Division of Human Resource Development
Program Director Positions
Employment Opportunities—Dear Colleague Letter

February 9, 2009

Dear Colleague:

The Division of Human Resource Development (HRD) announces a nationwide search for a number of Program Director positions at the National Science Foundation (NSF).  Appointments will usually be made for one year and may be extended for an additional year by mutual agreement.

HRD serves as a focal point for NSF’s agency-wide commitment to enhancing the quality and excellence of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and research through broadening participation by underrepresented groups and institutions.  The Division’s programs aim to increase the participation by underrepresented minorities and minority-serving institutions, women and girls, and persons with disabilities at every level of the science and engineering enterprise.  In so doing, these programs contribute to attainment of an outcome goal of the NSF Strategic Plan FY 2006-2011: Cultivate a world-class, broadly inclusive science and engineering workforce, and expand the scientific literacy of all citizens.  Programs within HRD have a strong focus on partnerships and collaborations in order to maximize the preparation of al well-trained scientific and instructional workforce for the new millennium.  Additional information about the division and its programs can be found at https://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=HRD.

NSF Program Directors bear the primary responsibility for carrying out the agency’s overall mission: to support innovative and merit-reviewed activities in basic research and education that contribute to the nation’s technical strength, security, and welfare.  Discharging this responsibility requires not only knowledge in the appropriate disciplines but also a commitment to high standards, a considerable breadth of interest and receptivity to new ideas, a strong sense of fairness, good judgment, and a high degree of personal integrity. Experience as a reviewer and/or principal investigator is a real advantage.

Successful candidates will be expected to work with other staff in the division in managing some of the following programs:

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program.  The LSAMP program is aimed at increasing the quality and quantity of students successfully completing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) baccalaureate degree programs, and increasing the number of students interested in, academically qualified for and matriculated into STEM programs of graduate study. 

The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) Program.  The CREST program makes resources available to enhance the research capabilities of minority-serving institutions through the establishment of centers that effectively integrate education and research.  CREST promotes the development of new knowledge, enhancements of the research productivity of individual faculty, and an expanded presence of students historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines.

The Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) Program.  The AGEP program is intended to increase significantly the number of students receiving doctoral degrees in STEM, with special emphasis on those population groups underrepresented in these fields.  AGEP also supports the transformation of institutional culture to attract and retain STEM doctoral students into the professoriate.

It is anticipated that Program Directors will be needed for appointments beginning in summer 2009.

Applicants should have a Ph.D. or equivalent experience or a combination of education and equivalent experience in the relevant STEM discipline, plus six or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position.  In addition, candidates must have significant experience in teaching at the undergraduate or graduate level, or in a community college environment, as well as demonstrated leadership in undergraduate or graduate education.  Also desirable are knowledge of the general scientific community and strong skills in written and oral communication.  All appointees are expected to function effectively both within specific programs and as part of a team, contributing to and coordinating with offices throughout the Foundation and with other Federal and state government agencies and private sector organizations.

Program Director positions recruited under this announcement may be filled under one of the following appointment options:

• Visiting Scientist Appointment.  Appointment to this position will be made under the Excepted Authority of the NSF Act.  Visiting Scientists are on non-paid leave status from their home institution and appointed to NSF’s payroll as Federal employees.  NSF withholds Social Security taxes and pays the home institution’s contributions to maintain retirement and fringe benefits (i.e., health benefits and life insurance), either directly to the home institution or to the carrier. 

• Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Assignment.  Individuals eligible for an IPA assignment with a Federal agency include employees of state and local government agencies or institutions of higher education, Indian tribal governments, and other eligible organizations in instances where such assignments would be of mutual benefit to the organizations involved.   The individual remains an employee of the home institution, and NSF provides funding toward the assignee’s salary and benefits.

• Temporary Excepted Service Appointment.  Appointment to this position will be made under the Excepted Authority of the NSF Act.  Candidates who do not have civil service status or reinstatement eligibility will not obtain civil service status if selected.  Candidates currently in the competitive service will be required to waive competitive civil service rights if selected.  Usual civil service benefits (retirement, health benefits, and life insurance) are applicable for appointments of more than one year.

For additional information about NSF’s rotational programs, please see “ROTATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS AND EDUCATORS”on the NSF website at https://www.nsf.gov/about/career_opps.

Individuals interested in applying for a Program Director position should send a current CV and statement of interest to:

Dr. James H. Wyche, Director
Division of Human Resource Development
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 815
Phone:     703-292-8640
Fax:         703-292-9018
E-mail: jwyche@nsf.gov 

 

NSF IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER COMMITTED TO EMPLOYING A HIGHLY QUALIFIED STAFF THAT REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR NATION.