Geodetic Orbit Scientist with Security Clearance

Duties ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This position has a requirement for participation in shift work. Periodic evening and weekend work is required. Overnight shifts are rare, but possible. Employees are expected to be flexible to changing requirements and supportive when crisis responses require schedule changes. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) serves as the world leader in providing timely, relevant, accurate, and actionable geospatial intelligence (GEOINT). NGA's civilian, military, and contract personnel evaluate imagery, maps, charts, multiple layers of foundation data - such as terrain, elevation, and gravity - and the full spectrum of visible and invisible light in order to help users visualize what is happening at a particular place and time. Our intelligence officers go beyond describing 'what, where, and when' to revealing 'how and why.' Our work enables decision advantage for our policymakers, warfighters, intelligence professionals, and first responders. NGA uses a flexible, high mobility career model. Individuals are hired for their overall skills within a specialty such as Geodetic Orbit Scientist, and then placed in various positions throughout the agency once they complete the clearance process. Although currently advertised as a nonsupervisory, permanent, telework-ineligible job posting with occasional travel, it is unknown which specific positions will be available after applicants complete the selection and clearance process. Because of this, aspects of the job such as travel, supervisory, telework, etc. may change, depending on specific positions available at that time. It is also possible that applicants could be hired into a position with specific aspects and then change positions after serving for a period of time in that assignment. Applicants who have completed the clearance process receive final documentation about the nature of the specific position before they make the final commitment to join NGA. Duties: 1. Identify and analyze geophysical and geodetic orbit data to determine interrelationships and submit recommendations to maintain program requirements. 2. Support continuous data monitoring for GNSS systems. Will require evening and weekend support. 3. Guide research, analysis, and identification of issues by evaluating complex geophysical data sets, identifying deviations in the data, and recommending courses of action.
Additional Application Requirement: You may be asked to complete one or more assessments in addition to the application you submit on this website as part of your application to NGA. These assessments may include but are not limited to: 1) Online questionnaires or assessments that require you to describe your job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, or other characteristics that are aligned with the mandatory and desirable qualifications of this job posting. The information you provide in the application you submit must support the response you provide to this questionnaire. You will receive an email to describe any additional assessments required. Please monitor your emails and complete any required assessments as soon as possible.
This position may be eligible for a RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE: selected candidates may be offered an incentive as part of the offer of employment. To receive the incentive, selected candidates must be eligible under 5 CFR Part 575, Subpart A, upon issuance of the Final Offer Letter. Changes in federal employment status prior to issuance of the Final Offer Letter may affect eligibility. To receive the incentive, selected candidates will be required to sign a service agreement to stay within the position at NGA for the agreed upon time. If the service agreement is terminated before its completion, the employee may be required to repay a pro rata share amount of the incentive to the government. Additional information regarding recruitment incentives for current federal employees can be found in DoDI 1400.25, Volume 2006. Requirements Conditions of Employment * Security Investigation SPECIAL INFO:
As a condition of employment at NGA, persons being considered for employment must meet NGA fitness for employment standards. - U.S. Citizenship Required - Security Clearance (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information) - Polygraph Test Required - Position Subject to Drug Testing - Two Year Probationary Period - Direct Deposit Required SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
You must be able to obtain and retain a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information. In addition, you are subject to a Counterintelligence Polygraph examination in order to maintain access to Top Secret information. All employees are subject to a periodic examination on a random basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Refusal to take the examination may result in denial of access to Top Secret information, SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs. Employees with SCI access and who are under NGA cognizance are required to submit a Security Financial Disclosure Report, SF-714, on an annual basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Failure to comply may negatively impact continued access to Top Secret information, Information Systems, SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs. NGA utilizes all processes and procedures of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). Non-executive NGA employees are assigned to five distinct pay bands based on the type and scope of work performed. The employee's base salary is established within their assigned pay band based on their unique qualifications. A performance pay process is conducted each year to determine a potential base pay salary increase and/or bonus. An employee's annual performance evaluation is a key factor in the performance pay process. Employees on term or temporary appointments are not eligible to apply for internal assignment opportunity notices. This position is a DCIPS position in the Excepted Service under 10 U.S.C. 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to preference eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are an external applicant claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must self-identify your eligibility. Qualifications MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: For this particular job, applicants must meet all competencies reflected under the Mandatory Qualification Criteria to include education (if required). Online resumes must demonstrate qualification by providing specific examples and associated results, in response to the announcement's mandatory criteria specified in this vacancy announcement: 1. Demonstrated knowledge of computer and operating systems, computer networking, coding, and/or database management.
2. Proven ability to communicate ongoing work to peers and leadership through written reports or oral briefings. 3. Demonstrated knowledge of scientific or statistical analysis, especially but not exclusively, of geophysical or geodetic data.
4. Demonstrated experience working in a team environment. 5. Demonstrated ability to apply critical thinking to problem identification, analysis, and resolution of challenging issues. EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A. Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Geodesy, Mathematics, Physical Science, or a related discipline that includes at least 30 semester (45 quarter) hours of coursework in any combination of Astronomy, Computer Science, Engineering Science, Geodesy, Geology, Geomatics, Geophysics, Mathematics, Orbital Mechanics, Physical Science, Physics, Remote Sensing, or Surveying. Coursework must include differential and integral calculus. -OR- B. Combination of Education and Experience: A minimum of 30 semester (45 quarter) hours of coursework in any area listed in option A, plus experience in conducting work related to satellite operations, GPS surveying, Geodesy, Geophysics, Wide Area Network analysis, or a related field that demonstrates the ability to successfully perform the duties associated with this work. As a rule, every 30 semester (45 quarter) hours of coursework is equivalent to one year of experience. Candidates should show that their combination of education and experience totals 4 years. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT: Distinguish principal colors; Near visual acuity of 20/60 or better with or without corrective lenses DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: In addition to the mandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired: 1. Demonstrated knowledge of one or more of the following computer systems: UNIX, UNIX scripting, FORTRAN, C, C++, STK, UML, MATLAB or MATHEMATICA, Python, etc.
2. Experience performing program oversight; anchoring team activities in well-defined and traceable requirements; developing plans, schedules, risk and performance; tracking actions, identifying milestones, constructing and maintaining roadmaps, and reporting progress; previous leadership experience for integration activities and teams; experience and willingness to brief groups.
3. Experience with satellite characteristics (hardware or software), Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), WGS 84, or Precise Ephemerides calculations.
4. Demonstrated knowledge managing the integration, execution, and resourcing of programs. Additional information CAREER ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM: All Professional Work Category positions advertised at a Pay Band 2 are part of NGA's Career Advancement Program (CAP). Employees in the Career Advancement Program will be evaluated semi-annually to determine if they meet the established program requirements. If requirements are met, employees will be eligible for a salary increase. Upon meeting all program requirements, the employee is eligible to be promoted non-competitively to a Pay Band 3. This promotion completes Career Advancement Program participatio

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