Standards Architect (Space Standards Architect)

Job SummaryASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION: Standards Architects develop, maintain, and govern the adoption of standards to enable the creation, sharing, and appropriate use of data and products across the GEOINT community. They evaluate the impact of changes in standards on the NSG/ASG mission. They prepare policies and procedures that facilitate the identification, development, implementation, and governance of GEOINT standards. They also represent the Agency and NSG’s interests in national and international forums. Standards Architects define evaluation criteria to assess standards conformance and collaborate with mission partners to achieve interoperability goals.Additional Job InformationADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This position is available for placement in the East or West as a Space Standards Architect (SSA) in the TAES division. Theincumbent will work closely with a multi-disciplinary team of engineers and scientists to adopt and adapt existing GEOINTstandards to support the Space Line of Business. When necessary, the SSA will lead the development of new GEOINT standards tocover gaps in existing GEOINT standards. This will require working with existing GEOINT standards bodies (the Geospatial Intelligence Working Group, Open Geospatial Consortium, etc.) as well as stakeholders (USAF, Space Force, DEFSMAC, NASIC)and Subject Matter Experts (United States Naval Observatory, NIST) to ensure standards have the necessary technical rigor whileminimizing additional costs to the GEOINT enterprise.The SSA must have a strong background in celestial mechanics, Precision Navigation & Timing (PNT), astronomy, or geophysics.Strong communication and briefing skills will be required to convey graduate level geodesy, mechanics, and mathematicsconcepts to non-specialists. Familiarity with existing Foundational GEOINT products and procedures is desirable, as is experiencein astronomy or geophysics.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 QualificationsMANDATORY 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 Celestial Mechanics, Precision Navigation & Timing, astronomy, geophysics, or related skills.2. Demonstrated expertise with accounting for the effects of space terrain and space weather on operations.3. Demonstrated experience with representing an organization or Agency as the subject matter expert on technical matters.EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A. Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Geodetic Science, Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, or a related field. -OR- B. Combination of Education and Experience: A minimum of 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of college coursework in any area listed in option A, plus experience in drafting standards, assessing processes and procedures against criterion, preparing technical documentation, coordinating technical issues with stakeholders, or a related area that demonstrates the ability to successfully perform the duties associated with this work. As a rule, every 30 semester (45 quarter) hours of college work is equivalent to one year of experience. Candidates should show that their combination of education and experience totals 4 years. -OR- C. Experience: A minimum of 4 years of experience in drafting standards, assessing processes and procedures against criterion, preparing technical documentation, coordinating technical issues with stakeholders, or a related area that demonstrates the ability to successfully perform the duties associated with this work.Highly Desired QualificationsQUALIFICATION CRITERIA: In addition to the mandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired:1. Knowledge of Foundation GEOINT data and customers.2. Knowledge of Standard Development Organizations (e.g., ISO, OGC, DGIWG, etc.) and their relationships to both government entities and industry.Additional Job RequirementsYou 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 SchedulePROMOTION 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 04 $93,494 – $159,286PERMANENT CHANGE IN STATION: PCS expenses are not authorized.Pay is only part of the compensation you will earn working for the Federal Government. We offer a broad array of benefits programs and family friendly flexibilities to meet the needs of you and your family.For more information on the array of benefits programs, please visit https://www.intelligencecareers.gov/nga/ngabenefits.htmlCover LetterApplicants are not required to submit a cover letter. The entire cover letter cannot exceed the specified limits provided in the Cover Letter field (3,000 characters). Pages exceeding this limit will not be considered. The cover letter is recommended but is not required for employment consideration with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Applicants should place their narrative information in the Cover Letter / Other Professional Details field.Who may applyExternal Applicants OnlyHow to applyApplication submission involves applying using the Intelligence Community’s Applicant Gateway on-line application process.ONLY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.How will I be evaluated?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.Conditions of EmploymentAs 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 RequiredDCIPS DisclaimerNGA 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 in your application.