DEVCOM - ARMY RESEARCH LAB (INTERDISCIPLINARY - BIOTECHNOLOGY)
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, Adelphi, MD, Austin, TX, Other, Raleigh-Durham, NC, White Sands Missile Range, NMFull-TimeJob Description
This position is considered interdisciplinary and may be filled in any of the following profession disciplines: Biology - 0401; General Engineering - 0801; Materials Engineering - 0806; Mechanical Engineering - 0830; Electrical Engineering - 0850; Computer Engineering - 0854; Electronics Engineering - 0855; Biomedical Engineering - 0858; Chemical Engineering - 0893; General Physical Science - 1301; Physics - 1310; Chemistry - 1320; OR Computer Science - 1550.
Series Definitions are below:
0401 - General Biological Science Series
This series includes positions that involve professional work in biology, agriculture, or related natural resource management when there is no other more appropriate series. Thus included in this series are positions that involve: (1) a combination of several professional fields with none predominant; or (2) a specialized professional field not readily identified with other existing series.
0801 - General Engineering Series
This series includes all classes of positions the duties of which are to advise on, administer, supervise, or perform research or other professional and scientific work of a special or miscellaneous character that is not specifically classifiable in any other engineering series, but that involves the application of a knowledge of such engineering fundamentals as the strength and strain analysis of engineering materials and structures, the physical and chemical characteristics of engineering materials such as elastic limits, maximum unit stresses, coefficients of expansion, workability, hardness, tendency to fatigue, resistance to corrosion, engineering adaptability, engineering methods of construction and processing, etc.; or positions involving professional work in several branches of engineering.
0806 - Materials Engineering Series
This series includes professional positions in engineering, or in engineering and physical science, that are concerned primarily with the properties, processing, uses, and in-service behavior of engineering materials, where the work performed and the qualifications required are such that the position is not more characteristic of a series appropriate to some other academic discipline. The work is characterized by the following three qualification requirements: (1) a highly developed knowledge of materials and their properties, processing, uses, and behavior under environmental influences; (2) an understanding of and the ability to utilize advances of the fundamental materials sciences, e.g., as they pertain to the interrelationships of composition, structure, and properties; and (3) knowledge of and ability to apply pertinent engineering principles and practices including considerations such as cost, availability, fabrication, performance, and use.
0830 - Mechanical Engineering Series
This series includes professional positions in the field of mechanical engineering typically requiring the application of thermodynamics, mechanics, and other physical, mathematical and engineering sciences to problems concerned with the production, transmission, measurement, and use of energy, especially heat and mechanical power.
0850 - Electrical Engineering Series
This series includes professional engineering positions that require primarily application of knowledge of: (1) the physical and engineering sciences and mathematics; (2) electrical phenomena; and (3) the principles, techniques, and practices of electrical engineering. The work pertains primarily to electrical circuits, circuit elements, equipment, systems, and associated phenomena concerned with electrical energy for purposes such as motive power, heating, illumination, chemical processes, or the production of localized electric or magnetic fields.
0854 - Computer Engineering Series
This series includes professional engineering positions that require primarily the application of knowledge of: (1) fundamentals and principles of professional engineering; (2) computer hardware, systems software, and computer system architecture and integration; and (3) mathematics, including calculus, probability, statistics, discrete structures, and modern algebra. The work pertains primarily to the research, design, development, testing, evaluation, and maintenance of computer hardware and software systems in an integrated manner.
0855 - Electronics Engineering Series
This series includes professional engineering positions that require primarily application of knowledge of: (1) the physical and engineering sciences and mathematics; (2) electronic phenomena; and (3) the principles, techniques, and practices of electronics engineering. The work pertains primarily to electronic circuits, circuit elements, equipment, systems, and associated phenomena concerned with electromagnetic or acoustical wave energy or electrical information for purposes such as communication, computation, sensing, control, measurement, and navigation.
0858 - Biomedical Engineer Series
This series covers positions managing, supervising, leading, and/or performing professional engineering and scientific work exploring and using biotechnology to: enrich practices, techniques, and knowledge in the medical, physiological, and biological sciences; enhance and ensure the health, safety, and welfare of living (i.e., human and animal) systems; and create and improve designs, instrumentation, materials, diagnostic and therapeutic devices, artificial organs, medical systems, and other devices (e.g., systems, equipment, application programs, and components) needed in the study and practice of medicine with living systems.
0893 - Chemical Engineering Series
This series includes positions that involve professional work in chemical engineering, including research, development, design, operation, evaluation, and improvement of processes, plants, equipment, methods, or products. The work involves changes in the chemical composition or physical state of materials and requires primarily application of knowledge of the principles and practices of chemical engineering, chemistry, and other scientific and engineering disciplines.
1301 - General Physical Science Series
This series includes positions that involve professional work in the physical sciences when there is no other more appropriate series, (that is, the positions are not classifiable elsewhere). This series also includes work in a combination of physical science fields, with no one predominant.
1310 - Physics Series
This series includes positions that advise, administer, supervise, or perform research or other professional and scientific work in the investigation and applications of the relations between space, time, matter, and energy in the areas of mechanics, sound, optics, heat, electricity, magnetism, radiation, or atomic and nuclear phenomena.
1320 - Chemistry Series
This series includes all positions involving work that requires full professional education and training in the field of chemistry. This work includes the investigation, analysis, and interpretation of the composition, molecular structure, and properties of substances, the transformations that they undergo, and the amounts of matter and energy included in these transformations. This work includes the investigation, analysis, and interpretation of the composition, physical and chemical properties, molecular structure and chemical reactions of substances; the prediction of transformation that they undergo; and the amount of matter and energy included in these transformations.
1550 - Computer Science Series
This series includes professional positions that primarily involve the application of, or research into computer science methods and techniques to store, manipulate, transform or present information by means of computer systems. The primary requirements of the work are: (1) professional competence in applying the theoretical foundations of computer science, including computer system architecture and system software organization, the representation and transformation of information structure, and the theoretical models for such representations and transformation; (2) specialized knowledge of the design characteristics, limitations, and potential applications of systems having the ability to transform information, and of broad areas of applications of computing that have common structures, processes, and techniques; and (3) knowledge of relevant mathematical and statistical sciences.
0401 - General Biological Science Series
This series includes positions that involve professional work in biology, agriculture, or related natural resource management when there is no other more appropriate series. Thus included in this series are positions that involve: (1) a combination of several professional fields with none predominant; or (2) a specialized professional field not readily identified with other existing series.
0801 - General Engineering Series
This series includes all classes of positions the duties of which are to advise on, administer, supervise, or perform research or other professional and scientific work of a special or miscellaneous character that is not specifically classifiable in any other engineering series, but that involves the application of a knowledge of such engineering fundamentals as the strength and strain analysis of engineering materials and structures, the physical and chemical characteristics of engineering materials such as elastic limits, maximum unit stresses, coefficients of expansion, workability, hardness, tendency to fatigue, resistance to corrosion, engineering adaptability, engineering methods of construction and processing, etc.; or positions involving professional work in several branches of engineering.
0806 - Materials Engineering Series
This series includes professional positions in engineering, or in engineering and physical science, that are concerned primarily with the properties, processing, uses, and in-service behavior of engineering materials, where the work performed and the qualifications required are such that the position is not more characteristic of a series appropriate to some other academic discipline. The work is characterized by the following three qualification requirements: (1) a highly developed knowledge of materials and their properties, processing, uses, and behavior under environmental influences; (2) an understanding of and the ability to utilize advances of the fundamental materials sciences, e.g., as they pertain to the interrelationships of composition, structure, and properties; and (3) knowledge of and ability to apply pertinent engineering principles and practices including considerations such as cost, availability, fabrication, performance, and use.
0830 - Mechanical Engineering Series
This series includes professional positions in the field of mechanical engineering typically requiring the application of thermodynamics, mechanics, and other physical, mathematical and engineering sciences to problems concerned with the production, transmission, measurement, and use of energy, especially heat and mechanical power.
0850 - Electrical Engineering Series
This series includes professional engineering positions that require primarily application of knowledge of: (1) the physical and engineering sciences and mathematics; (2) electrical phenomena; and (3) the principles, techniques, and practices of electrical engineering. The work pertains primarily to electrical circuits, circuit elements, equipment, systems, and associated phenomena concerned with electrical energy for purposes such as motive power, heating, illumination, chemical processes, or the production of localized electric or magnetic fields.
0854 - Computer Engineering Series
This series includes professional engineering positions that require primarily the application of knowledge of: (1) fundamentals and principles of professional engineering; (2) computer hardware, systems software, and computer system architecture and integration; and (3) mathematics, including calculus, probability, statistics, discrete structures, and modern algebra. The work pertains primarily to the research, design, development, testing, evaluation, and maintenance of computer hardware and software systems in an integrated manner.
0855 - Electronics Engineering Series
This series includes professional engineering positions that require primarily application of knowledge of: (1) the physical and engineering sciences and mathematics; (2) electronic phenomena; and (3) the principles, techniques, and practices of electronics engineering. The work pertains primarily to electronic circuits, circuit elements, equipment, systems, and associated phenomena concerned with electromagnetic or acoustical wave energy or electrical information for purposes such as communication, computation, sensing, control, measurement, and navigation.
0858 - Biomedical Engineer Series
This series covers positions managing, supervising, leading, and/or performing professional engineering and scientific work exploring and using biotechnology to: enrich practices, techniques, and knowledge in the medical, physiological, and biological sciences; enhance and ensure the health, safety, and welfare of living (i.e., human and animal) systems; and create and improve designs, instrumentation, materials, diagnostic and therapeutic devices, artificial organs, medical systems, and other devices (e.g., systems, equipment, application programs, and components) needed in the study and practice of medicine with living systems.
0893 - Chemical Engineering Series
This series includes positions that involve professional work in chemical engineering, including research, development, design, operation, evaluation, and improvement of processes, plants, equipment, methods, or products. The work involves changes in the chemical composition or physical state of materials and requires primarily application of knowledge of the principles and practices of chemical engineering, chemistry, and other scientific and engineering disciplines.
1301 - General Physical Science Series
This series includes positions that involve professional work in the physical sciences when there is no other more appropriate series, (that is, the positions are not classifiable elsewhere). This series also includes work in a combination of physical science fields, with no one predominant.
1310 - Physics Series
This series includes positions that advise, administer, supervise, or perform research or other professional and scientific work in the investigation and applications of the relations between space, time, matter, and energy in the areas of mechanics, sound, optics, heat, electricity, magnetism, radiation, or atomic and nuclear phenomena.
1320 - Chemistry Series
This series includes all positions involving work that requires full professional education and training in the field of chemistry. This work includes the investigation, analysis, and interpretation of the composition, molecular structure, and properties of substances, the transformations that they undergo, and the amounts of matter and energy included in these transformations. This work includes the investigation, analysis, and interpretation of the composition, physical and chemical properties, molecular structure and chemical reactions of substances; the prediction of transformation that they undergo; and the amount of matter and energy included in these transformations.
1550 - Computer Science Series
This series includes professional positions that primarily involve the application of, or research into computer science methods and techniques to store, manipulate, transform or present information by means of computer systems. The primary requirements of the work are: (1) professional competence in applying the theoretical foundations of computer science, including computer system architecture and system software organization, the representation and transformation of information structure, and the theoretical models for such representations and transformation; (2) specialized knowledge of the design characteristics, limitations, and potential applications of systems having the ability to transform information, and of broad areas of applications of computing that have common structures, processes, and techniques; and (3) knowledge of relevant mathematical and statistical sciences.
Most qualified candidates will demonstrate the following core competencies:
• Human physiological, human behavior in complex systems, and state of the art signal processing
• Machine learning, human data analysis, and humans in complex systems
• Computer science, world modeling, augmented reality, and humans in complex systems
• Machine learning, human in the loop, and human technology teaming
• Data science, machine learning, signal processing, and humans in complex systems
• Computation Neuroscience
• Synthetic Biology
• Bioinformatics and Bioengineering
• Machine learning, human data analysis, and humans in complex systems
• Computer science, world modeling, augmented reality, and humans in complex systems
• Machine learning, human in the loop, and human technology teaming
• Data science, machine learning, signal processing, and humans in complex systems
• Computation Neuroscience
• Synthetic Biology
• Bioinformatics and Bioengineering
Job Duties/Responsibilities
1. Positions at this level are expected to work independently under general supervision as a mature and fully responsible employee. Assignments are received in terms of broad, general objectives with some direction provided when controversial or unusual circumstances are involved. Work is reviewed for conformance to policy, achievement of objectives, and impact on laboratory and Army programs. Employees take complete responsibility for formulation of plans and hypotheses and for carrying them through to completion.
2. Serves as a scientist or engineer responsible for carrying out advanced research and development activities involving complex equipment, emerging technologies or scientific phenomena. The work involves research, development or systems analysis of new equipment, material, or concepts that significantly add to the understanding and usefulness of previously unexplained or untested phenomena or contribute to the solution of significant Army problems. Is considered to be a productive professional, providing technical advice and guidance to managers, supervisors, peers, and sponsors on various aspects of the work. In many instances, experimental data are nonexistent or controversial requiring the incumbent to develop interpretations and procedures to extend existing knowledge/methodology. Is responsible for technically defending and supporting ideas and proposals for concepts that are often controversial or novel.
Technical contributions are recognized by management and peers as having significant impact on ongoing projects and reflect originality and creativity. Attends and presents papers at conferences or professional society meetings, serves on technical committees within the agency, and coordinates with other professionals when working on collaborative efforts. Incumbent is skilled in applying a range of scientific principles, techniques and methods in a specialty area. Investigates problems of considerable complexity and finds non-obvious solutions. Results of work make a considerable contribution in resolving Army problems; advance scientific knowledge and understanding or capability; or overcome technical obstacles recognized by other professionals as highly complex. Conceives and formulates ideas or produces work of such originality, soundness and value as to have marked the incumbent as a significant contributor to the field. Guides and evaluates the design and development activities of contractors and others in achieving new products. Uses complex theoretical, experimental and investigative techniques to resolve both the issues involved in the case at hand as well as to check out and account for anomalies and to reach sound scientific compromises. Remains abreast of recent advances in scientific knowledge and technical know-how.
Authors one or more publications of considerable interest and value to the field as evidenced by favorable reviews, citations in the work of others, presentations to professional societies, other agencies, high level decision makers, customers, and the like. Contributes inventions, new designs, or techniques which are of material significance in the solution of important problems. Is sought out for consultation by colleagues who are, themselves, professionally mature scientists/engineers. Conducts briefings and presentations and deals responsibly on technical matters in the field within and outside the organization.
3. As scientists and engineers progress through the band, responsibilities tend to involve research/experimental development problems that have been recognized as critical obstacles to progress or development in areas of exceptional interest, previously unexplored or heretofore unpromising, where solutions would represent a significant advance to agency technologies and/or programs. Assignments and responsibilities will have a broader independence, scope, difficulty, complexity, and will require an intensive subject-matter knowledge and significant leadership qualities. Employees will mature to serve as expert advisors, project leaders, or team leaders managing broad and complex programs that encompass a variety of functional or discipline areas and advance the state of the art and create new or substantially improved work in their specialty and/or field, or perhaps on matters extending beyond the incumbent's immediate specialty area.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Research: Systematic, critical, intensive investigation directed toward the development of new or fuller scientific knowledge of the subject studied. It may be with or without reference to a specific application. The work involves theoretical, taxonomic, and experimental investigations or simulation of experiments and conditions to: (1) Determine the nature, magnitude, and interrelationships of natural and social phenomena and processes; (2) Create or develop theoretical or experimental means of investigating such phenomena or processes: and (3) Develop the principles, criteria, methods, and a body of data of general applicability for use by others.
Biological & Biotechnology Sciences (BBS): Work is performed in the Foundational Research Domain, Biological & Biotechnology Sciences Competency which is defined as biological related disciplines, including synthetic biology, biological materials, biological / a biological interfaces and biological effect.
Work can be performed in one or more of the following core competencies:
1. Bio Synthesis for Precision Materials focuses on research related to producing hierarchical and hybrid materials using synthetic biology and biotechnology for acceleration of the discovery-to-product timeline.
2. Control in Military Environments focuses on research related to understanding and controlling living materials in military environments with an emphasis on speed of functional effect synchronized to operational timeframes.
3. Incapacitating Effects focuses on Multi-disciplinary research into novel mechanisms that modulate cognition and physiology of Soldiers. Fundamental understanding and controlled manipulation of the structure-property-function of brain components for development of performance enhancing technologies.
4. Synthetic Biology Tools focuses on Multidisciplinary research related to understanding, controlling, and testing biological constructs and modifications for the creation of new functionality in materials, devices, or subsystems within military environments and specialty applications.
Biological & Biotechnology Sciences (BBS): Work is performed in the Foundational Research Domain, Biological & Biotechnology Sciences Competency which is defined as biological related disciplines, including synthetic biology, biological materials, biological / a biological interfaces and biological effect.
Work can be performed in one or more of the following core competencies:
1. Bio Synthesis for Precision Materials focuses on research related to producing hierarchical and hybrid materials using synthetic biology and biotechnology for acceleration of the discovery-to-product timeline.
2. Control in Military Environments focuses on research related to understanding and controlling living materials in military environments with an emphasis on speed of functional effect synchronized to operational timeframes.
3. Incapacitating Effects focuses on Multi-disciplinary research into novel mechanisms that modulate cognition and physiology of Soldiers. Fundamental understanding and controlled manipulation of the structure-property-function of brain components for development of performance enhancing technologies.
4. Synthetic Biology Tools focuses on Multidisciplinary research related to understanding, controlling, and testing biological constructs and modifications for the creation of new functionality in materials, devices, or subsystems within military environments and specialty applications.