This position is part of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The incumbent will be serving as a Scientific Advisor to the assigned Technical Support Group Chief in the Contingency Operations Department and provides scientific and technical expertise to DoD, National Security Staff, and other senior officials to prevent, protect from, respond to, and recover from chemical and biological (C/B) threats or incidents.
Summary
This position is part of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The incumbent will be serving as a Scientific Advisor to the assigned Technical Support Group Chief in the Contingency Operations Department and provides scientific and technical expertise to DoD, National Security Staff, and other senior officials to prevent, protect from, respond to, and recover from chemical and biological (C/B) threats or incidents.
Yes—This position is an in-person position at facilities located at Pearl City, Hawaii. This position may be eligible for limited, situational telework subject to supervisory approval and not to exceed current Agency guidelines. This position is not eligible for remote telework.
Travel Required
25% or less - 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.
This announcement is open to All U.S. Citizens, and is being filled under the Direct Hire Authority (DHA) for Certain Personnel of the Department of Defense.
This position is being filled under the memorandum from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) "Expansion of Direct Hire Authority for Certain Personnel of the Department of Defense," dated October 15, 2021.
As a Interdisciplinary Physical Scientist-Chemist-Biologist at the GS-0401/1301/1320-12/13 some of your typical work assignments may include:
Participate as a member of the Technical Support Group (TSG) to deploy in support of Combatant Commander and other federal Departments/Agencies in C/B emergency response events and training.
Provide authoritative advice and recommendations, as a recognized expert in C/B weapons and detection, on chemical/biological operational and S&T programs.
Provide on-site training, operational, scientific, and technical support to command sponsored technical training and exercises and other Joint Chief of Staff/theater sponsored exercises.
Serve as the DTRA focal point for providing program planning, review, and oversight of specific short duration R&D programs related to chemical/biological (C/B) matters.
Integrates requirements for the support of chemical/biological event response into the DTRA Operations Center, Department of Defense (DoD) point of contacts for implementation of crisis action/emergency response within the C/B area.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
Suitable for Federal employment determined by background investigation. Must be able to obtain and maintain a TOP SECURITY/SCI security clearance.
Work Schedule: Fulltime
Overtime: Overtime/compensatory time may be required to accommodate operational needs of the organization. Must be willing to work overtime during exercise play and real-world crisis.
Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized, https://www.dtra.mil/Careers-Opportunities/DTRA-Opportunities/
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Non-Exempt;
Financial Disclosure: Not Required
Telework Eligibility: This position may be eligible for limited, situational telework subject to supervisory approval and not to exceed current Agency guidelines. This position is not eligible for remote telework.
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Non-Exempt
Financial Disclosure: Not Required
Telework Eligibility: This position may be eligible for limited, situational telework subject to supervisory approval and not to exceed current Agency guidelines. This position is not eligible for remote telework.
Must be able to pass a pre-employment drug test screening and pass subsequent periodic random drug testing. Multiple failures to pass periodic drug testing will result in termination from federal service.
Must be willing to spend up to (but not limited to) 90 days annually in temporary duty travel, sometimes on short notice, in the United States and foreign countries.
This position is Emergency-Essential (E-E).
This position authorizes the incumbent to carry a firearm.
Must pass a pre-employment physical prior to entry onto duty and annual deployment physical exams. Must meet the physical and medical requirements for deployment before and throughout employment.
Must be capable of lifting and carrying for short distances, loads up to 50 pounds, standing for long periods (8 hours), and be able to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including body armor and a protective mask.
May be exposed to CBRN and hostile enemy threats. May be required to participate in the DoD Immunization Program. The work may require long hours in a field environment and under austere conditions.
Qualifications
You may qualify at the GS-12, if you fulfill the following qualifications:
A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service as listed below:
Providing scientific and technical expertise to identify, prevent, protect from, respond to, and recover from small and/or large scale Chemical and Biological (C/B) threats or incidents;
Providing guidance regarding emergency response and program capabilities, including experience in the use of and application of (C/B) detectors and detection theory to characterize C/B threat agents and optimize C/B response training, exercises, and incidents;
and Identifying C/B technological trends, to provide recommendations to a response organization, leadership, units, regarding C/B site exploitation planning and execution (Experience must be clearly demonstrated in your resume.)
You may qualify at the GS-13, if you fulfill the following qualifications:
A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service as listed below:
Leading the coordination, analysis, and integration of conflicting activities and developing technical and programmatic strategies in a Science and Technology business area of emphasis;
Providing scientific and technical expertise to senior officials and crisis response leaders to identify, prevent, protect from, respond to, and recover from small and/or large-scale Chemical and Biological (C/B) threats or incidents.
Providing advice on a rapid basis even in the absence of complete information;
Providing expert advice, without supervision, regarding emergency response and program capabilities, including experience in the use of and application of C/B detectors and detection theory to characterize C/B threat agents and optimize C/B response training, exercises, and incidents;
and Identifying C/B technological and threat trends, to provide authoritative advice and recommendations to a response organization, leadership, units, regarding C/B site exploitation planning and execution. (Experience must be clearly demonstrated in your resume.)
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.
In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 1301 seriesas listed below:
Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics
Or Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in Degree above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 0401 seriesas listed below:
Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 1320 seriesas listed below:
Degree: physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics.
OR Combination of education and experience -- course work equivalent to a major as shown in A above, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Education
Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.
This position is Emergency-Essential (E-E). In the event of a crisis situation, the incumbent, or designated alternate, must continue to perform the E-E duties until relieved by proper authority. The incumbent or the designated alternate may be required to take part in readiness exercises. The position cannot be vacated during a national emergency or mobilization without seriously impairing the capability of the organization to function effectively; therefore, the position is designated "key" which requires the incumbent, or designated alternate, to be screened from military recall status.
This position authorizes the incumbent to carry a firearm. Any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence cannot lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition (Title 18, U.S.C., Section 922 (g) (91). Candidates who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence are not qualified for this position. Candidates under consideration will be required to certify whether they have ever been convicted of such an offense. False or fraudulent information provided by candidates is criminally punishable by fine or imprisonment (Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1001).
Incumbent must be able to qualify with a pistol according to U. S. Army standards.
Subject to rotational assignments to locations in the U.S. and to locations outside the continental U.S.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid passport.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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 and supporting documents, to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and evaluate your relevant work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, identified below, required for this position.
Traditional rating and ranking of applications does not apply to this vacancy. Your application (resume and supporting documentation) will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required as listed on the announcement under qualification requirements.
Veterans 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.
Appointment of Military Spouses (5 CFR 315.612) (NonComp Mil Sp): To receive this preference, you must choose to apply using the " Appointment of Military Spouses (5 CFR 315.612) (NonComp Mil Sp)" eligibility. If you are claiming Military Spouse eligibility and are determined to be Well Qualified (score of 85 or above) for the position, you will be referred to the hiring manager. Information and required documentation for claiming Military Spouse eligibility may be found at the General Applicant Information and Definitions link below.
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 you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc.). Your complete application includes your COMPLETE resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
The following documents are REQUIRED
1. Your resume:
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement. The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position. Must include the work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. If multiple resumes are submitted by an applicant, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed for qualifications and referred for selection consideration, if eligible. The resume must not be more than 5MB and should be saved and uploaded as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. Page margins should be 0.5 inches, and font styles must be legible. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text. We recommend using a font like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans.
Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.
2. Transcripts:
This position has a degree or education requirement for the Physical Scientist 1301 series so you are required to submit a copy of your transcript.
College transcript (s), required if qualifying based on education. We accept unofficial transcripts, as long as they contain your name, the name of the school, the date and degree that was awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned.
3. SF50
All current and former civilian Federal employees must submit a copy of your MOST RECENT SF50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, salary, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation, i.e., Transcript of Service, Form 1150, etc. This is also a requirement to verify your Time in Grade (TIG).
4. Veteran's Documents:
If applying using veteran's preference or under a Veteran's hiring authority you must submit the following documents: DD214 showing character of service, SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty.
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. NOTE: Resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://www.usajobs.gov, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
8725 JOHN J KINGMAN ROAD
MSC 6201
FT BELVOIR, VA 22060-6201
US
Next steps
A list of qualified applicants will be created and sent to the selecting official. All applicants reviewed and/or referred will receive a notification letter.
The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews, and once the selection is made, you will receive a notification of the decision.
REGARDING INTERVIEWS: Interviews may be required for this position. Accommodations may be made to conduct telephonic interviews to preclude travel hardships for applicants.
NOTE: Declining to be interviewed or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a declination for further consideration for employment against this vacancy.
This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc.). Your complete application includes your COMPLETE resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
The following documents are REQUIRED
1. Your resume:
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement. The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position. Must include the work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. If multiple resumes are submitted by an applicant, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed for qualifications and referred for selection consideration, if eligible. The resume must not be more than 5MB and should be saved and uploaded as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. Page margins should be 0.5 inches, and font styles must be legible. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text. We recommend using a font like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans.
Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.
2. Transcripts:
This position has a degree or education requirement for the Physical Scientist 1301 series so you are required to submit a copy of your transcript.
College transcript (s), required if qualifying based on education. We accept unofficial transcripts, as long as they contain your name, the name of the school, the date and degree that was awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned.
3. SF50
All current and former civilian Federal employees must submit a copy of your MOST RECENT SF50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, salary, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation, i.e., Transcript of Service, Form 1150, etc. This is also a requirement to verify your Time in Grade (TIG).
4. Veteran's Documents:
If applying using veteran's preference or under a Veteran's hiring authority you must submit the following documents: DD214 showing character of service, SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty.
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. NOTE: Resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://www.usajobs.gov, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
8725 JOHN J KINGMAN ROAD
MSC 6201
FT BELVOIR, VA 22060-6201
US
Next steps
A list of qualified applicants will be created and sent to the selecting official. All applicants reviewed and/or referred will receive a notification letter.
The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews, and once the selection is made, you will receive a notification of the decision.
REGARDING INTERVIEWS: Interviews may be required for this position. Accommodations may be made to conduct telephonic interviews to preclude travel hardships for applicants.
NOTE: Declining to be interviewed or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a declination for further consideration for employment against this vacancy.
This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
