Applied Social Scientist - Mid to Expert Level (Maryland) at National Security Agency in Fort Meade, Maryland

Job Description:

RESPONSIBILITIES
As an Applied Social Scientist, you will work with other industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologists, strategic consultants, data scientists, and human capital professionals to oversee and develop initiatives focusing on talent acquisition, development, and retention. Applied Social Scientists use social science research methods to explore and address issues around organizational and program effectiveness. They develop solutions and provide data informed recommendations to enhance the way NSA does business. Applied Social Scientists work across the NSA performing one or more of the functions below. PRE-EMPLOYMENT ASSESSMENT AND SELECTION Applied Social Scientists focusing on pre-employment assessment and selection use their skills in psychometrics, assessments, and employee selection to develop assessment solutions supporting hiring at NSA. Specific activities may include: - Lead and conduct projects developing, validating, revising, and implementing pre-employment assessments (e.g., CAT assessments, structured interviews, cognitive and non-cognitive assessments, and knowledge tests, work samples, and simulations); - Contribute to the design and execution of job analysis studies; - Conduct EEO analyses for selection decisions involving the use of assessments in accordance with legal guidelines and professional standards; - Manage data sets and perform statistical analyses (e.g., descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, IRT, Classical Test Theory, latent variable modeling, scaling, equating) - Write detailed technical reports supporting the use and interpretation of pre-employment test scores - Develop innovative assessment implementation strategies to meet the needs of hiring partners SURVEYS AND ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS CONSULTATION Applied Social Scientists focusing on surveys and organizational effectiveness consultation use a range of data collection methods and HR analytics to gauge and inform leaders on the pulse of the workforce and consult with customers across the Agency to uncover and address specific organizational challenges to support retention of critical talent. Specific activities may include: - Conduct data-informed organizational consultations such as root cause analysis and action planning, leveraging a range of data collection methods (e.g., targeted surveys, focus groups, interviews) - Design, develop, and deploy Agency-wide employee surveys (e.g., climate, new hire, re-assignment, and exit/ resignation) - Provide ad-hoc consultation on survey design, deployment, analysis, and interpretation - Develop resources and working aids on a range of survey and consultation-related topics. - Produce survey reports and visualizations using software such as MS Excel, R, and Tableau - Offer report interpretation workshops and personalized briefings for Agency leaders who want to better understand how to interpret their organization's survey results ANALYSIS of WORK Applied Social Scientists focusing on the analysis of work use their skills to gather data and develop solutions supporting the Agency's occupational structure and thus providing the foundation for many talent management efforts. Specific activities may include: - Lead the design and execution of large and small scale job analysis studies - Develop and maintain libraries of task, knowledge, and skill statements, - Develop and maintain libraries of competencies and associated behavioral indicators - Lead the design and execution of competency modeling, assessment, and gap analysis efforts that inform employee development efforts and strategic workforce planning - Manage data sets and perform statistical analyses (e.g., descriptive statistics, correlation, interrater reliability, latent variable modeling, cluster analysis) - Write detailed technical reports describing the methods and results from the job analysis or competency modeling process - Develop innovative solutions to disseminate job analysis and competency results to stakeholders PROGRAM EVALUATION Applied Social Scientists focusing on program evaluation/training courses use their skills to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of human capital programs that support recruitment, retention, and development of the Agency's workforce, such as the National Cryptologic University's (NCU's) training courses, the Agency's 40+ Corporate Development Programs (DPs) or the Agency's performance management, awards, promotion, and workplace flexibility programs. Specific activities include: - Create processes for evaluating effectiveness of existing programs/training courses and standards for development of new programs or identify evidence-based opportunities for improvement - Research and identify best practices to inform program/training course improvements - Conduct workshops with stakeholders to design and develop specific measures of success aligned with program/training course purpose and goals - Collect program/training course-related data from surveys, interviews, and focus groups and analyze multi-source and longitudinal program-related data - Identify key themes/trends, deliver reports/briefs, consult with stakeholders, and support action planning to drive strategic, data-informed decisions about the Agency's recruitment, retention, and development programs/training courses In positions across the Agency, Applied Social Scientists: - Collaborate with team members across the organization and develop strategic partnerships throughout the Agency to help achieve organizational goals - Contribute to the conceptualization, design, analysis, and presentation of applied research (applying appropriate quantitative and qualitative research techniques, data collection strategies, data analysis methods) to inform technical and leadership decisions - Keep abreast of best practices and new research in I/O, talent management, learning, and development and related fields - Synthesize complex findings and detailed research into executive summaries and presentations intended for managerial decisions and/or publication - Create dynamic, user-friendly visualizations of data; - Provide high quality customer service to clients through superior technical work and consultative skills, as well as effective project management and communication - Leverage relevant tools such as MS Excel, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, statistical software (e.g., R), and data visualization software (e.g., Tableau) - Present findings to technical and non-technical audiences - Perform workforce analyses that describe current states, predict future trends, and/or inform business decisions
SKILLS
These positions require a balance of research, consulting, and thought leadership in supporting NSA's talent management strategy. The ideal candidate will possess experience in personnel selection and assessment, job analysis, organizational effectiveness, or training/program evaluation. In addition, the ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional skills in the areas of consulting, problem solving, data analysis, report writing, and client/project management skills. Attention to detail, self-motivation, flexibility, and resilience are critical and data visualization skills are a plus.
PAY BENEFITS & WORK SCHEDULE
Pay: Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position. Salary Range: $82,764 - $191,900 (Full Performance, Senior, Expert) Salary range varies by location, work level, and relevant experience to the position. These positions are located in Fort Meade, Maryland. On the job training, internal NSA courses, and external training will be made available based on the need and experience of the selectee. Benefits: NSA offers excellent benefits to include relocation assistance, flexible work schedules, generous leave programs, paid personal fitness time, training and continuing education classes, health and life insurance, Federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), and a Federal retirement plan. Work Schedule: This is a full-time position, Monday - Friday, with basic 8 hr/day work requirement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (flexible).
POSITION SUMMARY
NSA has numerous excellent opportunities for Applied Social Scientists. NSA's Applied Social Scientists oversee and develop initiatives focusing on talent acquisition, development and retention. They also use social science research methods to explore and address issues around organizational and program effectiveness, develop solutions, and provide data informed recommendations to enhance the way NSA does business.
HOW TO APPLY
Apply soonest, as job postings can close earlier than stated end dates due to changes in requirements. It is important to review and note the minimum qualifications, as only those applicants who meet the required qualifications will be contacted to continue the employment process. Please populate the resume tool to showcase any relevant work experience and education related to the position and answer any applicable screening questions. Information collected will be used to determine eligibility, and failure to provide accurate information may result in disqualification for this position. A confirmation email will be sent after submission of the first application and also after any future updates to submitted applications. **Due to time sensitive communications regarding applications, please ensure your spam filters are configured to accept email from noreply@intelligencecareers.gov. For job vacancies that include stated testing requirements, also include the following: @uwe.nsa.gov, @nsa.gov, and @pearson.com** U.S. Citizenship is required for all applicants. NSA is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations. All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to applicants with disabilities during the application and hiring process where appropriate. Please visit our Diversity link for more information https://www.intelligencecareers.gov/NSA/diversity-and-inclusion.
DCIPS Disclaimer
The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the DoD Intelligence Community Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions in the NSA are in the Excepted Services under 10 United States Codes (USC) 1601 appointment authority. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to 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 a veteran claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you may be asked to submit documents verifying your eligibility.
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