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Applied Social Scientist - Mid to Experienced Level (Maryland)

Department of Defense
National Security Agency/Central Security Service

Summary

NSA has numerous excellent opportunities for Applied Social Scientists. NSA's Applied Social Scientists oversee and develop initiatives focusing on talent acquisition, development and retention. They also use social science research methods to explore and address issues around organizational and program effectiveness, develop solutions, and provide data informed recommendations to enhance the way NSA does business.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
03/16/2026 to 03/19/2026
Salary
$85,447 to - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GG 11 - 14
Location
many vacancies in the following location:
Fort Meade, MD
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
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
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
1255112
Control number
861232600

Videos

Duties

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As an Applied Social Scientist, you will work with other industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologists, strategic consultants, data scientists, and human capital professionals to oversee and develop initiatives focusing on talent acquisition, development, and retention. Applied Social Scientists use social science research methods to explore and address issues around organizational and program effectiveness. They develop solutions and provide data-informed recommendations to enhance the way NSA does business. Applied Social Scientists work across the NSA performing one or more of the following functions: pre-employment assessment and selection, development assessment, statistical and qualitative analysis of work, program evaluation, surveys and organizational effectiveness consultation.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564

Qualifications

FULL PERFORMANCE
Entry is with a Master's degree plus 1 year of experience, or a Doctoral degree and no experience.

SENIOR
Entry is with a Master's degree plus 4 years of relevant experience, or a Doctoral degree plus 2 years of relevant experience.


Education

The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position.

Degree must be in Organizational Development, I-O Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology, Educational Psychology, Applied Psychology, Sociology, Economics, or a related degree.

Additional information

Pay: Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position.

Salary Range: $85,447 - $187,093 (Full Performance - Senior)

Salary range varies by location, work level, and relevant experience to the position.

Training will be provided based on the selectee's needs and experience.

Benefits: NSA offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Work Schedule: This is a full-time position, Monday - Friday, with basic 8hr/day work requirement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (flexible).

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

PRE-EMPLOYMENT ASSESSMENT AND SELECTION
Applied Social Scientists focusing on pre-employment assessment and selection use their skills in psychometrics, assessments, and employee selection to develop assessment solutions supporting hiring at NSA. Specific activities may include:
- Lead and conduct projects developing, validating, revising, and implementing pre-employment assessments (e.g., CAT assessments, structured interviews, cognitive and non-cognitive assessments, and knowledge tests, work samples, and simulations);
- Contribute to the design and execution of job analysis studies;
- Conduct EEO analyses for selection decisions involving the use of assessments in accordance with legal guidelines and professional standards;
- Manage data sets and perform statistical analyses (e.g., descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, IRT, Classical Test Theory, latent variable modeling, scaling, equating)
- Write detailed technical reports supporting the use and interpretation of pre-employment test scores - Develop innovative assessment implementation strategies to meet the needs of hiring partners

ANALYSIS OF WORK
Applied Social Scientists focusing on the analysis of work use their skills to gather data and develop solutions supporting the Agency's occupational structure and thus providing the foundation for many talent management efforts. Specific activities may include:
- Lead the design and execution of large- and small-scale job analysis studies
- Develop and maintain libraries of task, knowledge, and skill statements,
- Develop and maintain libraries of competencies and associated behavioral indicators
- Lead the design and execution of competency modeling, assessment, and gap analysis efforts that inform employee development efforts and strategic workforce planning
- Manage data sets and perform statistical analyses (e.g., descriptive statistics, correlation, interrater reliability, latent variable modeling, cluster analysis)
- Write detailed technical reports describing the methods and results from the job analysis or competency modeling process
- Develop innovative solutions to disseminate job analysis and competency results to stakeholders

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