This position is part of the Department of Defense, Defense Threat Reduction Agency. The incumbent serves as a Scientific Advisor to the assigned Technical Support Group Chief in the Contingency Operations Department and provides scientific and technical expertise to prevent, protect from, respond to, and recover from chemical and biological (C/B) threats or incidents.

Duties

This position is being filled under the memorandum from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) "Expansion of Direct Hire Authority for Certain Personnel of the Department of Defense," dated 6/23/2023. As a Interdisciplinary Physical Scientist/Chemist/Biologist at the GS-0401/1301/1320-12/13 some of your typical work assignments may include: Participate as a member of the Technical Support Group (TSG) to deploy in support of Combatant Commander and other federal D/As in C/B emergency response events and training. Provide authoritative advice and recommendations, as a recognized expert in C/B weapons and detection, on chemical/biological operational and S&T programs. Provide on-site training, operational, scientific, and technical support to command sponsored technical training and exercises and other Joint Chief of Staff/theater sponsored exercises. Serve as the DTRA focal point for providing program planning, review, and oversight of specific short duration R&D programs related to chemical/biological (C/B) matters. Integrates requirements for the support of chemical/biological event response into the DTRA Operations Center, Department of Defense (DoD) point of contacts for implementation of crisis action/emergency response within the C/B area.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation. Must be able to obtain and maintain a TOP SECURITY/SCI security clearance.
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• Work Schedule: Full Time
• Overtime: Occasionally. Overtime/compensatory time may be required to accommodate operational needs of the organization. Must be willing to work overtime during exercise play and real-world crisis.
• Tour of Duty: Flexible
• Recruitment Incentives: Authorized, https://www.dtra.mil/Careers-Opportunities/DTRA-Opportunities/
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): GS-12: Non-Exempt; GS-13: Exempt
• Financial Disclosure: Not Required
• Telework Eligibility: This position is telework eligible
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Authorized
• Must consent to and pass pre-employment drug testing and be subject to periodic random drug testing thereafter.
• Must be willing to spend up to (but not limited to) 90 days annually in temporary duty travel, sometimes on short notice, in the United States and foreign countries.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical prior to entry onto duty and annual deployment physical exams. Must meet the physical and medical requirements for deployment before and throughout employment.
• Must be capable of lifting and carrying for short distances, loads up to 50 pounds, standing for long periods (8 hours), and be able to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including body armor and a protective mask.
• May be exposed to CBRN and hostile enemy threats. May be required to participate in the DoD Immunization Program. The work may require long hours in a field environment and under austere conditions.

Qualifications

There is both a Qualifications requirement (Part 1) and Education requirement (Part 2). 1. Qualifications requirement You may qualify at the GS 13, if you fulfill the following qualifications: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service as listed below: Experience providing scientific and technical expertise to identify, detect, prevent, protect from, respond to, and recover from small and/or large scale Chemical and Biological threats or incidents. Experience providing expertise regarding emergency response and program capabilities, including experience in the use of and application of (C/B) detectors and detection theory to characterize C/B threat agents and optimize C/B response training exercises, and incidents. Experience identifying C/B technological and threat trends, as a means to provide authoritative advice and recommendations to a response organization, leadership, units, in regards to C/B site exploitation planning and execution. You may qualify at the GS 12, if you fulfill the following qualifications: A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service as listed below: Experience providing scientific and technical advice to identify, prevent, protect from, respond to, and recover from small and/or large scale Chemical and Biological (C/B) threats or incidents. Experience providing insight regarding emergency response and program capabilities, including experience in the use of and application of (C/B) detectors and detection theory to characterize C/B threat agents and optimize C/B response training, exercises, and incidents. Experience identifying C/B technological trends, as a means to provide recommendations to a response organization, leadership, units, in regards to C/B site exploitation planning and execution. 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. 2. Education requirement In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 0401/1301/1320, series as listed below: A. Physical Scientist (1301) series: Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics; OR, Combination of education and experience: Education equivalent to one of the majors shown in 'Degree' statement above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. B. Chemist (1320) series: Degree: Physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics; OR, Combination of education and experience: Course work equivalent to a major as shown in 'Degree' statement above, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education. C. Biologist (0401) series: Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position; OR, Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in 'Degree' statement above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Additional Information: We are seeking a candidate preferably with a strong academic background in Chemistry, Biochemistry or Chemical engineering, such as might be attained via a Ph.D. degree program, and past experience in Chemical/Biological (C/B) field detection, especially related to C/B WMDs. The candidate should be able to analyze C/B threats and related detection problems in order to provide operational, scientific and policy solutions to the Contingency Operations Department and supported units. The candidate's background in C/B detection development and detection theory should accompany the ability to effectively communicate and instruct both technical and non-technical audiences, from the individual to the senior official level, in conducting effective C/B search operations. The prospective candidate should have experience in the interpretation of both detection and spectroscopic C/B data, and the operational recommendations that would accompany data analysis and interpretation. The focus of this position is not research, but instead is training, advising and assisting of tactical units while deployed into a wide variety of environments.

Education

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

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims.

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Contacts

• Address Defense Threat Reduction Agency 8725 JOHN J KINGMAN ROAD MSC 6201 FT BELVOIR, VA 22060-6201 US
• Name: DTRA HR
• Phone: 6146920259
• Email: [email protected]