Applied Social Scientist Jobs

As an Applied Social Scientist, you will work with other industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologists, strategic consultants, data scientists, and human capital professionals to oversee and develop initiatives focusing on talent acquisition, development, and retention. Applied Social Scientists use social science research methods to explore and address issues around organizational and program effectiveness. They develop solutions and provide data informed recommendations to enhance the way NSA does business. Applied Social Scientists work across the NSA performing one or more of the functions below. PRE-EMPLOYMENT ASSESSMENT AND SELECTION Applied Social Scientists focusing on pre-employment assessment and selection use their skills in psychometrics, assessments, and employee selection to develop assessment solutions supporting hiring at NSA. Specific activities may include: - Lead and conduct projects developing, validating, revising, and implementing pre-employment assessments (e.g., CAT assessments, structured interviews, cognitive and non-cognitive assessments, and knowledge tests, work samples, and simulations); - Contribute to the design and execution of job analysis studies; - Conduct EEO analyses for selection decisions involving the use of assessments in accordance with legal guidelines and professional standards; - Manage data sets and perform statistical analyses (e.g., descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, IRT, Classical Test Theory, latent variable modeling, scaling, equating) - Write detailed technical reports supporting the use and interpretation of pre-employment test scores - Develop innovative assessment implementation strategies to meet the needs of hiring partners SURVEYS AND ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS CONSULTATION Applied Social Scientists focusing on surveys and organizational effectiveness consultation use a range of data collection methods and HR analytics to gauge and inform leaders on the pulse of the workforce and consult with customers across the Agency to undercover and address specific organizational challenges to support retention of critical talent. Specific activities may include: - Conduct data-informed organizational consultations such as root cause analysis and action planning, leveraging a range of data collection methods (e.g., targeted surveys, focus groups, interviews) - Design, develop, and deploy Agency-wide employee surveys (e.g., climate, new hire, re-assignment, and exit/ resignation) - Provide ad-hoc consultation on survey design, deployment, analysis, and interpretation - Develop resources and working aids on a range of survey and consultation-related topics. - Produce survey reports and visualizations using software such as MS Excel, R, and Tableau - Offer report interpretation workshops and personalized briefings for Agency leaders who want to better understand how to interpret their organization's survey results ANALYSIS of WORK Applied Social Scientists focusing on the analysis of work use their skills to gather data and develop solutions supporting the Agency's occupational structure and thus providing the foundation for many talent management efforts. Specific activities may include: - Lead the design and execution of large and small scale job analysis studies - Develop and maintain libraries of task, knowledge, and skill statements, - Develop and maintain libraries of competencies and associated behavioral indicators - Lead the design and execution of competency modeling, assessment, and gap analysis efforts that inform employee development efforts and strategic workforce planning - Manage data sets and perform statistical analyses (e.g., descriptive statistics, correlation, interrater reliability, latent variable modeling, cluster analysis) - Write detailed technical reports describing the methods and results from the job analysis or competency modeling process - Develop innovative solutions to disseminate job analysis and competency results to stakeholders PROGRAM EVALUATION Applied Social Scientists focusing on program evaluation/training courses use their skills to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of human capital programs that support recruitment, retention, and development of the Agency's workforce, such as the National Cryptologic University's (NCU's) training courses, the Agency's 40+ Corporate Development Programs (DPs) or the Agency's performance management, awards, promotion, and workplace flexibility programs. Specific activities include: - Create processes for evaluating effectiveness of existing programs/training courses and standards for development of new programs or identify evidence-based opportunities for improvement - Research and identify best practices to inform program/training course improvements - Conduct workshops with stakeholders to design and develop specific measures of success aligned with program/training course purpose and goals - Collect program/training course -related data from surveys, interviews, and focus groups and analyze multi-source and longitudinal program-related data - Identify key themes/trends, deliver reports/briefs, consult with stakeholders, and support action planning to drive strategic, data-informed decisions about the Agency's recruitment, retention, and development programs/training courses SENIOR LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT Applied Social Scientists focusing on senior leadership assessment and development use their skills in psychometrics, survey design, and leadership development to create solutions in areas such as competency modeling, assessment development and validation, survey research, and program evaluation to support senior leadership development at NSA. Specific activities may include: - Serve as expert resource to Senior Leadership Development staff, key leaders and stakeholders on issues related to assessments, survey data, psychometrics, and program evaluation - Help set strategy for evaluation of Director's Leadership Program, coaching, and other Senior Leadership Development services; - Collect, analyze, and present data on the effectiveness of individual and team coaching; and aggregate assessment data to inform development; conduct statistical analyses - Manage relationships between project stakeholders and contractor/vendors, oversee contract support on leader development projects, and approve project deliverables
In positions across the Agency, Applied Social Scientists: - Collaborate with team members across the organization and develop strategic partnerships throughout the Agency to help achieve organizational goals - Contribute to the conceptualization, design, analysis, and presentation of applied research (applying appropriate quantitative and qualitative research techniques, data collection strategies, data analysis methods) to inform technical and leadership decisions - Keep abreast of best practices and new research in I/O, talent management, learning, and development and related fields - Synthesize complex findings and detailed research into executive summaries and presentations intended for managerial decisions and/or publication - Create dynamic, user-friendly visualizations of data; - Provide high quality customer service to clients through superior technical work and consultative skills, as well as effective project management and communication - Leverage relevant tools such as MS Excel, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, statistical software (e.g., R), and data visualization software (e.g., Tableau) - Present findings to technical and non-technical audiences - Perform workforce analyses that describe current states, predict future trends, and/or inform business decisions

Job Summary

NSA has numerous excellent opportunities for Applied Social Scientists. NSA's Applied Social Scientists oversee and develop initiatives focusing on talent acquisition, development and retention. They also use social science research methods to explore and address issues around organizational and program effectiveness, develop solutions, and provide data informed recommendations to enhance the way NSA does business.

Qualifications

The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position. Degree must be in Applied Social Sciences or Applied Behavioral Sciences (e.g., Organizational Development, I-O Psychology, Business Administration, Human Resources Management, Sociology). Relevant experience must be in social or behavioral sciences (e.g., organizational development, organizational effectiveness, performance improvement, test development and validation, social network analysis, or systems thinking), some of the experience must be current (i.e., within the past 2 years) and must include performing research and analysis.
FULL PERFORMANCE Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree plus 1 year of experience, or a Doctoral degree and no experience. SENIOR Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 6 years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree plus 4 years of relevant experience, or a Doctoral degree plus 2 years of relevant experience. Relevant experience must also include formal/informal leadership. EXPERT Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 9 years of relevant experience, or a Master's degree plus 7 years of relevant experience, or a Doctoral degree plus 5 years of relevant experience. Relevant experience must also include formal leadership or management.

Competencies

These positions require a balance of research, consulting, and thought leadership in supporting NSA's talent management strategy. The ideal candidate will possess experience in personnel selection and assessment, job analysis, organizational effectiveness, training/program evaluation, or senior leadership assessment and development. In addition, the ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional skills in the areas of consulting, problem solving, data analysis, report writing, and client/project management skills. Attention to detail, self-motivation, flexibility, and resilience are critical and data visualization skills are a plus.

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule

Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position. These positions are located in Fort Meade, Maryland. Salary Range: $78,592 - $183,500 (Full Performance, Senior, Expert) Some of the tremendous benefits and programs we offer to support you include flexible hours and alternate schedules, paid time off to engage in physical fitness activities, federal retirement plans and investment plans with matching contributions, a variety of health, dental, and vision insurance options, paid parental leave, and support programs. Considering a mid-career change? Work life balance may be a benefit that is most important to you. We understand that most people want to grow, whether that means diversifying into new areas or becoming an expert in your field. We encourage our employees to move about the Agency, take external assignments, partner with academia and private industry, and even explore positions at our other cryptologic centers. For all levels (Senior, Mid-Career, Junior): Telework opportunities vary across the Agency, and are available based on individual office mission objectives and requirements. On-the job training, internal NSA courses, and external training will be made available based on the need and experience of the selectee. Typical work schedule is Monday - Friday, with basic 8 hour/day work requirements between 0600 and 1800 (flexible).

How to apply

U.S. Citizenship is required for all applicants. NSA is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations. All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph. Due to time sensitive communications regarding your application, please ensure your spam filters are configured to accept email from [email protected]. Please review the job posting thoroughly to ensure you meet the described qualifications and are aware of all associated requirements. To apply for this position, please click the 'Apply' button located at the top right of this posting. After completing the application for the first time, or reviewing previously entered information, and clicking the 'Submit' button, you will receive a confirmation email. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as job postings could close earlier than the closing date due to sufficient number of applicants, or the position is no longer available. You may be asked a series of questions depending on the position you apply for. Your responses will be used as part of the application screening process and will assist in determining your eligibility for the position. Be sure to showcase within your resume those experiences relevant to this position. Failure to provide the required information or providing inaccurate information will result in your application not being considered for this position. Only those applicants who meet all position qualifications, may be contacted to begin employment processing. Please remain diligent in monitoring email and your SPAM folder. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to applicants with disabilities during the application and hiring process where appropriate. Please visit our Diversity link for more information. This position is a Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) position in the Excepted Service under 10 U.S.C. 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are a veteran claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you may be asked to submit documents verifying your eligibility.

DCIPS Disclaimer

The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the DoD Intelligence Community Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions in the NSA are in the Excepted Services under 10 United States Codes (USC) 1601 appointment authority.