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Social Scientist

Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Information Technology Laboratory
This job announcement has closed

Summary

NIST works with industry and science to advance innovation and improve quality of life. We're looking for a Social Scientist to join our team!

This notice is issued under direct-hire authority to recruit new talent to occupations for which NIST has a severe shortage of candidates.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
02/08/2023 to 02/14/2023
Salary
$69,107 to - $107,680 per year

For ZP-4: $98,496 to $151,308

Pay scale & grade
ZP 3 - 4
Location
3 vacancies in the following location:
Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)
Remote job
Yes
Telework eligible
Not applicable, this is a remote position.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Term - Not-to-exceed 6 Years
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
4
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
ITL-770-23-11830745
Control number
705287600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens and Status Candidates (this includes Merit Promotion, Status Candidates, Former Overseas Employees, CTAP, ICTAP, VRA, VEOA, 30% or More Disabled, EVHO, Schedule A, Military Spouses, Americorps, Peace Corps, Vista, Interchange Agreement Eligibles, and National Guard).

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Duties

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ZP-III: Provide expertise on social science methodologies, theory and methods related to trustworthy and responsible AI and socio-technical systems; participate in the development of research to evaluate techniques and practices used by external stakeholders and private industry; participate in research and evaluation to foster trustworthy and responsible AI from a sociotechnical perspective; participate in research to determine guidance for data annotation and ground truthing in socio-technical systems; support development of experimental protocols and evaluation approaches to better understand risks and impacts of AI systems on individuals, communities and society; support preparation of briefings and demonstrations of technical progress to NIST management and to other agency sponsors.

ZP-IV: Provide expertise on social science methodologies, theory and methods related to trustworthy and responsible AI and socio-technical systems; guide research and evaluation to foster trustworthy and responsible AI from a sociotechnical perspective; develop scientific guidance for data annotation and ground truthing in socio-technical systems; develop experimental protocols and evaluation approaches to better understand risks and impacts of AI systems on individuals, communities and society; research and validate socio-technical based assessment methodologies, metrics, and standards for use by AI design and development professionals; plan and execute field studies and data collection for model input and validation data; prepare and present briefings and demonstrations of technical progress to NIST management and to other agency sponsors; prepare and present material that documents project accomplishments to NIST customers including industry, academia, and other agencies.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. citizenship
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Suitable for Federal employment
  • Bargaining Unit Position: No

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:
ZP-3:
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.

OR
Master's or equivalent degree

In addition to the basic requirements: Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalents to at least the GS-9 level (ZP-II at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience with trustworthy and responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) concepts, socio-technical systems theory and practices. Experience with effective written communication to explain, justify, or discuss a variety of public issues.

ZP-4:
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.

In addition to the basic requirements: Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level (ZP-III at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience with trustworthy and responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) concepts, socio-technical systems theory and practices. Experience with experimental protocols and evaluation approaches to better understand risks and impacts of AI systems on individuals, communities and society; Experience with effectively communicating highly complex technical material and topics related to AI using language appropriate to specialists and/or non-specialists, facilitating the formulation of a decision.



Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done. We will credit all qualifying volunteer experience in your application.

The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook.

Applicant Reconsideration

Education

This position allows applicants to qualify with education. Transcripts must be submitted to validate that the education requirement has been met. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. However, an official copy will be required prior to a final offer of employment.

Education completed outside of the U.S. must be evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that it is comparable to education received in accredited institutions in the U.S. Click here to view a listing of accredited organizations from the Department of Education's website. A copy of the foreign education evaluation (containing the results with a course by course listing) is required with your application.

Additional information

This position is covered under NIST's Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS). The APMS is a pay-for-performance system with excellent HR flexibilities to help NIST recruit and retain top talent. Find out more about the APMS here!

A trial period may be required.


We may share your application package with other selecting officials at NIST with opportunities like this one. Additional selections may be made through this vacancy.

NIST strives to build a flexible and encouraging work environment to bring out the best in our employees. To help our employees balance responsibilities at home and at work, NIST offers a variety of work-life flexibilities such as:

  • Telework
  • Flexible work schedules
  • Paid parental leave
  • Paid vacation
  • Sick leave
  • Family-friendly leave
  • Child and elder-care resources
  • On-site childcare center
  • Lactation spaces
  • Wellness programs
  • Fitness center
  • Employee assistance programs

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 resume, optional cover letter and supporting documents to assess your qualifications for this position.

All applicants that meet the minimum qualifications will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Under Direct Hire Authority, applicants are not rated and ranked and veteran's preference does not apply.

CTAP and ICTAP Eligibility: To be eligible for CTAP or ICTAP consideration, you must submit the required documents to establish eligibility (see required documents) and meet the minimum qualification requirements. You may be contacted to provide a response to assessment questions related to the position. To be considered CTAP or ICTAP eligible, you must receive a well-qualified score of at least 85 of out 100 on your assessment responses. Additional information may be found at: CTAP/ICTAP.

Resume Guidance
Evaluation Process

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