Senior Scientist and Subject Matter Expert - Opioid Detection

Noblis•Washington, DC

4d•Onsite

About The Position

At Noblis and Noblis ESI, we have excellent teams of smart, collaborative, proactive experts and professionals. We are actively seeking to identify personnel to join our team of talented professionals who possess the experience, vision, commitment, and integrity to successfully support the strategic goals of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Office of Mission & Capability Support (MCS). DHS S&T was established by Congress to provide innovative scientific and technical solutions to the nation's homeland security challenges. Within S&T, MCS executes Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) to transition solution approaches, technologies, and knowledge products in support of DHS Component customers including U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal, State, Local Tribal and Territorial (FSLTT) first responders, and the larger Homeland Security Enterprise (HSE). MCS covers all DHS mission areas and serves 13 discrete customer portfolios. New teammates will support these efforts, as well as augment our existing team working on rapidly developing technology in response to evolving threats. This position will provide technical and strategic subject matter expertise related to technical solutions focused on detecting, interdicting, and mitigating illicit substances including narcotics and opioids, and may also support other technology research and development efforts. This position requires staff to be in-person at the DHS client site in Washington, DC (Anacostia metro station) and at additional locations in the National Capital Region as needed in accordance with the requirements of the contract, which may include being on-site up to five (5) days per week. By applying for this position, you acknowledge that working onsite is a potential requirement of this position and you will be readily available to do so.

Requirements

An advanced degree and at least 10 years of relevant experience.
Evidence of developing scientific guidance, such as technology roadmaps, feasibility analysis, and market research regarding the boundaries of state-of-art technology.
Demonstrated experience distilling complex technical topics, requirements, and concepts into plain language for diverse sets of stakeholders to include strong technical writing skills.
Applicants selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
Applicants selected must be eligible to receive DHS Suitability and possess an active Top-Secret Clearance.

Nice To Haves

A Master’s or Doctoral degree in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
Demonstrated strong understanding of field detection limitations for chemical detectors, colorimetric kits, and immunoassay products for illicit narcotics.
Demonstrated experience with the development, analysis, or engagement in consulting or similar work related to narcotics detection and capabilities.
Demonstrated ability to distill project requirements and maintain awareness of current synthetic opioid trends through several reporting outlets.
Demonstrated strong understanding of fentanyl synthetic routes, including precursor materials and their properties, used in clandestine laboratories.
Publications, patents, or other demonstrable evidence of expertise in the fields identified above.
Demonstrated ability to manage data collection events from start to finish, including defining technical objective of the data collection, ensuring data quality, and maintaining a data collection schedule.
Demonstrated experience supporting technology transition from research and development into operational use.
Demonstrated experience conducting in-depth research in support of studies and analyses.
Demonstrated proficiency providing technical, program management and/or analytical support to programs and projects serving DHS Mission Areas such as Border Security, Narcotics Detection, and Law Enforcement.
Demonstrated experience monitoring project development performance and reviewing deliverables to ensure technical, programmatic and financial goals and objectives are met and identify possible program risks.
Excellent communication, collaboration, and presentation skills. Proven results-oriented problem-solving abilities. Experience with presentation graphics and/or spreadsheet tools.
Demonstrated experience providing guidance, feedback, and consulting services to federal program managers and leadership.
Demonstrated experience providing feedback and guidance to team members related to execution of deliverables and other assigned tasks.
Demonstrated experience developing budgets and prioritizing resources.
Ability to work in a dynamic team-oriented environment, demonstrate teamwork and initiative, and function productively in the face of new assignments and the re-prioritization of existing assignments.
Demonstrated experience providing program and/or project management support on research and development contracts.
Experience facilitating resolution of customer requirements, including helping to identify and document capability gaps, formulate and develop technological solutions, and participate in and contribute to strategic discussions.
Experience supporting DHS components and agencies either operationally or through project management.
Active DHS Suitability is preferred.

Responsibilities

Providing insight and advice concerning strategic and technical direction and applicability of current, industry standard or innovative solutions based on in-depth understanding of the latest developments relevant to a specialized functional area.
Developing technical and strategic documentation for programs, projects and individual activities in collaboration with federal program and project managers.
Overseeing, monitoring, and supporting government-sponsored research programs on leading-edge technologies.
Evaluating the feasibility of technical approaches to problems and requirements presented by operational customers.
Supporting the identification, assessment, evaluation, and testing of existing and emerging technologies, systems, and capabilities, including: coordination with related government, academic, and industry programs; attending meetings and symposia; coordinating meetings and programs reviews; and supporting program advocacy including development and production of presentation materials.
Assess the efficacy, safety, cost lifecycle costs of proposed or realized solutions.
Concisely communicating findings, assessments, and recommendations to technical and non-technical audiences as needed.
Providing programmatic and technical presentations to varied audiences including customers, partners and stakeholders at the direction of federal program and project managers.
Active participation in engagements with operational customers and stakeholders to include providing technical and scientific feedback and guidance in consultation with MCS program and project managers.
Participating in meetings, workshops, conferences, and program reviews at the direction of the program or project manager to provide programmatic and technical reviews and feedback, summarize and synthesize information for federal project managers and teammates, and contribute to the technical and program management dialogue with research performers and relevant stakeholders.
Assisting with the development and administration of RDT&E contracts, to include tasks such as: development of solicitation material, administration of source selection reviews, and assessing technical solutions.
Monitoring project performance and reviewing deliverables to ensure technical, programmatic, and financial goals and objectives are met while identifying possible program risks.
Coordinating with federal project and program managers to prepare for weekly sync meetings, briefings to matrix stakeholders and MCS leadership, and monthly/ad-hoc technical discussions with project performers.
Providing support to Portfolio and Program Managers in their continued engagement with DHS S&T customers on the receipt, prioritization, and regular reporting of their operational capability gaps.
Providing high level vision to program/project manager or senior leadership to influence objectives of complex efforts.
Performing routine tasks including, but not limited to, scheduling, writing internal memos, maintaining and updating Program Management records, filing, intranet website maintenance, preparing and reviewing presentations, records maintenance, and coordinating daily operations of the assigned program.
Coordinating, tracking, and providing assistance in responding to program-aligned S&T Executive Secretary data calls, compiling information, and preparing information for reporting to senior leadership, with a particular emphasis items requiring technical content and information.