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Physicist (Assistant Professor) - EXCEPTED SERVICE

Department of Transportation
Maritime Administration

Summary

This is a Full-Time Faculty Tenure-Track appointment in the Excepted Service, with an initial term not-to exceed 06/2029. Reappointments to additional one or two year terms are possible. If Tenure is achieved (after four to six years), employment will be made permanent, provided a satisfactory performance appraisal is received annually.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—This position may be eligible for situational telework. Telework approval will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$85,746 - $126,592 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 00
Promotion potential
00
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Term - Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
Yes - This is a Bargaining unit position represented by AFGE, local 3732.
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
MARAD.MMA-2027-0015
Control number
892129600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. Citizen. This position is in the Excepted Service. For information on the Excepted Service, please visit: Excepted Service Appointing Authorities@ https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/federal-employees#excepted-service

Duties

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As a Physicist (Assistant Professor), you will:

  • Be responsible for the development and conduct of educational courses and programs within the department, in particular teaching courses in Physics.
  • Be responsible for conducting research, instruction and academic counseling of Midshipmen and assuming a share of departmental and other academic responsibilities. 

The Ideal Candidate for this position is a highly motivated and experienced professional possessing a Doctorate degree in Physics and experience teaching freshman-level, calculus-based undergraduate physics courses. 

Highly Desirable: Experience with computer programing and computer languages such as Python, “or equivalent” example: Adjunct work at a college campus, temporary replacement. Can be accumulated multiple years as faculty at various institutions. Either as a total of 10 months of work (like most schools) or a minimum of 4, 3 credit courses.  

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • This is an Excepted Service position.
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
  • Required documents must be submitted by the closing date.
  • Be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • TRIAL PERIOD: This is an Excepted Service position. This job will be filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive service. Applicants selected for an excepted service position may be subject to a two-year trial period.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance the organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your 2 year trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the education and specialized experience requirements.

To qualify for the Physics (Assistant Professor)on Experience, you must have:

  • Experience teaching freshman-level, calculus-based Physics courses in a college or university, other that as part of a teaching assistantship. Experience in experimental and nuclear physics is preferred. 

You cannot qualify for this position on Education alone, you must have experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

  • Computer Skills: Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplished work. 
  • Customer Service: Anticipates and meets the needs of both internal and external customers.  Delivers high-quality products and services; is committed to continuous improvement.
  • Developing Others: Develops the ability of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing feedback and by providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal. 
  • Education and Training: Knowledge of teaching, training, research, making presentations, lecturing, testing, and other instructional methods.  

For all types of consideration, 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.

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/employment-faq/federal-hiring/how-do-i-apply-for-federal-jobs/

Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.

Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

  1. Degree: Physics; or related degree that included at least 24 semester hours in physics.

    or

  2. Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in physics totaling at least 24 semester hours, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

In either A or B above, the courses must have included a fundamental course in general physics and, in addition, courses in any two of the following: electricity and magnetism, heat, light, mechanics, modern physics, and sound.

Additional information

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations 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 the Department of Transportation by email at, FairChanceAct@dot.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: The Fair Chance to Compete Act | US Department of Transportation

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.

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.

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: Please be clear and specific when describing your experience, as HR evaluates applications strictly on the facts provided and will not make assumptions. To receive full credit, your narrative responses must be written in paragraph format and explicitly match your resume. Begin each response by listing the exact position title, organization, employment dates (MM/YYYY–MM/YYYY), full- or part-time status, average weekly hours, and federal series/grade (if applicable). Within the body of the paragraph, clearly describe your specific duties, actions taken, tools used, and measurable outcomes. HR will cross-check these details against your resume; if your resume does not fully support every claim and timeframe, the experience will not be considered for credit, which may result in an ineligible determination.

For this announcement, all applicants will be reviewed to determine if they meet the basic qualifications for this position, specifically the educational and specialized experience requirements.

Applicants will not be rated or ranked.

All applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.


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Maritime Administration

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is focused on what matters most: prioritizing the safety of our transportation systems, modernizing our aging infrastructure, unleashing American innovation, and maximizing efficiency by removing bureaucratic red tape. We are looking for mission-driven professionals ready to deliver real results with discipline, urgency, and accountability to support American families, workers, and businesses.

As we usher in a Golden Age of Transportation, DOT values a results-oriented, high-performing workforce dedicated to continuous improvement, operational excellence, and a safe, collaborative environment. If you want to build big, beautiful infrastructure, scale transformative technologies, and achieve results that will serve our nation for generations to come, please consider joining the DOT family.

Did You Know? The Department of Transportation is consistently ranked as one of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government!

Agency contact information

Automated Staffing Office
Phone
000-000-0000
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
TRANSJOBS@dot.gov
Address
DOT, MARITIME ADMINISTRATION
Submit Application and Documents Online
1200 New Jersey Ave SE / HAHR - 50
Washington, District of Columbia 20590
United States

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