SCIENTIST

Duties

• You will be responsible for planning, executing, and delivering complex computational, software engineering, and software integration efforts.
• You will apply comprehensive knowledge of advanced computer science theories, modern software development lifecycles (DevSecOps, Agile), systems architecture principles, and cyber resilience to support NSWC PCD mission areas.
• You will cultivate active working relationships across technical departments (e.g. naval warfare analysis, mechanical systems, expeditionary systems) to foster seamless interdisciplinary system development.
• You will establish rigorous development milestones and automated metrics tracking, take ownership of project setbacks or technical difficulties, and promptly implement corrective action plans.
• You will anticipate operational vulnerabilities and edge-case failure modes.
• You will explain sophisticated computational algorithms, edge-computing trade-offs, and software risk postures clearly to non-software engineers and naval leadership.
• You will write authoritative technical white papers, root-cause investigative analysis, and executive level summaries.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Must be a US Citizen.
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
• Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
• New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
• Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
• This position is covered under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA). Certification in the Functional Area and Tier assigned to the position, along with Continuous Learning (CL) points, are required within established timeframes.
• This position may require travel from normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS and may include remote or isolated sites. You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time.
• FOR ND-02/03: This is a Cyberspace Workforce position, work role code 661, proficiency level Basic the incumbent is required to obtain and maintain qualifications in DoDM 8140.03 Cyber Workforce Qualification and Department of Navy policies.
• FOR ND-04: This is a Cyberspace Workforce position, work role code 661, proficiency level Intermediate the incumbent is required to obtain and maintain qualifications in DoDM 8140.03 Cyber Workforce Qualification and Department of Navy policies.

Qualifications

In addition to the OPM Basic Education requirement:

FOR THE ND-04: Your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the ND-03 (GS-09/11 equivalent) pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector as a professional scientist conducting design, development, test & evaluation, integration, or in-service sustainment of system software. Examples of specialized experience may include: 1) Designing, developing, and deploying prototype software for next-generation naval systems, including robotics, unmanned platforms (UxS), and additive manufacturing, utilizing agile methodologies to rapidly iterate on solutions in response to warfighter feedback and evolving mission requirements; 2) Integrating and testing software with a diverse range of hardware components, from custom-built sensors and actuators to commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) systems, ensuring seamless communication and functionality across the entire technology stack; 3) Creating and managing simulation environments and digital twins to model system behavior, validating software performance, and accelerating development cycles, allowing for rigorous testing before deployment on physical assets; 4) Collaborating with cross-functional teams of military personnel, engineers, and project managers to translate operational needs into technical specifications, and effectively communicating progress and technical details to both technical and non-technical stakeholders; 5) Implementing robust cybersecurity measures throughout the development process, including secure coding practices and vulnerability assessments, to protect prototype systems from cyber threats in accordance with Department of War (DoW) standards; or 6) Providing technical support during testing/demonstrations and fielding of prototype systems, and troubleshooting issues in real-time to ensure successful operational validation in realistic naval environments.

FOR THE ND-03: Your resume must also demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the ND-02 (GS-05/08 equivalent) pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector as a professional scientist applying fundamental computer science theories, algorithmic design principles, or modern software development methods. Examples of specialized experience may include: 1) Working with moderate independence to plan and execute technical software assignments of basic to intermediate scope and complexity; 2) Performing work developing software components, implementing algorithm modules, conducting software-hardware integration, or establishing test routines.

FOR THE ND-02: Your resume must demonstrate that you meet the basic education requirement for this position as specified in the Education section of this announcement.

Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1500/computer-science-series-1550/

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (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.

Education

FOR THE 1550 - Computer Science Series: A degree in computer science or degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours were in a combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus.

The following education may be substituted for specialized experience as follows:

FOR THE ND-03:
Successful completion of a master's or equivalent graduate degree.
or
Successful completion of two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree.
or
Successful completion of an LL.B. or J.D. that is related to the position being filled.
or
A combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above that equates to one year of experience.

Additional information

You will serve as a Scientist at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) PANAMA CITY DIVISION.

This position is part of the Warfare Centers Personnel Demonstration Project.
ND-02 is equivalent to GS-05/08
ND-03 is equivalent to GS-09/11
ND-04 is equivalent to GS-12/13

This position is covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program.

Several vacancies may be filled.

A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.

Federal annuitant information: The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants. Policy information may be found at: .

Veteran's preference does not apply when selecting individuals under this specific hiring authority. However, if you claim veteran's preference, you will be required to submit supporting documentation with your application as described in the Required Documents section below.

This announcement uses the STRL-Bachelor's Degree and STRL-Advanced Degree direct hire authorities to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

Vacancies filled from this announcement may be filled at any grade level listed.

If selected below the full performance level, you may be noncompetitively promoted to the next higher grade level after meeting all regulatory requirements, and upon the recommendation of management. Promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

Certain incentives (such as Recruitment, Relocation or Student Loan Repayment) may be authorized to eligible selectees.

A relocation incentive is generally a single payment intended to offset some of the relocation costs experienced by the selectee. A relocation incentive may be authorized.