Job Details
Summary Department of the Interior structures its SES positions into categories to determine the minimum pay for each position. This is a Category-3 position. The minimum pay for this position is $191,900. Pay is set based on consideration of the selectee's current salary and other factors. Routine and situational telework may be approved at the discretion of the supervisor. Veterans preference does not apply to the Senior Executive Service (SES). Responsibilities As a basic requirement for entry into the SES, each applicant must provide evidence of progressively responsible executive leadership and supervisory experience that is indicative of executive-level management capabilities that are directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under Executive Core Qualifications and Mandatory Technical Qualifications listed below. The ideal candidate will have experience managing employees through subordinate supervisors and have experience hiring, developing, and evaluating employees. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-14/15 grade level in the federal service or equivalent in the private sector or non-governmental organizations. Failure to meet these basic qualification requirements in addition to all executive and technical qualification factors will automatically disqualify an applicant. The Associate Director for Core Science Systems leads the Core Science Systems Mission Area at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the Department of the Interior. The position reports to the USGS Director. The office is responsible for providing executive leadership to the Nation's topographic and geologic maps, real-time collection and distribution of world-wide satellite imaging, access to defense and intelligence remote sensing for Federal civilian use, and national assessments and monitoring of land cover, and land protection and conservation status. Specific Duties The incumbent carries out the following specific responsibilities: Oversees the broad program of natural science investigations and research to provide scientific information, maps, data and tools as part of the Nation's Spatial Data Infrastructure for emergency responders, resource managers, policy makers, and the public, in promoting conservation, recreation and the safety, security and economic well-being of the Nation. Provides executive direction and oversight to establish priorities and ensure effective and efficient program planning, management, and execution of the National Geospatial, Science Synthesis Analysis and Research, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping, National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation, and National Land Imaging programs as well as the Executive Secretariat for the interagency Federal Geographic Data Committee. Directs the planning and development of long-term national and international programs to accomplish the Bureau's mission providing for the capture, maintenance and delivery of world-wide satellite data, and the characterization of the Earth's surface and subsurface through topographic and geologic mapping. Strategizes the development and advancement of long-term national and international programs for the Core Science Systems Mission Area that are executed by approximately 1,500 personnel, 10 regionally managed science centers, and dozens of external partners, including state geological surveys, private industry geospatial firms, international partners, universities, and other Federal agencies. Serves as member of the Executive Leadership Team and shares in the planning, direction, and management of the integrated science programs of the USGS including oversight and evaluation of broad natural science programs to ensure the human and fiscal resources, interdisciplinary direction, and bureau-wide coordination. Provides executive-level representation for the USGS with Federal, State, and local governments, the scientific community in the private sector and academic institutions, and to customers and constituent groups. Applicants who meet the mandatory executive and technical qualifications will be evaluated by a panel of SES members to determine the degree to which they possess each of the listed qualifications. This evaluation will determine which applicants are best qualified. Each candidate's background including experience, education, awards, self-development, and training will be reviewed. This information will be obtained from the application package, including the required narrative statements for the technical and Executive Core Qualifications described in this vacancy. Additionally, your resume should demonstrate that you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully fulfill responsibilities inherent in most SES positions such as: Directing the work of an organizational unit; Ensuring the success of one or more specific major programs or projects; Monitoring progress toward strategic organizational goals, evaluating organizational performance and taking action to improve performance; and Supervising the work of employees; and exercising important policy-making, policy determining, or other executive functions. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination. Newly appointed SES members must serve a 1-year probationary period Public Financial Disclosure (OGE-278 filing within 30 days is required) This position requires pre and post-employment drug screening. Additional Information: A background investigation is required for this position. It is not a prerequisite to apply, however, the selectee must possess the ability to obtain and maintain a background investigation with a Top Secret clearance as a condition of placement in this position. Subject to approval by the Department of the Interior's Executive Resources Board. Initial appointments to the career Senior Executive Service must have ECQs certified by an OPM's Qualifications Review Board prior to appointment and you will be required to serve a one year probationary period. Employees of the USGS are subject to the provisions of the Title 43, U.S. Code, Section 31(a) and may not according to this legislation and related regulations: (a) have any personal or private interest, direct or indirect, in lands, or mineral wealth of such lands, whose title is in the United States; (b) execute surveys or examinations for private parties or corporations; or (c) have any substantial personal or private interest, direct or indirect, in any private mining or mineral enterprise doing business in the United States, except where specifically authorized by the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey. Within 30 days after selection, incumbent of this position will be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report (SF-278) and supplemental form, Confidential Statement of Employment and Financial Interest (DI-278). OPM must authorize any employment offers we make to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Qualifications Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ's)- Required Documentation The Office of Personnel Management has identified five executive core qualifications (ECQs). The ECQs define the competencies needed to build a federal corporate culture that drives for results, serves customers, and builds successful teams and coalitions within and outside the organization. The ECQs are required for entry to the Senior Executive Service and are used by many departments and agencies in selection, performance management, and leadership development for management and executive positions. The ECQs were designed to assess executive experience and potential-not technical expertise. ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE: You must have demonstrated an ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. Leadership Competencies: Creativity & Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking, Vision ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE: You must demonstrate the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. Leadership Competencies: Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Developing Others, Team Building ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN: This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. Leadership Competencies: Accountability, Customer Service, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, Technical Credibility ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN: This ECQ involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. Leadership Competencies: Financial Management, Human Capital Management, Technology Management ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS: This ECQ involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals. Leadership Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy, Influencing/Negotiating FUNDAMENTAL COMPETENCIES: The following competencies are the foundation for success in each of the Executive Core Qualifications: Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communication, Integrity/Honesty, Written Communication, Continual Learning, Public Service Motivation Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs)- Required Documentation MTQs are designed to assess an applicants experience relevant to the specific position requirements. Each MTQ narrative response must 1.) not exceed two pages per narrative statement; 2.) include specific examples of your experience, education, and/or accomplishments; and 3.) address specific challenges, contexts, actions, and results. The ability to apply a broad knowledge of the physical and natural sciences in the development and execution of national, multi-disciplinary science programs, including the strategic planning, coordination, and direction of programs involving multimillion-dollar expenditures annually, the development of budget documents supporting the federal appropriations process, the development and tracking of performance measures and metrics, and the oversight, implementation, and monitoring of program performance, carried out in cooperation with international organizations, State and local organizations, other Federal agencies, DOI and its bureaus, and academia, especially related to geodesy, geology, geography, remote sensing, data and scientific collections, and advanced research computing. The ability and professional stature to effectively represent the interests and capabilities of USGS science programs, especially geologic, geospatial, and biological informatics programs, at the technical and policy level in activities related to program, budget, and collaborative efforts and initiatives; to cultivate and coordinate strategic partnerships with local, State, Tribal, and Federal government agencies, industry, and academia; and to lead high-level technical groups to develop policy, strategy and mutual goals. Ability to effectively lead and implement long-term projects and initiatives to characterize and map the Earth's surface, subsurface, and biota, including remote and in-situ sensing, public delivery of information, and scientific collections management; and direct the planning and development of long-term strategies, standards, and the implementation of information technology systems that support data management and delivery and advanced research computing. Challenge-Context-Action-Result(s) (CCAR) Model. CCAR Model is outline below. When addressing the ECQs and MTQs, you are strongly recommended to utilize the CCAR Model. Each ECQ or MTQ statement should include more than one example of relevant experience. Challenge: Describe a specific problem or goal. Context: Talk about the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to tackle a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale). Action: Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge. Result: Give specific examples of the results of your actions. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills. Your responses to the ECQs and MTQs will be evaluated based on how clearly and concisely you emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs, activities, or services managed; program accomplishments; policy initiatives undertaken; level of contacts; the sensitivity and criticality of the issues addressed; and the results of actions taken. You are required to submit separate narrative statements for each ECQ and MTQ to receive consideration for this position. Please see the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section for complete details regarding the page limitation and formatting requirement. Education You must meet the basic education requirements for at least one of occupation series (0401, 0801, or 1301) identified below. You are required to submit PROOF as noted in the "Required Documents" section for education. To qualify under the Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Series 0401, you must possess: Basic Requirements A. Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. To qualify under the General Engineer Series 0801, you must possess: Basic Requirements A. Degree: engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. OR B. Combination of education and experience in college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. To qualify under the Physical Science Series 1301, you must possess: Basic Requirements A. 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 B. Combination of education and experience: education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Additional Information CURRENT FEDERAL APPLICANTS: If you are a federal employee (non-SES or SES), then you must include your most recent performance appraisal within the last 12 months of your submission to this application. Additionally, you must include your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) that reflects an appointment (i.e., initial, transfer, reinstatement, and etc.) or pay adjustment. NON-FEDERAL APPLICANTS: You must include your most recent performance appraisal within the last 12 months of your submission to this application OR a justification stating the reason why this information cannot be provided. SPECIAL NOTE TO ALL APPLICANTS: Your resume, performance appraisal, SF-50, Executive Core Qualification's (ECQs), and Mandatory Technical Qualification's (MTQs) for this announcement must be received online via the USAJOBS/Application Manager application system by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on closing date of the announcement. ECQs and MTQs must be submitted in the CCAR model format as previously outlined within this vacancy announcement. Email submissions from an applicant will not be accepted. Failure to submit a complete application will eliminate an applicant from further consideration. Applicants must contact the Human Resources Specialist point-of-contact prior to the closing date if assistance is needed to submit an application online. The applicant selected for this position will be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report, SF-278, and the supplemental form, Confidential Statement of Employment and Financial Interest, DI-278. All forms must be filed within 30 days after the selection for this position. The sensitivity level of the position requires a successful background investigation of the selectee. Additionally, an enhanced clearance level will be pursued as determined by the agency after the initial review. The incumbent must have the ability to maintain suitability for this position. Prior to appointment, applicants tentatively selected for this position may be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use. Effective January 1, 2010, OPM must authorize any employment offers we make to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office. f applicable, travel and relocation expenses will be paid consistent with the Federal Travel Regulations and Departmental policy. Click here for general eligibility for a permanent change of station (PCS) move. Click here for Federal Travel Regulations PCS information. To view FAQ regarding PCS click here. Senior Executive Service Probationary Period: If you are selected for this position, you will be required to serve a one-year SES probationary period, if one has not previously been completed. THIS IS A DRUG TESTING DESIGNATED POSITION. In accordance with Executive Order 12564, and under the Department's Drug Free Workplace Program: Applicant(s) tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use and to pass the test prior to appointment. This position is subject to random testing for illegal drug use.