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August 18, 2017

Dear Colleagues:

The Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI) in the Directorate for Engineering (ENG) announces a nationwide search to fill a Program Director position for the Mechanics of Materials and Structures (MOMS) program.

Formal consideration of interested applications will begin September 15, 2017, and will continue until a selection is made with an intended start date of January, 2018.

Program Directors have an unparalleled opportunity and responsibility to ensure that the NSF-funded research is at the forefront of advancing fundamental knowledge. In support of this, Program Directors are responsible for extensive interaction with academic research communities and industry, as well as interaction with other Federal agencies that may lead to the development of interagency collaborations. Within this context, Program Directors solicit, receive and review research and education proposals, make funding recommendations, administer awards, and undertake interaction with research communities across these sectors. They are also responsible for service to Foundation-wide activities and initiatives that together accomplish NSF's strategic goals to: (1) transform the frontiers of science and engineering, (2) stimulate innovation and address societal needs through research and education, and (3) excel as a federal science agency. The position requires a commitment to high standards of intellectualism and ethical conduct, a considerable breadth of interest, receptivity to new ideas, a strong sense of fairness, good judgment, and a high degree of personal integrity.

The Mechanics of Materials and Structures program supports fundamental research in mechanics as related to the behavior of deformable solid materials and structures under internal and external actions. The program supports a diverse and interdisciplinary spectrum of research topics with emphasis on research that leads to advances in theory, experimental, and/or computational methods in mechanics, and/or that uses contemporary mechanics methods to address modern challenges in materials and structures. Support is provided for research on existing or emerging materials and structural systems across time and length scales. Material and structural response including nonlinear deformation, instability and collapse in the context of large deformations; advances in fundamental understanding of deformation; fracture and fatigue are of interest, as well as contact and friction. The program also supports research that integrates material and structure (such as metamaterials, hierarchical, microarchitectured and low-dimensional materials), and that explores and builds on advanced computing techniques and tools to enable major advances in mechanics.

The successful candidate should demonstrate in-depth expertise in the field of mechanics. The program is highly interdisciplinary and often participates in crosscutting initiatives within the National Science Foundation. Thus, the Program Directors will be expected to work both independently and cooperatively as a member of a team-based program structure. Experience working in interdisciplinary teams is highly desired. A description of the Mechanics of Materials and Structures (MOMS) program is provided on the MOMS web page, https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13355. Inquiries regarding the program can be directed to the current Program Directors identified on the program web pages.

Qualifications of a successful candidate include a PhD degree in an appropriate field plus, after award of the PhD, six years or more of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position. The position requires effective oral and written communication skills, and familiarity with NSF programs and activities is highly desirable. The incumbent must also demonstrate a capability to work across government agencies to promote NSF activities and to leverage program funds through interagency collaborations.

The position may be filled under one of the following appointment alternatives:

Visiting Scientist, Engineer or Educator (VSEE) 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 institutions and placed on the NSF payroll. 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 institutions or to the carrier. Appointments are usually made for a one-year period and may be extended for an additional year by mutual agreement. These positions are eligible for conversion to permanent NSF service.

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 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. Temporary appointments may not exceed three years. These positions are eligible for conversion to permanent NSF service.

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 the negotiated funding toward the assignee's salary and benefits. Initial IPA assignments are made for a one-year period and may be extended by mutual agreement to a maximum of four years total. These positions are ineligible for conversion to permanent NSF service.

For additional information regarding IPA positions, please visit the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/careers/rotator/ipa.jsp.

Applications will be accepted from U.S. Citizens. Recent changes in Federal Appropriations Law require Non-Citizens to meet certain eligibility criteria to be considered. Therefore, Non-Citizens must certify eligibility by signing and attaching this Citizenship Affidavit to their application. This also applies to individuals considered for Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignments to NSF. Non-citizens who do not provide the affidavit at the time of application will not be considered eligible.

Applicants should indicate in their cover letter that they are applying to the MOMS program and submit their applications via email to:

Steven Zehnder
Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation
Directorate for Engineering
National Science Foundation
Alexandria, VA 22314
szehnder@nsf.gov.

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