The United States Space Force (USSF) Headquarters (HQ) located at the Pentagon is searching for a Futures Planning Program Specialist (NH-0343-03, GS 12/13 equivalent).
Description:
As a Futures Planning Program Specialist shaping the future of the United States Space Force, you will research emerging threats, adversary approaches, technology developments, and operational trends to deliver practical insights that inform future operating environments, force design, concepts, doctrine, and mission planning. Utilizing a diverse network of intelligence, operational, technical, Joint, allied, commercial, and interagency partners, you will synthesize complex information, coordinate wargames and experimentation, assess prototypes, and brief senior leaders. This role offers a curious, independent problem-solver the opportunity to tackle complex, cross-disciplinary challenges, build consensus, and help secure enduring space superiority.
The ideal candidate brings extensive experience in space, national security, Joint, intelligence, technical, or operational planning environments, paired with deep knowledge of Space Force mission areas and the critical relationships among space, cyber, data, intelligence, and command-and-control architectures. They possess a proven background in future force planning, concept and doctrine development, mission analysis, wargaming, experimentation, prototyping, testing, or science-and-technology activities, along with a demonstrated ability to translate complex research into polished senior-leader briefings, papers, and actionable recommendations. While no specific degree or certification is required, the candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI clearance and meet all positional suitability standards.
Key Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge of Space Force mission areas, enterprise functions, and associated operational and technical considerations, including Space Domain Awareness; Offensive and Defensive Space Operations; Positioning, Navigation, and Timing; Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance; Satellite Communications; Environmental Monitoring; Missile Warning; Space Operations; Spacelift; command and control; data transport; ground; cyber; test and training; and other cross-mission enabling capabilities. Includes knowledge of qualitative and quantitative methods used to assess and improve mission area designs, enterprise designs, operational effectiveness, technical feasibility, dependencies, gaps, seams, risks, and implementation options.
Knowledge of the National Security Space, Joint, Intelligence Community, allied and partner, commercial, and interagency enterprise, including how space capabilities enable broader military and national security missions. Includes knowledge of relationships among space, terrestrial, cyber, data, intelligence, command and control, and operational architectures sufficient to assess external dependencies, interoperability, integration requirements, and mission impacts.
Knowledge of science and technology, experimentation, prototyping, test, advanced technology demonstration, and wargaming activities, including methods for supporting development and prototype plans, assessing prototype and demonstration results, integrating wargaming insights, aligning S&T activities with Service priorities and Objective Force needs, and coordinating with research, acquisition, operational, commercial, partner, and interagency organizations.
Ability to gather, assemble, analyze, and integrate information from multiple sources; draw conclusions; develop options and recommended solutions; and package the results in briefings, papers, or reports suitable for senior leader review and decision-making.
Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, negotiate complex issues, resolve differences across diverse stakeholder groups, and maintain effective working relationships.
Employee must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret clearance with eligibility for access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).
Employee is in a designated position that requires consent and thereafter be subject to and successfully complete, an initial, periodic and random counterintelligence (CI)-scope polygraph examination as a condition of employment.
This is a drug testing designated position. The incumbent is subject to pre-employment drug testing as a condition of employment, and participation in random drug testing.
May be required to travel by military or commercial aircraft in the performance of TDY as assigned.
Incumbent may be required to work overtime on an unscheduled or emergency basis.
PCS will be paid IAW JTR and AF Regulations. If receiving an authorized PCS, you may be subject to completing/signing a CONUS agreement. More information on PCS requirements, may be found at: https://afciviliancareers.com/regulatory/.
Incentive is not authorized.
Eligible for situational telework only, including Emergency and OPM prescribed “Unscheduled Telework”.
Position will close in 5 business days or 75 applications (whichever comes first).
Depending on the type of position (competitive/excepted) you are selected for, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period.
Upon completion of your probationary/trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Incentive is not authorized.
Position will close in 5 business days or 75 applications (whichever comes first).
Qualifications
The 0343 series does not have an individual occupational requirement that must be met. You can view the experience level requirements here. Please scroll down to the 3rd section titled Administrative and Management Positions.
Additional information
Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.
Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.
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.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies as related to the series and grade of the position being filled. Final qualifications determinations will be assessed based on OPM's General Schedule Qualifications Standards found here:
Interviews: You will be contacted by e-mail and/or telephone if your application is identified as qualifying for a position being filled. An interview may be conducted. If interviewed, you will be asked to address the same knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies used to initially qualify your application for the position.
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.
Resume:You must submit a resume that may NOT exceed two pages, and the font size should not be smaller than 10 pts. You will not be considered for this vacancy if your resume exceeds two pages or is illegible/unreadable. Do NOT include photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume. If the resume you submit contains such information you will not be considered for this vacancy. Your resume must provide:
Personal information - your full name, email and mailing addresses, phone number
Education information - the name of the school and the dates you attended
Work experience - paid and unpaid work with the following information:
Job title
Detailed duties and accomplishments
Employer's name and address
Supervisor's name and phone number
Starting and ending dates (If actual dates are not known, provide your best-estimated timeframes.)
Hours per week
Salary, if applicable
Other qualifications - skills, certifications/licenses, honors, awards, special accomplishments, and job-related training courses
College Transcripts (if applicable): Please see the Education section of this announcement for detailed information about transcripts.
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.
Do not email applications. To submit your resume for this Direct Hire opportunity click here.
PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
Resume:You must submit a resume that may NOT exceed two pages, and the font size should not be smaller than 10 pts. You will not be considered for this vacancy if your resume exceeds two pages or is illegible/unreadable. Do NOT include photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume. If the resume you submit contains such information you will not be considered for this vacancy. Your resume must provide:
Personal information - your full name, email and mailing addresses, phone number
Education information - the name of the school and the dates you attended
Work experience - paid and unpaid work with the following information:
Job title
Detailed duties and accomplishments
Employer's name and address
Supervisor's name and phone number
Starting and ending dates (If actual dates are not known, provide your best-estimated timeframes.)
Hours per week
Salary, if applicable
Other qualifications - skills, certifications/licenses, honors, awards, special accomplishments, and job-related training courses
College Transcripts (if applicable): Please see the Education section of this announcement for detailed information about transcripts.
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.
Do not email applications. To submit your resume for this Direct Hire opportunity click here.
PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
