R&D Scientist

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Job description

Job Summary

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION: R&D Scientists apply the scientific method in one or more disciplines (e.g., Photogrammetry, Geodesy, Computer Science, Mathematics, Image Science, Human Terrain Analysis) to advance Geospatial Science and enhance Agency tradecraft. They conduct and develop novel scientific research projects and facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration to further scientific inquiry and application. They provide technical guidance and oversight, report results, and advise management on new and evolving technology. They address a variety of complex data-related analytical problems by applying quantitative and qualitative analytic methods.

Additional Job Information

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 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.

Working within a collaborative team environment, the R&D Imagery Data Scientist curates and explores imagery and video data for the development and evaluation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) capabilities and new automated GEOINT analytic workflows.

The data scientist will engage multi-disciplinary teams to design, develop and/or evaluation AI/ML capabilities, propose new solutions, engineer data and conduct research resulting in proof of concepts demonstrating the automation of geospatial-intelligence workflows.

Duties:

1. Develop new capabilities and integrated workflows to increase efficiency of processing and preparing GEOINT data, in particular image and video data, for research projects.

2. Maintain awareness of state of the art, employ and document solutions to automate Geospatial-Intelligence processing and triage of large volumes of imagery and video to support research project needs.

3. Work across teams to define requirements and develop research projects from idea creation to system evaluation, in particular data curation in support of these projects.

4. Provide technical oversight of performers, evaluate technical merit, and/or test criteria of proposed solution.

5. Execute technical research projects, track progress and present technical material in a variety of forums (conferences, working groups, program reviews).

6. Establish, configure, document, test and maintain application software and data management tools.

7. Interpret technical requirements in context of an overall system plan that makes the best working capability at the most reasonable cost.

8. Make recommendations on program scope concerning RDT&E investments to include considerations across internal organizations, the IC, military services, and with international coalition partners.

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 an INCENTIVE: The selected candidates may be offered an incentive as part of the offer of employment, based on budget availability. To receive the incentive, the selected candidate must sign a service agreement depending on the approved amount or duration of the incentive. If the employee leaves before the end of the service agreement, the employee may be required to repay a pro rata share amount of the incentive to the government.

Mandatory 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 applications 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 experience with test and evaluation of computer vision, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Learning (ML) research projects.

2. Demonstrated experience acquiring, curating and conditioning large quantities of data to support research, development and evaluation of research projects.

3. Demonstrated experience developing algorithms in R&D programs leveraging one or more domains such as computer vision, machine learning, spatial and/or temporal data mining, statistics, data containerization, Jupyter Notebooks, Python.

4. Demonstrated experience contributing to advanced R&D programs, in particular to budgets, schedules, risk assessment.

As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.) subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccinations by November 22, 2021 or before appointment or onboarding with the agency, if after November 22, 2021. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request of the agency a legally required exception from this requirement.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A. Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering, Mathematics, Physical Science, Computer Science, or a related discipline that includes 24 semester (36 quarter) hours in Mathematics, Science and/or a related Engineering Science such as Dynamics, Electronics, Mechanics, and Properties of Materials. Such coursework includes, but is not limited to, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Programming, Data Mining, Cybersecurity, Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, or Statistics. Although not mandatory, coursework in differential and integral calculus is preferred. -OR- B. Combination of Education and Experience: A minimum of 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of coursework as listed in option A, plus experience 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 to 4 years.

Highly Desired Qualifications

QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: In addition to the mandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired:

1. Demonstrated experience 3+ years working with projects for DoD and/or IC customers.

2. Demonstrated ability publishing 1 or more peer-reviewed research paper(s) in spatial and/or temporal data mining, databases, statistics or machine learning.

3. Demonstrated experience acquiring, curating and conditioning large quantities of image and/or video data to support research projects (e.g. EO, IR, full motion video (FMV), wide area motion imagery (WAMI)).

4. Demonstrated experience capturing and documenting project requirements that contribute to the design, execution and transition of research programs.

5. Familiarity with Amazon Web Services (AWS) or C2S.

6. Demonstrated proficiency in one or more of the following: GEOINT Fundamentals (GPF-C), Geospatial Analysis (GA-II), Geospatial Data Management (GDM-II), Imagery Science (IS-II) (preferred Geospatial professional certification).

Additional Job 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.

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule

PROMOTION OPPORTUNITY: Promotion opportunities allow applicants at all band levels to be considered. Qualifications for NGA positions do not include specific time-in-band requirements. NGA will emphasize quality of experience, rather than duration, and assess how the quality of the experience demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies necessary for successful job performance in the NGA occupational structure.

Band 03 $65..... click apply for full job details