Computer Scientist

Federal Aviation Administration • Atlantic City, NJ

5d

About The Position

This Computer Scientist position is in the William J. Hughes Technical Center, Enterprise Test and Evaluation Services Division, Aeronautical and Weather Services Verification Branch, which provides test and evaluation services for aeronautical information, weather, and flight service systems. The position supports test and evaluation work for programs including Aeronautical Information Management Modernization, NOTAMS, weather programs, automation systems, and test laboratories. Specific programs include NOTAM Management Service (NMS), National Weather Program (NWP), Terminal Precipitation on the Glass (TPoG), Flow Management Data Service (FMDS), and Alaska Automation Capability (AAC).

The incumbent serves on a multidisciplinary team providing centralized verification and validation (V&V) and Test & Evaluation (T&E) support. The role provides computer science expertise and consistent-quality services to facilitate V&V and T&E practices and improve FAA V&V standards. It supports V&V and T&E activities for critical National Airspace System (NAS) and FAA acquisition work products, helping ensure capabilities and services are implemented efficiently and effectively. The work involves complex system integration, software-intensive systems engineering, and FAA systems of systems, with life-cycle V&V and T&E support for NAS capabilities, services, and systems. The incumbent is expected to adapt to vendors’ agile testing approaches and use evolving tools and technologies to meet accelerated timelines.

Assignments are varied and complex and are performed under limited direction. The employee applies advanced technical knowledge, develops plans and techniques to improve programs and policies, and considers how the technical area interacts with other disciplines and organizational objectives. Established policies and procedures guide most work, while allowing discretion to select approaches or recommend new ones. The employee provides guidance to lower-level staff, resolves most technical problems independently, identifies problems requiring management attention, and recommends techniques for addressing problem situations. Work is reviewed periodically, typically at major milestones and at completion.

The position defines, plans, and organizes assigned resources to meet organizational objectives and allocates resources for small work activities within established schedules. Contacts are internal and external; the employee may serve as a key technical contact for assigned activities, contribute to management or technical reports and contractual documents, and communicate project results to FAA management, the aviation and aerospace industries, and other external parties.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, or a bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science; at least 15 of those hours must include mathematics and statistics coursework that includes differential and integral calculus.
• Academic degrees and coursework must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.
• At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to FV-H, FG 10-12.
• Specialized experience supporting test and evaluation activities of a NAS system.
• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Applicants must submit college or university transcripts and certificates by the announcement closing date; an official transcript is required before appointment if selected.
• Foreign education must be evaluated for U.S. equivalence, and a copy of the evaluation results must be provided.
• A resume must include detailed information supporting qualifications and responses to the job questionnaire.

Responsibilities

• Support test and evaluation work for aeronautical information, NOTAMS, weather, automation, and test-laboratory programs.
• Provide centralized verification and validation (V&V) and Test & Evaluation (T&E) support as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Deliver computer science expertise and quality services that facilitate V&V and T&E practices and improve FAA V&V standards.
• Support V&V and T&E activities for critical NAS and FAA acquisition work products throughout the life cycle.
• Adapt to vendor agile testing approaches and use evolving tools and technologies to meet accelerated timelines.
• Apply advanced technical knowledge to complex assignments and develop plans and techniques to improve programs and policies.
• Provide guidance to lower-level staff on difficult technical issues and resolve technical problems independently when possible.
• Identify problems requiring management attention and develop and recommend techniques to address problem situations.
• Define, plan, and organize assigned resources and allocate resources for small work activities within established schedules.
• Serve as a technical point of contact for assigned activities and contribute to management or technical reports and contractual documents.
• Communicate project or work-activity results to FAA management, the aviation and aerospace industries, and other external parties.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level