Science Education Administrator (Program Director)

This job announcement can also be found on www.usajobs.gov : (Announcement number: DGE-2020-0003; Control number: 575150400)

 

Responsibilities

NSF Program Directors have an unparalleled opportunity and responsibility to ensure NSF-funded research and development activities are at the forefront of advancing fundamental knowledge. In support of that, Program Directors are responsible for extensive interaction with academic research communities, formal and informal educational organizations, industry, as well as interaction with other Federal agencies that may lead to development of interagency collaborations. Within this context, Program Directors solicit, receive and review research and education proposals, make funding recommendations, administer awards and undertake interaction with research communities in these fields. They are also responsible for service to Foundation-wide activities and initiatives that together accomplish NSF's strategic goals to 1) Expand knowledge in science, engineering, and learning, 2) Advance the capability of the Nation to meet current and future challenges, and 3) Enhance NSF’s performance of its mission. The position requires a commitment to high standards of intellectualism and ethical conduct, a considerable breadth of interest, receptivity to new ideas, a strong sense of fairness, good judgment, and a high degree of personal integrity.

Additional duties and responsibilities include:

PROGRAM PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
•    Maintains a healthy balance of support for all the needs of the research and education enterprise through program, division, directorate, Foundation, or interagency activities.

•    Manages program resources to provide optimal appropriate scientific judgment to insure integrity and consistency in the grant/declination process without conflict of interests, and with balance among appropriate sub-fields and institutions, and participation of all qualified scientists.

•    Incorporates cross-directorate responsibilities into program administration.

•    Manages an effective, timely merit review process, with attention to increasing the size and quality of the reviewer pools and insuring participation by women, minorities and disabled scientists.

•    Provides scientific expertise, evaluation and advice for other programs in NSF, including international programs, and other research programs, and cross-directorate programs.

•    Advises and assists in the development of short-and-long range plans, establishing goals and objectives for support of research programs.

•    Plans the budget for the program/programs considering past, present and future fiscal years, allocates resources within the budget by distributing scarce resources among major competitive programs, and manages post-award evaluation.

•    Controls waste, fraud and abuse.

REPRESENTATION, COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP
•    Represents the Program, Division and the Foundation within the scientific community, with other NSF Divisions, with other appropriate agencies and organizations, and with the public, accurately reflecting NSF policy and positions.

•    Creates and maintains linkages to other NSF units and other Federal agencies in pursuit of the overall NSF mission.

•    Participates in staff, panel, committee and other meetings, providing input relevant to program area and/or Division.

•    Pursues affirmative action and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) goals.

•    Pursues and/or is responsive to assignment on special projects and temporary function teams across the Foundation to solve problems, improve staff communication, and effect coordination for special programs.

•    Contributes ideas and effort to improving the quality of policies and NSF's performance of the overall mission.  

•    Develops policies and plans for strengthening support of research and education programs.

•    Provides information to the community on how NSF is pursuing its mission and gathers data and impressions from the community on the effectiveness of NSF's performance of its mission.

•    Prepares and disseminates a variety of informational documents which may include data on progress being made toward NSF goals, trends and opportunities, and budget plans.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
•    Establishes contacts and maintains active involvement in Program and related areas through participation in professional activities.

•    Maintains familiarity with salient current research developments.

•    Pursues individual research as workload and travel funds permit.

•    Expands administrative capabilities through training courses or assumption of new management.

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

04

·        Job family (Series)

1701 General Education And Training

• Requirements

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Requirements Conditions of Employment

• Background investigation.
• Selective Service registration required for male applicants, unless exempt.

It is NSF policy that NSF personnel employed at or IPAs detailed to NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign government talent recruitment programs.  Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment and referral to the Office of Inspector General. Foreign Talent Definitions

You will need to successfully complete a background security investigation before you can be appointed into this position.

All online applicants must provide a valid email address.  If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full or blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

This position is in the bargaining unit.

Please preview "Evaluations" section and "Qualifications" for additional requirements and Quality Ranking Factors.

Qualifications

Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Science, Engineering or a closely related field, plus after award of the Ph.D., six or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position.

In addition, experience in educational program management, administration and evaluation, and S&E teaching and research is preferable.

This position is outside the competitive civil service.

You must meet eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Education Additional information

Relocation expenses MAY be paid contingent upon the availability of funds.

This announcement is open to (All US Citizens OR current NSF employees) who meet citizenship and eligibility requirements.

Federal Appropriations Law requires that Non-Citizens meet certain eligibility criteria to be considered. Therefore, Non-Citizens must certify eligibility by signing and attaching this Citizenship Affidavit to their application. Non-citizens who do not provide the affidavit at the time of application will not be considered.

This announcement may be used to fill like positions in other organizations within the National Science Foundation.

NSF has determined that all of its positions are eligible for telework. Work suitable for telework depends on job duties; therefore, employees must receive approval from their supervisor for telework and have a telework agreement in place. Entering into a telework agreement is voluntary.

The Selected Candidate(s) may be subject to a background investigation.

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How You Will Be Evaluated

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

You will be evaluated on the extent and quality of your experience, expertise, education, and research activities relevant to the duties of the position.  In some cases, additional assessment processes may also be used.

We strongly encourage you to specifically address the Quality Ranking Factors below.  This will ensure that you receive full consideration in the evaluation process.

Quality Ranking Factors 

Demonstrated ability to design, plan, coordinate and manage a complex portfolio and program deliverables to achieve organizational objectives. 

Excellent organizational, teamwork, collaborative, and oral and written communication skills.

Demonstrated expertise in the transformation of STEM graduate programs, administration of STEM graduate education programs, and/or conduct of STEM education research.

Demonstrated commitment, expertise and experience in supporting research and development that contributes to broadening participation in STEM.  

Research, analytical, presentation, and technical writing skills that evidence the ability to communicate effectively with representatives from the STEM graduate education community to develop and advocate programs, policies, and plans. 

Ability to interact, on a peer basis, with senior scientific and managerial personnel throughout NSF, other Federal agencies, academia, non-profits, and the private sector. 

To preview questions please click here.

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Background checks and security clearance Security clearance

Other

Drug test required

No

Position sensitivity and risk

Moderate Risk (MR)

Trust determination process

• Required Documents

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Required Documents

All applicants must submit a resume in any format, and may also submit a cover letter.

In order to be considered for federal appointments, Non-Citizens must affirm that they meet the Appropriations Law eligibility criteria by signing and attaching this Citizenship Affidavit  to their application. Non citizens who do not provide the affidavit at the time of application will not be considered. Non Citizens who are exempt from the Appropriations Law requirements due to their status as officers or employees of the U.S. government on December 16, 2009 must provide a statement with their application noting their exemption with documentation of proof of status as officers or employees of the U.S. government on that date.

You are strongly encouraged to submit a current performance appraisal and/or letter(s) of recommendation and a supplemental statement that describes how your background relates to the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs) listed in the Qualifications and Evaluation Requirements section of this announcement.  This information will be used in the evaluation process.

We also ask that you complete and submit the Applicant Survey.  This will help NSF to ensure that our recruiting efforts are attracting a diverse candidate pool; it will be used for statistical purposes only.

You should upload your letter of recommendation(s) or the individual(s) can email the letter of recommendation(s) to adsearch@nsf.gov; please ask him/her to put your name and the job announcement number in the subject line.

Transcripts are not required; however, please indicate the year that each degree was obtained on your application materials.

All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.

• Benefits

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Benefits

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

A GREAT LOCATION! The National Science Foundation Headquarters is conveniently located across the street from the Eisenhower Avenue Metro Station, right in Alexandria, VA, a few miles from downtown Washington, DC. There are shops and restaurants within walking distance, as well as historic Old Town Alexandria a short trip away. Employees receive the Federal benefits package and NSF offers:

   Pre-tax parking
   Public transportation subsidy
   Child care subsidy
   Flexible working hours
   Telecommuting
   Physical Fitness Facility on site
   Health Services Unit on site
   Employee Assistance Program

• Help

How to Apply

Your application must be submitted online and all document uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.
You must answer all of the job-related questions to ensure full consideration for this position.  For more detailed information, please review our NSF eRecruit Applicant Guide.

WARNING! Applications submitted online must have a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full or blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
If you are unable to apply electronically, please use the Contact Information below for special instructions on how to submit your application materials. Hearing impaired individuals may call TDD (703) 292-8044 for assistance.

IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR DATE OF BIRTH ON YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.

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Agency contact information Anja Lindsley Phone

703-292-4396

TDD

703-292-8044

Email

alindsle@nsf.gov

Address

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
2415 Eisenhower Ave
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
United States

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Shortly after the announcement closes, you will be notified as to whether or not you meet the basic qualification requirements.  If you do, you will receive further consideration and evaluation.  If the position is in the bargaining unit, and your application is referred to the selecting official, you will be contacted for an interview if interviews are conducted.  Interviews for positions not in the bargaining unit may be conducted at the discretion of the selecting official.  All qualified applicants will receive final notification of the outcome of the job opportunity announcement.

You may check the status of your application at any time on the USAJOBS website.

We highly recommend that all candidates opt to receive email notifications for job status updates.

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• Fair & Transparent

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants

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Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits.

Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodations when:

• An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.
• An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.
• An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events.

You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.