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Research Psychologist

Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Coast Guard
CG R and D CENTER SUPPORT DIVISION
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This vacancy is for a GS-0180-13, Research Psychologist located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, CG R and D CENTER SUPPORT DIVISION. Duty location will be determined upon selection.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
09/20/2024 to 10/07/2024
Salary
$116,510 to - $151,467 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
New London County, CT
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
20240918-55268-DE
Control number
810605500

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to the Public

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Duties

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You will serve as a/an Research Psychologist and be responsible for serving 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

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Conditions of employment

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Key Requirements:

  1. Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  2. Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov
  3. A one-year probationary period may be required.
  4. Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation.
  5. Time in Grade requirement must be met by the closing date of the vacancy.
  6. Must provide transcripts.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience or substitution of education for experience or combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements:

EDUCATION:
major or equivalent in psychology

To qualify at the GS-13 grade level, applicants must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the federal sector. 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.

Specialized experience must include the following:

  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.

NOTE: Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level.

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. 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.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

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

Any Offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance and U.S. Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Due Weight
Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3). Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience; no points will be assigned.

E-Verify
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.

Fair Chance Act
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to Dexter.L.Greene@uscg.mil.

Suitability Statement
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, 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, fine, or imprisonment.

Shared Certificates Statement
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Special Employment Consideration
The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. 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. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Recruitment incentives may be authorized.

Transcripts must be submitted.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact Dexter.L.Greene@uscg.mil. 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 resume 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 assessment to place you in one of three categories. The necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities to perform this job are:

  • Conflict Management
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Problem Solving
  • Psychology
  • 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.
If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories:
  1. Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF) and appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) as determined by the job analysis.
  2. Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.
  3. Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.
If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. Preview the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12553888.

Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. (This position is considered scientific/professional.). Other 10-point preference eligibles and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. View information on veterans' preference.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you ha ve never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under ICTAP, you must be placed in the well-qualified category for this position, as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement.

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