These research programs provide science-based tools & measurement guidance to improve community resilience. The CRP develops science-based tools for communities, professionals, & researchers to assess resilience & to support informed planning & decision-making at the community scale. The DFSP uses authorities granted by the National Construction Safety Team (NCST) Act, the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP), the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program (NWIRP), & the NIST Organic Act to assess building & infrastructure performance & emergency response & evacuation procedures in the wake of disaster & failure events.
Work will help bridge research in the CRP & DFSP. Focus will be on developing tools, methods, & executing field studies, leveraging GIS skills.
The successful candidate will develop data collection best practices for complex post-disaster field studies, & conduct engineering & social science research to advance disaster research. Focus is on technical support to multi-disciplinary statutory programs & research studies that include conducting analyses/assessments of the built environment, developing & implementing guidance/tools, engaging with stakeholders, & collaborating with government agencies & external organizations. Participation in field studies & technical investigations is relevant, including development & approval processes for field data collection instruments.
ZP-III Duties: You will develop, conduct, & report on research in fields relevant to CRP & DFSP:
Develop data collection & synthesis best practices for community resilience & post-disaster field studies using current technologies & tools, including geospatial & GIS-based tools
Conduct community planning &/or infrastructure analysis research, including GIS-based analysis
Provide support to the DFSP :
Providing recommendations for updating standard operating procedures & criteria for safe field data collection studies
Develop/implement methods/practices to promote deployment team readiness & safety
Participating in organization of field response efforts following disasters & structural failures
Collecting and analyzing GIS-based disaster data
Participate on deployment teams to collect data to characterize community performance & resilience & evaluate the technical causes of failures & damage
Develop methods to characterize & evaluate the performance of communities & impacts of resilience actions on social, economic, physical & natural systems at the community scale for weather, climate, & other disasters, shocks, & stressors
ZP-IV Duties: You will be responsible for conducting systematic & independent research & providing technical leadership in the fields relevant to community resilience planning & disaster & failure studies:
Provide technical leadership to develop data collection best practices for community resilience & post-disaster field studies, including use of GIS-based tools
Lead the development of training on data collection technologies & tools for other NIST field responders to collect technical data
Support the Director of DFSP:
Updating & executing standard operating procedures & criteria for safe field data collection
Leading analyses of GIS-based disaster data
Developing & implementing methods & practices to promote deployment team readiness & safety
Organizing field response efforts following disasters & structural failures
Independently collect & validate data to characterize community performance & resilience
Formulate & conduct independent community planning &/or infrastructure analysis research
Conduct independent research to advance metrology of community resilience & disaster research or building performance
Provide technical leadership & expertise, particularly in the areas of GIS-based tools & analyses
Formulate novel methods to characterize & evaluate the performance of communities & impacts of resilience actions on social, economic, physical & natural systems for weather, climate, & other disaster shocks & stressors
Disseminate results through presentations & research & guidance documents
Participate in national working groups and committees
The ideal candidate has knowledge of one or more of these technical areas: geographic information systems, field data collection, natural hazards, disaster resilience, risk mitigation, post-storm investigations, emergency response & evacuation, codes & standards, building damage, risk, social science, wind engineering, meteorology, coastal inundation, forensic sciences, structural engineering, fire protection engineering, earthquake engineering. GIS data collection & data analysis with ArcGIS is a preferred skill.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
Suitable for Federal employment
Bargaining Unit Position: No
Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
A. Degree: geography; or related physical or social science such as geology, meteorology, economics, statistics, sociology, anthropology, political science, history, cartography, computer science, urban studies, or planning that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in geography, or a related field that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
ZP-0150-III: In addition to the basic requirements, applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level (ZP-II at NIST). Specialized experience is defined as experience: Working closely with multi-disciplinary teams to complete research analysis on the performance, failure, and recovery of materials, components, structures, systems, or communities before and after natural disasters or human-initiated events, such as collapses or disasters from storms, fires, and earthquakes. Experience includes analyzing pre- and post-event phases and encompasses resilience planning and recovery within the research.
OR
Master's or equivalent graduate degree.
OR
Combination of specialized experience and graduate level education.
ZP-0150-IV: 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: Working closely with and leading multi-disciplinary teams to conduct peer-reviewed research on the performance, failure, and recovery of materials, components, structures, systems, or communities before and after structural collapses, natural disasters, or human-initiated incidents (e.g., wind, storms, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes). Experience includes analyzing pre- and post-event phases, and encompasses resilience planning and recovery within the peer-reviewed research.
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.
This position has an education requirement. 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!
Your application package may be shared with other selecting officials at NIST for similar opportunities and additional selections may be made from this vacancy.
Click all links in this vacancy announcement to view additional information or instructions.
All documents submitted for this announcement must be legible in order to make qualification or eligibility determinations.
A probationary 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:
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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. Please be sure that your resume and supporting documents include detailed information to support your qualifications for this position. Failure to provide sufficient and/or legible evidence in your resume or supporting documents may result in a "not qualified" determination. You MUST also selected at least ONE eligibility (i.e., how you wish to be considered) in order to receive consideration for this position.
REFERRAL: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 OR ICTAP ELIGIBILITY: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must be determined eligible and rated as well-qualified to receive special selection priority. "Well Qualified" means that in addition to meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective placement factor(s), if applicable, you must receive a score of 85 or higher. Please review the following site regarding required documents to support CTAP or ICTAP eligibility and additional information regarding this authority - CTAP/ICTAP Eligibility
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
The documents required vary based on how you're applying (i.e., as a veteran or disabled veteran, current or former Federal employee, etc.). Please review the Required Documents for this position to find out if there are any documents required with your application. Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
A COMPLETE APPLICATION INCLUDES: 1) A resume, 2) vacancy question responses, and 3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, or if the documents submitted are illegible you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume by either creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Click 'Apply' and we'll walk you through a four-step process on how to attach a resume and any required documents. While working an application, you may review, edit, delete and update information. You must complete the online application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time the closing date of the announcement unless an applicant cut off has been identified (see the SUMMARY section, as appropriate). If an applicant cut off has been indicated, the announcement will close by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the date the cut off number has been met.Once your application has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
NEED HELP?
-If experiencing any difficulties with the online application process (anything after you have clicked the 'Apply Online' button): please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement between normal business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET). If receiving any kind of error message, please be ready to provide a screenshot or at a minimum, the error message text and number. If necessary, we will provide you with a technical support number for further assistance.
- If having trouble with USAJOBS (searching for jobs, account password/profile issues, or Resume Builder): please visit the USAJOBS Resource Center. We regret that we are unable to support any issues with USAJOBS, as this service is not maintained by the NIST.
- If experiencing a significant hardship which hinders your ability to apply on-line, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement prior to the vacancy closing date and during normal business hours to discuss your situation.
Materials and Structural Systems Division
100 Bureau Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
US
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
We will update applicant statuses when:
A qualification determination is made. If found not qualified/eligible, no additional updates will be provided.
Applications are referred to the selecting official.
A selection decision has been made.
Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The documents required vary based on how you're applying (i.e., as a veteran or disabled veteran, current or former Federal employee, etc.). Please review the Required Documents for this position to find out if there are any documents required with your application. Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
A COMPLETE APPLICATION INCLUDES: 1) A resume, 2) vacancy question responses, and 3) submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, or if the documents submitted are illegible you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
RESUME: All applicants are required to submit a resume by either creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. Cover letters are optional. To receive any credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please refer to the Resume Guidance on how to build an effective resume.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Click 'Apply' and we'll walk you through a four-step process on how to attach a resume and any required documents. While working an application, you may review, edit, delete and update information. You must complete the online application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time the closing date of the announcement unless an applicant cut off has been identified (see the SUMMARY section, as appropriate). If an applicant cut off has been indicated, the announcement will close by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the date the cut off number has been met.Once your application has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
NEED HELP?
-If experiencing any difficulties with the online application process (anything after you have clicked the 'Apply Online' button): please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement between normal business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET). If receiving any kind of error message, please be ready to provide a screenshot or at a minimum, the error message text and number. If necessary, we will provide you with a technical support number for further assistance.
- If having trouble with USAJOBS (searching for jobs, account password/profile issues, or Resume Builder): please visit the USAJOBS Resource Center. We regret that we are unable to support any issues with USAJOBS, as this service is not maintained by the NIST.
- If experiencing a significant hardship which hinders your ability to apply on-line, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this announcement prior to the vacancy closing date and during normal business hours to discuss your situation.
Materials and Structural Systems Division
100 Bureau Drive
Gaithersburg, MD 20899
US
Next steps
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
We will update applicant statuses when:
A qualification determination is made. If found not qualified/eligible, no additional updates will be provided.
Applications are referred to the selecting official.
A selection decision has been made.
Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
