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Operations Research Analyst

Department of Defense
Missile Defense Agency
Director for Test 716000

Summary

Salary Ranges are the following unless statutory/regulatory rates prevail.
For the Redstone Arsenal, AL Location: $93,216 to $144,102 (includes 21.91% locality).
For the Colorado Springs, CO Location: $91,870 to $142,022 (includes 20.15% locality).

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$91,870 - $144,102 per year
Pay scale & grade
NH 3
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Up to 25% travel - You will be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Secret
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
MDA-27-13111198-DH
Control number
892556800

Duties

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This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Acq Demo Business and Technical Management to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.


As an Operations Research Analyst at the NH-1515-3 broadband level, some of your typical work assignments may include:

Serve as a Mission Execution Team (MET) Test Director or Training Test Director (TrTD) for the MET for complex mission defense flight tests. The duties are:

MET Test Director:

  • Coordinating, integrating and synchronizing all activities necessary to plan and execute complex flight test
    events with multiple targets and/or multiple Missile Defense systems under test. Assisting Mission Directors
    in planning and Mission Test Directors in executing Flight Tests by establishing and optimizing priorities,
    and directing planning, readiness and/or execution activities of Missile Defense System test events in
    accordance with approved Test Policy and Concept of Operations.
  • Supporting multi-disciplined teams in Flight Test planning and execution, and providing direction to those teams during all phases of the Flight Test Concept of Operations. Authoring critical test documentation, developing courses of action, and briefing detailed technical rationale to Senior Executive decision forums for approval.
Training Test Director:
  • Support Training team to analyze mission execution documentation to develop off nominal situations to be executed during training sessions leading up to Dry Run, Dress Rehearsal and execution.
  • Analyze MET documentation to build off -nominal training scenarios required to certify the Mission Execution Team (MET).
  • Serve as classroom instructor for various test related topics relevant Missile Defense Agency testing.
  • Evaluate and assist test personnel adjudication of Lessons Learned for each flight test.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen
  • Occasional Travel
  • Work Schedule: Full-time
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Overtime: Occasionally
  • Tour of Duty: Maxi Flex
  • Recruitment Incentives: None
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
  • Financial Disclosure: Not Required
  • Telework Eligibility: This position is situational telework eligible.
  • This position is subject to an initial drug screening, and random testing thereafter. You may be required to sign a “Drug Test Statement of Understanding” if you are selected for this position.
  • Employee must obtain/maintain Non-Critical Sensitive/Secret security clearance.
  • This is an acquisition position coded Practitioner in Test and Evaluation. Incumbent must obtain mandatory Back-to-Basics (BtB) certification within 60 months of entry into position.
  • Incumbent must acquire 80 Continuous Learning Points every 24 months.

Qualifications

You may qualify at the NH NH-03 Broadband Level, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the NH 02/GS 11 grade level in the Federal service as listed below and must meet 2 of 3 specialized experience listed below to be qualified:

  • Assisting with the planning and/or execution of complex weapon system testing, including generating or modifying test plans, contributing to a test execution team, and/or analyzing test data.
  • Aiding with the integration of weapon systems by working with multiple agencies or directorates/divisions to ensure that various systems connect seamlessly.
  • Supporting the development of test concepts, policies and/or standards to support weapon system verification, validation, and/or accreditation.
In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 1515, series as listed below:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1500/operations-research-series-1515/

Degree: in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.

Evaluation of Education:

The primary requirement of operations research work is competence in the rigorous methods of scientific inquiry and analysis rather than in the subject matter of the problem. Therefore, applicants should have sufficient knowledge of applied mathematics to understand and use the fundamental concepts and techniques of operations research methods of analysis. In addition, some positions may require knowledge of a specific subject area.

Courses acceptable for qualifying for operations research positions may have been taken in departments other than Operations Research, e.g., Engineering (usually Industrial Engineering), Science, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, or Management Science.

The following are illustrative of acceptable courses: optimization; mathematical modeling; queueing theory; engineering; physics (except descriptive or survey courses); econometrics; psychometrics; biometrics; experimental psychology; physical chemistry; industrial process analysis; managerial economics; computer science; measurement for management; mathematical models in social phenomena; and courses that involved application of operations research techniques and methodologies to problems of management, marketing, systems design, and other specialized fields; or other comparable quantitative analysis courses for which college-level mathematics or statistics is a prerequisite. Courses in theory of probability and statistics are highly desirable, but are not specified as minimum educational requirements because to do so would possibly exclude some applicants who would otherwise be well qualified.

NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

Additional information

ACQUISITION POSITION: This position requires Acquisition Workforce Level Practitioner in Test and Evaluation Certification prior to hiring is not essential but must be accomplished within 60 months after entry into this position.

  • DAWIA (Back to Basics) Certification: NON-CAP: Position requires DoD Acquisition Test and Evaluation, practitioner certification. Certification prior to hiring is not essential but must be accomplished within 24 months after entry into this position. Selectee must also achieve 80 hours of Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) every 2-years. Click here for more details and Resources

RE-EMPLOYED ANNUITANT: This position DOES NOT meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf.

All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement.

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Who Needs to Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov))

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.

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. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Competencies:


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.

For information on entitlement see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx

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.

Appointment of Department of Defense Spouses (NonComp Civ Sp): Are you the spouse of a current Department of Defense, Department of State, or intelligence community employee who is being transferred in the interest of the Government from one official station within the Department to another within the Department for permanent duty? Supporting Documentation: You are required to submit proof of marriage AND permanent change of station (PCS) orders: spouse's PCS orders (showing you as a dependent) and/or copy of marriage certificate. If you are a current or previous Federal employee, please include your most recent SF-50.

Missile Defense Agency

Do you enjoy challenges and seek opportunities?
Are identifying problems, analyzing facts, and making recommendations some of your strong suits?
Would you like to obtain the rare opportunity to participate in some of the greatest technological achievements developed?
Would you like to serve your country and defend freedom in one of the most critical efforts in history?

If you answered yes, then this job is for you! The Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) mission is to develop, test, and field an integrated, layered, ballistic missile defense system (BMDS) to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and friends against all ranges of enemy ballistic missiles in all phases of flight.

We are seeking a prepared, talented, and motivated Operations Research Analyst who seek challenges and opportunities. You will earn a competitive salary and enjoy outstanding benefits while working alongside some of the brightest, most motivated thinkers of our time.

Agency contact information

MDA Servicing Team
Phone
614-693-1299
Fax
6146931696
Email
DHRC-DMDAHR@DLA.MIL
Address
Missile Defense Agency
Bldg 5222 Martin Rd
Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Missile Defense Agency, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.mda.mil/

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