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JOB DESCRIPTION: Spectral Imagery Scientists process, analyze, and exploit spectral imagery to extract intelligence and geospatial information. They collaborate with analysts to understand intelligence issues and provide scientific results to conduct intelligence production. They develop, test, and evaluate prototypes; and provide technical guidance to enhance spectral imaging capability, applicability, and collec
Learn more about this agency08/28/2023 to 09/03/2023
$47,738 - $92,995 per year
IA 02
Many vacancies in the following locations:
No
25% or less - Travel Required 25% or Less
Yes—PERMANENT CHANGE IN STATION: PCS expenses may be authorized.
Permanent - This is a permanent position.
Full-time - Full Time
Excepted
2
No
Yes
20230501
744990600
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This announcement is specifically for an NGA External Disability Recruitment Hiring Event through the NGA Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Hiring Program. This announcement is for external applicants only (non-NGA employees).
To be considered applicants MUST submit a resume for a job announcement marked "Disability Recruitment Hiring Event" in NGA Candidate Gateway (CG) by 11:59PM EST on September 3. Applicants must be able to demonstrate Schedule A Disability or Veteran 30% or more Disabled Status when requested. Applicants selected for an interview will be notified via email on September 12. The email will contain a link to record an interview by 11:59PM EST on September 16. Specific details for the event will be provided within the email invite.
All applicants must be U.S. citizens at the time of application. Applicants must be eligible and able to meet the agency's conditions of employment, to include NGA fitness for employment standards, Security Clearance (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information), Polygraph, Drug Testing, Two Year Probationary Period, and Direct Deposit Requirement. NGA does not guarantee any applicant the extension of an official offer of employment; however, NGA will be screening all employment applicants against its current and future manpower requirements. Selected applicants will be considered for the Agency's Hiring Pool. Selected candidates must be willing to relocate in support of mission requirements.
Imagery scientists perform special processing and analysis of image and image data from all sensors-types in all domains (space, air, ground, and maritime). They prepare tailored information and products, explain technical concepts to non-specialists in an understandable manner, and serve as technical representatives to a variety of working groups and forums. They also, based on experience, aid in the development of automation, artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) and data science analytics where appropriate.
This Job Announcement is for all Imagery Scientist work roles such as: Lidar Imagery Scientist, OPIR Imagery Scientist, Photogrammetric Imagery Scientist, Radar Imagery Scientist, Spectral Imagery Scientist and/or Thermal Infrared Imagery Scientist.
Duties:
1. Apply and develop statistical and quantitative methodologies aligned to Lidar and 3D data, Radar data, Thermal data, Spectral data, OPIR data, or Photogrammetric processes to refine and improve GEOINT analysis and conclusions.
2. Develop, test, and evaluate new algorithms, processes, methodologies, and products using sensor data and imagery.
3. Educate customers on availability and capabilities of imagery products, methodologies, procedures, and algorithms to enhance analysis.
4. Use Lidar and 3D data, Radar data, Thermal data, Spectral data, OPIR data, or Photogrammetric processes to determine the occurrence, location, duration, and timing of events; determine the type, operating status, or production level of equipment or facilities, etc. to answer key intelligence questions pertinent to national security.
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.
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.
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. Fundamental understanding of imagery science, photogrammetry, Lidar/3D data, Spectral, SAR, and/or Thermal imagery.
2. Demonstrated written and oral communication skills with the ability to develop and present findings to meet the needs of various audiences
3. Demonstrated experience identifying, developing, prioritizing, and/or completing tasks on time in a fluid environment.
4. Demonstrated experience working on high performing, interdisciplinary teams
5. Fundamental understanding of leveraging critical thinking skills to develop novel remote sensing analytic techniques and/or tradecraft, to answer scientific problems.
6. Basic knowledge of coding/scripting (e.g. Matlab, Python, Java, C++, R, IDL, GIT, GDAL/PDAL, Microsoft Excel) for automating imagery, raster, and/or 3D data processing and exploitation activities.
EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A. Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering, Imagery Science, Mathematics, Physical Science, Remote Sensing, Geography, Computer Science, Data Analytics, or a related discipline that included 24 semester hours in Physical Science and/or related Engineering Science such as Dynamics, Electronics, Mechanics, and Properties of Materials. -OR- B. Combination of Education and Experience: A minimum of 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of coursework in any area listed in option A that included at least 24 semester hours in Physical Science and/or related Engineering Science, plus experience that involves processing, analyzing, and exploiting multibanded imagery to extract intelligence and geospatial information, 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: 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 experience with software development/scripting (e.g. Matlab, Python, Java, C++, R, IDL, GIT, GDAL/PDAL) for automating imagery, raster, and/or 3D data processing and exploitation activities.
2. Demonstrated experience with satellite, airborne, and/or ground imaging systems
3. Demonstrated experience with remote sensing processing tools (e.g. RemoteView, AGITK, SocetGXP, Mensuration Services Program (MSP), Compass, ENVI, Erdas Imagine, MuSeS, IDASS, ARCGIS Pro, QGIS, QT Modeler, Google Earth Engine, STK, or MicroStation).
4. Demonstrated application of automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, and/or automated feature extraction concepts and tasks.
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 participation meaning the employee will no longer receive salary increases through the Career Advancement Program, and will now be evaluated in accordance to the Agency's standard evaluation processes.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applicants are not required to submit a cover letter for employment consideration with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. However, a cover letter is recommended. Applicants will have the option to attach a cover letter in the Qualifications - Attachments step of the online application.
APPLICANT EVALUATION PROCESS: Applicants will be evaluated for this job opportunity in three stages:
1) All applicants will be evaluated using the Mandatory Qualification Criteria,
2) Qualified applicants will then be evaluated by an expert or panel of experts using a combination of qualification criteria to determine the best-qualified candidates,
3) Best-qualified applicants may then be further evaluated through an interview process.
Military retiree applicants, if selected, may be impacted by the 180-day appointment restrictions of DODI 1402.01. HD personnel will provide additional information if applicable.
Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the Assignment Description, Additional Information Provided By the Selecting Official, and the Qualification Requirements; and then construct their resumes to highlight their most relevant and significant experience and education for this job opportunity. This description should include examples that detail the level and complexity of the performed work. Applicants are encouraged to provide any education information referenced in the announcement. If education is listed as a mandatory requirement, only degrees obtained from an institution accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the Secretary, US Department of Education will be accepted.
In accordance with section 9902(h) of title 5, United States Code, annuitants reemployed in the Department of Defense shall receive full annuity and salary upon appointment. They shall not be eligible for retirement contributions, participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, or a supplemental or redetermined annuity for the reemployment period. Discontinued service retirement annuitants (i.e., retired under section 8336(d)(1) or 8414(b)(1)(A) of title 5, United States Code) appointed to the Department of Defense may elect to be subject to retirement provisions of the new appointment as appropriate. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300, at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives.)
All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation.
NGA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Applications will only be accepted online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us at recruitment@nga.mil. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.
Disabled applicants are encouraged to apply directly to external job announcements in addition to the Resume Repository. NGA reserves the right to direct hire Disabled Veterans with 30%+ Comp in alignment with the NGA Hiring Strategy. By selecting this option on the application form and applying to the NGA Resume Repository, you may be considered for future direct hire against critical mission vacancies. Participation does not guarantee employment.
None
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.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Application submission involves applying using NGA's online application process at https://careers.nga.mil. Additional information concerning NGA's hiring process can be found by visiting https://www.nga.mil/careers/Hiring_Process.html.
All announcements close at 11:59PM EDT on the closing date listed. Be sure to complete and submit your application by that time in order to be considered.
ONLY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
After visiting https://careers.nga.mil and applying via NGA's online application process, applicants can follow their status via that same NGA online application functionality. Several other topics relating to what is involved in the hiring process and how long it takes can be found by visiting https://www.nga.mil/careers/Hiring_Process.html.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/744990600. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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