Astrophysicist

Summary

This is the position of Astrophysicist, Optical and Infrared Astronomy Division, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. The purpose of the position is to serve as the next-generation Observational Astrophysicist (ngO) and lead a forefront scientific research program within the broad areas of astronomy and astrophysics made possible by new space-based observatories including, but not limited to, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

Duties

The duties listed are at the full performance GS-14 grade level.

Formulate, conduct, and lead independent and original scientific research in galactic astrophysics using next-generation space-based observatories.

Develop research plans and hypotheses and carries them through to completion.

Utilize public or proprietary datasets, observational data, simulations, and theoretical models to accomplish research objectives.

Develop and lead a research team in galactic astrophysics consisting of postdoctoral researchers and graduate and undergraduate students.

Mentor and support the professional development of postdoctoral researchers and students.

Identifiy external funding opportunities to develop and submit proposals to support the research team.

Prepare scientific and technical papers describing research results, techniques, and interpretations for publication in professional journals.

Present research findings at national and international scientific or technical meetings, conferences, and within the CfA.

Consult and collaborate with scientists within OIR and the CfA to identify and pursue new ground based and space-based research programs.

Develop and submit proposals for extramural funding for collaborative research to government agencies, such as NASA and NSF, and to philanthropic or other sponsoring organizations

Participate in the national and international astrophysical community and serves scientific and technical committees internal and external to the CfA.

Lead and participate in organizing scientific conferences and seminars and supports SAO/CfA education and public outreach efforts.

Provide scientific guidance and technical expertise to students and other scientists.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: (GS-1330 Astronomy and Space Science) Degree: in one or a combination of astronomy, physics, mathematics, space science, or electronics. The course work must have included differential and integral calculus and 12 semester hours in astronomy and/or physics. OR Combination of education and experience -- at least 30 semester hours of courses equivalent to a major in any combination of astronomy, space science, physics, mathematics, and electronics, with required course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. GS-14 Specialized Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as a record of peer reviewed publications based on the results of independent and original programs of astrophysical research utilizing observations from space-based telescopes, leadership in national and international initiatives to utilize the next generation of space-based telescopes, and demonstrated ability to develop and mentor a research team in a specialty field of astrophysics. Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management web site: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1300/astronomy-and-space-science-series-1330/

Education

Please see Qualifications Section for Education Requirements.

How you will be evaluated

Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above. The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria: Demonstrate the initiative and scholarly ability necessary to formulate, conduct, and present the results of advanced scientific research in galactic astrophysics. Ability to mentor, supervise, and support the career development of students and early-career researchers. Possesses the ability to effectively communicate scientific research results through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at professional conferences. Knowledge of scientific initiative development and extramural contract and grant funding processes for research in astronomy, astrophysics, or related fields. Ability to effectively communicate scientific results and discoveries to scientific and public audiences through traditional and non traditional communication methods. BASIS OF RATING: Once the announcement closes, your application will be automatically evaluated and rated by the system and a Human Resources Specialist. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your application and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of this position. If, after the Human Resources Specialist reviews your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that the score you have received is not a true reflection of your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect the information you provided that support your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed. Important Note: Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed. You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required documents

Your application package should include the following documents: Resume - Your resume can be uploaded and attached to your application or created using the USA Jobs on-line resume builder. Ensure your resume contains the job title (including the occupational series and grade if it is Federal), job-related qualifications, starting and ending dates (month and year), and hours worked per week, for each employment period. It is your responsibility to ensure all information is submitted. Failure to include this information may result in disqualification for the position. Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. For assistance with creating a resume, please click USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? Current and former employees MUST submit a copy of their Standard Form (SF)-50, “Notice of Personnel Action,” that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position title, series, grade, step, salary, type of service (competitive or excepted in block 34), and tenure (1 or 2 in block 24). Please provide a SF-50 that shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade level. Examples of appropriate SF50s include: Appointments, Reassignments, Within-grade/range increases or Promotion actions. NOTE: Pay adjustments and award SF-50s do not include the length of time in your current position, therefore, they are NOT acceptable SF-50's on their own. You may need to provide more than one SF-50. Failure to provide the appropriate SF-50(s) may prevent you from receiving consideration for this position. Unofficial school transcripts, if the position has an education requirement or if you are using education to qualify. If selected for the position, you must provide an official transcript before appointment. Proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study, if applicable. Most recent performance appraisal, if currently a federal employee (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. Proof of Veteran's Preference - DD214 (Member 4 Copy) if you are requesting a special appointment authority, such as VRA or VEOA Proof of severe disability if you are requesting special placement consideration Proof of eligibility for a military spouse appointment, such as a permanent change station military order Proof of eligibility for any other special appointing authority not specifically mentioned here.

How to apply

Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. Please Note: You must apply for this position online through the 'Apply Online' button and submit required supplemental documents (if they are relevant to you). Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages. You may submit required documents by uploading them online during the application process. The complete application package, including any required documents, is due in the SAO Office of Human Resources on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Time. If you are unable to apply online, paper applications may be accepted with prior approval of the Contact Person listed below.

Other information

Special Instructions for Foreign Education If you are qualifying by education and/or have education completed at a foreign college or university, you must provide transcripts and documentation verifying U.S. equivalency. See the Required Documents section of this announcement for additional information. Grade point averages should be rounded to one decimal point. For example, 2.95 is rounded to 3.0 and 2.94 is rounded to 2.9. If more than 10 percent of undergraduate coursework was completed on a pass/fail basis, qualification under Superior Academic Achievement must be based on class standing or honor society membership. No incentives are authorized for this position. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): If you are applying for a VEOA appointment, you must be a veteran and must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. ("Active Service" under this law means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.) A veteran who is released under honorable conditions shortly before completing a 3-year tour is also eligible. Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority: Primary Appointing Authorities for Career and Career-Conditional Appointments Hiring Authorities for Veterans People with Disabilities The Smithsonian Institution is an equal opportunity employer. Additional information can be found on our website at (www.si.edu/oeesd).

What to expect next

At the end of the application process you will be able to create and save a PDF file that contains your responses to the assessment questions. You may save this file as receipt of your application. The Smithsonian receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. We will send you an e-mail to update you as we go through phases of the application review process. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS;" e-mailing [email protected]; or by contacting the Office of Human Resources Representative listed.