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Program Director, Biological Oceanography

Employer
National Science Foundation
Location
Alexandria, Virginia (US)
Salary
$160,889 - $206,279 per year
Closing date
Apr 20, 2023

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Discipline
Biogeosciences, Ocean Science
Career Level
Experienced
Education Level
PhD
Job Type
Full-time
Relocation Cost
Negotiable
Sector Type
Government

The Biological Oceanography Program within the Division of Ocean Sciences (OCE) in the Directorate of Geosciences (GEO), U.S. National Science Foundation, announces a nationwide search for a Program Director with experience and expertise in any area of biological oceanography or marine ecology. The program encourages applicants from groups traditionally underrepresented in science. Applications are due April 20. Please see https://www.usajobs.gov/job/714011000 for more information. For more information you may contact Sean Kennan at skennan@nsf.gov

Duties

NSF Program Directors bear the primary responsibility for carrying out the agency's overall mission to support innovative and merit-reviewed activities in basic research and education that contribute to the nation's technical strength, security, and welfare.  To fulfill this responsibility requires not only knowledge in the appropriate disciplines, but also a commitment to high standards, a considerable breadth of interest and receptivity to new ideas, a strong sense of fairness, good judgment, and a high degree of personal integrity.

This Program Director will work in a small team of Program Directors who collectively manage the Biological Oceanography Program. The Biological Oceanography Program supports fundamental research in biological oceanography and marine ecology. This is broadly defined as relationships among aquatic organisms and their interactions with the environments of the oceans or Great Lakes.

The responsibilities of the NSF Program Director include, for example, long-range planning and budget development for the program, the administration of the merit review process and proposal recommendations, the preparation of press releases, feature articles and material describing advances in the research supported, and coordination and liaison with other programs in NSF, other Federal agencies and organizations.  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.

Requirements Conditions of Employment

  • Background investigation may be required.
  • 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 (Foreign Talent Definitions). 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.

Applicant may be required to complete a background security investigation before being 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 represented by AFGE Local 3403. 

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

Qualifications

Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Oceanography or Ecology, with an emphasis on Biological Oceanography or Marine Ecology or a 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. You must identify the date that your degree was obtained.

This position is outside the competitive civil service.

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

Additional information

Relocation expenses MAY be paid contingent upon the availability of funds

This announcement is open to All US Citizens 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.

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. Opens in a new windowLearn 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

 

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.

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

  1. Knowledge and understanding of scientific principles and theories applicable to disciplines of biological oceanography and/or marine ecology as demonstrated by publications, invited talks, and/or professional recognition.
  2. Ability to manage and externally reviewed proposal driven grants program, allocating resources to meet a spectrum of program goals.
  3. Professional analytical and technical writing skills which demonstrate experience in presentation on inquiry into a wide variety of significant issues related to the ocean sciences community and the ability to make recommendations and decisions based on finding.
  4. Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with members of the Geosciences community, representatives of other federal agencies, foreign national programs and peers to effectively present, advocate and advance program policies, plans and goals.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

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. This also applies to individuals considered for Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignments to NSF. 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.

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.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.

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) 292-5090 for assistance.

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

 

Agency contact information

 Anja Lindsley Phone

703-292-4396

TDD

703-292-5090

Email

alindsle@nsf.gov

Address

 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
4215 Eisenhower Ave
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
United States

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