Computer Scientist

Summary

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of the Under Secretary, Office of Space Commerce (OSC), Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs with one vacancy in Washington, DC. This position is also announced under vacancy number UNSEC OSC-26-13066526-DE, which is open to all US Citizens or Nationals. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

Duties

As a Computer Scientist, you will perform the following duties: Conduct compliance activities under the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act ("the Act"), regulations issued under the Act, and conditions issued in licenses to operate private remote sensing space systems. Perform Site Compliance and Surveillance Schedules and supervise on-site inspections to observe remote ground terminal hardware and operations. Scrutinize and safeguard compliance for spacecraft and satellite command and control networks and associate ground terminal hardware by collecting and reviewing material. Scope the comprehensive analysis of remote sensing data and imagery products, satellite and networking logs, telemetry, tracking, and control or remote sensing system operation logs, and cybersecurity measures. Assure compliance by scrutinizing spacecraft and satellite command and control networks, ground terminal hardware, and technical architecture, while analyzing information system artifacts and technical measures to enforce adherence. Seek to understand remote sensing payload data qualities and properties, including electro-optical, visible near infrared, panchromatic, multispectral, hyperspectral, infrared, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), X-band, L-band, and C-band imaging, reflectometry, Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), penetrating radar, and imaging radar. Structure and secure lines of inquiry to gather information and artifacts regarding non-compliance or violations of law for administrative law enforcement proceedings. Submit comprehensive objective, investigative analytic products, notes, reports, and memoranda pertaining to compliance, non-compliance, and violations. Note: These duties are described at the full performance level of the ZP-4; the ZP-3 is developmental leading to such performance. This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band. The ZP-3 is equivalent to the GS-11/12. The ZP-4 is equivalent to the GS-13/14. The ZP-4 is the full performance level of the position. POSITION REQUIREMENTS: This position requires the operation of a Federal motor vehicle. Requires a valid state driver's license to operate a government vehicle for site visits, inspections, etc. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: Must be able to obtain and maintain a Special Sensitive security clearance to support duties requiring access to Top Secret documents. Testing Designated Position (TDP) position requires mandatory drug testing.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position has a positive Education Requirement in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience OR substitution of education for experience OR combination (if applicable) in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package. You MUST meet the following requirements: To qualify for the 1550 series: EDUCATION: Degree: A bachelor's degree in computer science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions. AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government. 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. To qualify at the ZP-3 or GS-11 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-2 or GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Participating in evaluating remote information systems and network elements; and Coordinating with investigative or enforcement authorities to ensure compliance with law, regulation or licenses. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of education and professional experience. Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. (Note: Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience.) To qualify at the ZP-4 or GS-13 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZP-3 or GS-12 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Ensuring compliance for remote information system networks by assessing command-and-control, mission data products, forensic reconstruction, and monitoring security during remote communications, processing, and dissemination; Coordinating with investigative or enforcement authorities to ensure compliance with law, regulation or licenses; and Providing reports or memorandums regarding remote information system analysis or compliance evaluations.

Education

College Transcript: If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., Bio 101, Math 210, etc.), name of accredited institution, course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken. Note: Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work. An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty. Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the above requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign edu