Emerging Biological / Chemical Threats SME

Noblis•Washington, DC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role provides scientific, technical and programmatic support in the DHS Science and Technology Directorate, as part of a multidisciplinary team of high-performance professionals supporting the client's most vexing technical and technological challenges, and developing solutions to counter current, emerging, and future homeland security threats. Specifically, the selected candidates will support S&T on programs including, but not limited to: AI/ML and data science applications to scientific technical foresighting, bioinformatics and biodetection, microbial, viral and toxin hazard assessment and synthetic biology. The successful candidate will be self-motivated, operate well in a matrixed environment, be able to learn, digest, and provide scientific and technical guidance on a broad spectrum of biological and chemical subjects, and be able to distill and communicate complex technical concepts to enable nontechnical managers to make informed decisions and to communicate R&D impact to senior officials and policy makers. This is currently a hybrid telework position requiring staff to be in-person at the DHS S&T client site in Washington, DC as needed in accordance with the requirements of the contract. Applicants must be located within the National Capital Region.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and 10 years of relevant experience, or Master's or Ph.D. and 5 years of relevant experience.
Degrees may be in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, or related field
SECRET clearance (or Eligibility to obtain a minimum of an Interim Secret clearance)
Eligibility to obtain DHS access and suitability
Experience providing strategic scientific guidance, such as technology roadmaps, feasibility analysis, and market research regarding the boundaries of state-of-art technology
Evidence of providing scientific guidance and communications to stakeholders, both written and verbally, targeting both technical and non-technical audiences. This evidence may be in the form of conference talks, industry days, publications, feasibility analyses, or market research regarding state-of-art technologies and their implications

Nice To Haves

Experience providing direct or consultant scientific and programmatic support to federal R&D programs or system development efforts, preferably supporting national security
Comfort reading, analyzing, and critiquing scientific manuscripts, similar to a peer-review process
Comfort discussing and reviewing technical aspects of laboratory research
Interest in learning about and researching new technical areas; the right candidate will ask questions and seek to understand both technical and programmatic issues
Strong communication skills including technical writing and editing, science communication, oral presentations, interpersonal and organizational skills, critical thinking, and people skills to engage performers, PMs, and senior stakeholders
Experience supporting interagency coordination or international science and technology partnerships
Self-motivation and the ability to map out paths to success, including trouble shooting and independently reviewing instructions and guidance to complete tasks
Experience in project or program management activities such as tracking milestones, coordinating teams, or supporting budget oversight
Experience supporting technology transition from research and development to operational use
Experience adapting to changes in processes, requirements, and priorities
Experience supporting DoD and/or DHS components (e.g., TSA, CBP, FPS, NPPD, CWMD, USCG, ICE)
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (especially PowerPoint, Excel, and Project)
Publications, patents, or other documented evidence of expertise in these fields
Candidates with a Top Secret/SCI clearance and DHS Suitability are strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Researching and providing guidance on leading-edge technologies, particularly as they relate to biology and chemistry
Evaluating the feasibility of technical approaches to problems
Reviewing biological and/or chemistry-related technical reports and providing critiques of methods and results
Developing and evaluating scientific capability development strategies
Monitoring emerging chemical and biological threats program and technical performance against goals
Developing test and evaluation methodologies
Assessing the efficacy, safety, and lifecycle costs of proposed or realized scientific solutions
Supporting R&D portfolio management activities, including tracking milestones, budgets, and deliverables
Developing scientific program status reports, PowerPoint briefings, and read-ahead materials
Developing, monitoring, and maintaining a central repository of chem/bio scientific and technical program information (e.g. reports, requirements, etc.)
Organizing, coordinating, and participating in meetings, discussions, and seminars on biological and chemical threat and detection technology topics
Supporting interagency and international coordination on science and technology topics
Communicating scientific findings to technical and non-technical audiences as needed