staff Associate, GS-0301-15

National Science Foundation
This job announcement has closed

Summary

NSF is one of the best places to work! In 2021, NSF was ranked No. 2 among mid-sized agencies in the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government® Rankings. Come join our talented and diverse workforce and help us keep NSF at the frontier of discovery!

This position is located in the Office of the Director (OD) at the National Science Foundation (NSF).  Please click below for additional information.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
12/02/2022 to 12/16/2022
Salary
$148,484 to - $176,300 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
Alexandria, VA
Few vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
OD-2023-0002
Control number
692293200

Duties

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The Office of the Director (OD) houses the Foundation's top leadership, and oversees all Foundation activities from the development of policy priorities to the establishment of administrative and management guidelines, including long-range planning. The incumbent serves as a Staff Associate and principal to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Deputy Chief Operating Officer on matters of policy, planning, budget, and business operations, and supports both in assessing and addressing major agency-wide initiatives and key issues involving NSF's support of science and engineering research and education. Specifically, the incumbent will:

  • Provide advice on high level decisions related to long-range planning for the agency.
  • Serve as the technical authority on budget formulation and execution for the OD for current and long-range plans.
  • Prepare OD interim and final operating plan submissions, and ensure compliance with financial reporting and performance requirements.
  • Coordinate with the Budget Division (BD) to develop the OD portion of the annual report; and works with the Budget Division to ensure timely review and decisions supporting the agency-wide budget submissions and current plan to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Congress.
  • Prepare responses to OMB and Congressional questions related to the budget request and assists in preparing materials to support Congressional testimony.
  • Review and/or ensure the review of laws, regulations, policies, and guidance affecting NSF, coordinates with other NSF offices such as the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs, Office of the General Counsel, and Office of the Inspector General as needed.
  • Assist the COO/Deputy COO to coordinate, prepare for, and follow up from interactions with key strategic partners including the National Science Board (NSB), NSF Executive Leadership Teams, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Congress, the Office of Management and Budget, and other key Federal organizations and groups.
  • Coordinate with the Budget Division and Human Resource Management Divisions to present data, analysis, and recommendations to support FTE and IPA allocation decisions and adjustments.
  • Perform a wide variety of special assignments related to managerial, operational, and policy issues of significance.
  • Establish and maintain constructive relationships with individuals and organizations known to have high interest and involvement with Federal research and development policy and related issues.
  • Conveys OD positions and policies in representation and coordination activities.
  • Represent the Deputy COO at meetings or conferences involving NSF, NSB, other Federal agencies, the scientific, engineering, and academic communities, and professional organizations.
  • May have COR responsibility.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Background investigation
  • US citizenship
  • Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.

It is NSF policy that NSF personnel employed at or IPAs detailed to NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign government talent recruitment programs.  Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to & including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment & referral to the Office of Inspector General. Foreign Talent Definitions

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, & skills & can provide valuable training/experience that translates directly to paid work.  You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience

You must meet eligibility & qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date.

Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade/equivalent.

You must answer all job-related questions in the NSF eRecruit questionnaire & any additional assessment.

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.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Qualifications

To qualify at the GS-15 level,you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level in federal service providing expert advice, guidance, and support to senior leadership regarding budget, policy, and business operations for an organization. Specialized experience includes: developing, justifying, and executing an organizational budget; providing technical expertise on overall financial management policies for an organization; evaluating and analyzing rules, regulations, legislation, and developing and/or updating policies and procedures to ensure compliance; preparing annual budget reports and submissions to the Office of Management and Budget, the White House, and/or Congress; and representing senior officials, with the delegated authority to act on their behalf.

Education

Education may enhance skills required for this position; however, no substitution of education for specialized experience may be made at this level.

Additional information

Relocation Expenses will not be paid.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):
ICTAP and CTAP provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. 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; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receives 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 required documentation as specified on the SF-15.

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.

For additional information on the NSF eRecruit system, please visit our NSF eRecruit Applicant Guide.

This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the National Science Foundation.

The Selected Candidate(s) may be subject to a background investigation.

How you will be evaluated

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

Ratings will be assigned based on your responses to the occupational questionnaire.  In some cases, additional assessment processes may be used.

Review your resume and responses carefully.  Responses that are not fully supported by the information in your application package may result in adjustments to your score.  A Human Resources Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the selecting official.

Applicants eligible for selection preference under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) must meet the agency definition of "well qualified." At NSF, this means a score of 90.0 or higher.

In the merit promotion selection process, formal performance appraisals may be considered if voluntarily submitted by the applicant.

COMPETENCIES

  • Budget Operations and Management
  • Analysis/Reporting
  • Policy Development and Interpretation
  • Representation
  • Collaboration
  • Communication

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