NRO Developmental Program - TECHNICAL CAREER PATH
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) seeks recently graduated or early career STEM degree professionals. The developmental program provides a guided career pathway that typically takes 3-5 years to accomplish a GG-12 level set of duties and potential salary of $86,335 to $112,240/year. NRO is accepting applications from both US Citizens and Federal Government employees, at the GS/GG-07 and GS/GG-09 level, or equivalent, for this position.
Summary
NRO will select multiple motivated, highly qualified individuals to engage in the developmental program while applying creative solutions to complex technical and operational problems. In a developmental position, candidates will plan and accomplish the work of the position under close but decreasing supervision until all duties can be performed independently with little or no guidance. Upon meeting performance requirements, employees may be promoted up to the full performance grade (GG-12).
Responsibilities
The developmental employee will receive training and guidance to prepare them to support the full performance level duties below.
Developmental Support Opportunities:
- Specific instructional guidance and a specific formal development plan to enable the individual to progressively perform increasingly technically complex assignments and tasks with more responsibility and less guidance.
- On-the-job training providing technical and professional advice on issues affecting the NRO.
- Formal training on how to originate new and improve existing applications and strategies for technical concepts, theories, and principles that affect the planning, completions and direction of major scientific and engineering projects.
- Instructional guidance on making decisions to resolve specific issues and problems while considering different, incomplete and often conflicting information and alternatives.
- On-the-job training for developing, delivering, and sustaining overhead reconnaissance systems, including technical solutions for spacecraft hardware, ground, and communication components, and mission software systems.
- Diverse training in various mission areas including program management, procurement, development, and supporting technical initiatives and/or operations.
- Pursuing full performance target level of GG-12 duties.
Full Performance GG-12, Interdisciplinary Technical (0801/1301/1501) Duties:
- Prepare, provide, and evaluate conventional plans, designs, design specifications, and related documentation determining and/or executing actions for a wide range of assignments involving a combination of complex features.
- Provide advice to senior colleagues and/or management officials responsible for broad program operations.
- Research trends and patterns; develop new methods and criteria; propose new policies and practices; conduct technical analysis and field laboratory work to achieve products or services.
- Evaluate the value and applicability of new or improved technology, strategies, trends, or applications.
- Assess project and program effectiveness interacting with NRO-user community with respect to system and/or operational requirements.
- Provide expertise and advice on program planning and policy-making functions covering a broad range of engineering and scientific program and plans. Develop and advise on and implement critical projects and/or segments of NRO programs, projects, or activities.
- Initiate and conduct thorough and comprehensive analytical studies or other complex studies involving varied subject matters. Studies vary in complexity based on scenario and the number of analytical models employed. Define the problem, formulate scope, establish objectives, formulate methodologies, coordinate research contributions of others and identify significant findings. Produce insightful findings, alternative courses of action, solutions to critical problems, etc., which have significant impact in changing or improving practical and/or theoretical concept development to future special operations.
- Conduct systemic exploration of problems and analysis of alternatives. Present trend analysis data ascertaining potential problem areas. Define the problems involved, formulate concepts in addressing these problems, and review and evaluate the final outcomes of the study. Identify and clarify major factors and issues of the study. Establish the objectives and approach; formulate methodologies; and plans, advise on and coordinate study activities.
- Plan, execute and report on original studies or ongoing studies requiring a fresh approach to resolve new problems, modifying and adapting standard procedures, methods and techniques to address problems.
- Plan, coordinate, implement, test, and conduct projects, serving as an advisor to other scientists or engineers.
- Perform scientific and technical evaluation, correlation, synthesis and presentation or important data in a complex field making significant technical and scientific recommendations and decisions.