Social Scientist

Summary This position is located in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (OCAO), Insider Threat Program (InTP). The offices of the CAO provide a plethora of administrative services and support to the entire USPTO. Directly under the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) is monitoring and mitigating insider threats. The InTP is responsible for ensuring the Agency maintains compliance with all laws and regulations governing insider threat mitigation. Learn more about this agency Requirements Conditions of Employment Applications will only be accepted from United States Citizens and Nationals. Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related competencies. You must meet the definition of specialized experience. Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov). If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement. Suitable for Federal Employment Qualifications THIS POSITION HAS AN INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT. IN ORDER TO QUALIFY, ALL APPLICANTS MUST MEET THIS BASIC REQUIREMENT IN ADDITION TO THE SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE. You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. OPM Qualifications Standards are available at Professional and Sciences Positions. Basic Requirement: Degree in behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. OR Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. AND Specialized Experience: Specialized Experienceis experience that has equipped applicants with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the federal service. For this position, the next lower grade level is a GS-13. Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience in providing expert technical advice regarding social and behavioral activities, analysis, and findings to support the all-source analysis mission of the identification and mitigation of potential insider threat activity; AND Experience in conducting research, presenting briefings, findings, and guidance on the scientific validity of all InTP activities to agency leadership; AND Experience in participating in the development of agency and national policy, planning, and doctrine including, but not limited to guidance on the scientific validity and sustainability of proposed policies, impact on outreach to academia, and coordination with scientific approaches used in other government organizations. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education To meet minimum eligibility requirements for this position, applicants must possess a degree in behavioral or social science or related disciplines. If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to General Schedule Qualification Policies for more information. You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - US Department of Education. Another listing of services that can perform this evaluation is available at the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration. NOTE: Only education and experience acquired before the filing deadline will be considered. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Additional information If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. This is a Non Bargaining Unit position. This is a National Security position and has a risk level designation of "HIGH RISK". Except as prohibited by law, all applicants tentatively selected for positions needing a Top Secret Clearance will be required to submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and, if appointed, the incumbent will be subjected to random drug testing procedures. Background Investigation - If selected for this position, you may be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306), which includes a fingerprint and credit check, to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice. Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid. CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a "well qualified" rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: OPM CTAP/ICTAP. CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the 'Required Documents' section of this announcement. More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 90 days from the date the certificate was issued. All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. USPTO Job Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should request accommodation(s) from the USPTO at USPTO Reasonable Accommodation. The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. If you believe that you have been discriminated against and would like to file an EEO complaint, you must do so within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act. Claims of employment discrimination must be submitted to the attention of the USPTO's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity via email ([email protected]) or phone (571-272-8292). Read more Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.