Spectral Imagery Scientist (Lidar, Thermal, RADAR, OPIR, Photogrammetric)

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), the World Leader in Geospatial Intelligence. Imagine being able to identify anything on, above, or beneath the Earth's surface and display that information visually to provide a meaningful foundation for decision-making to ensure the safety of the world. That's the job of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

We analyze imagery and data from many sources and incorporate it into visual displays of essential information for use in national defense, homeland security, and safety of navigation.

Central to the success of our mission are the extraordinary talents and skills of our teams of analysts and other professionals. We need the best minds to provide the information edge, continuing NGA's role as the premier provider of Geospatial Intelligence worldwide.

Know the World, Show the Way ... from Seabed to Space

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION: Spectral Imagery Scientists process, analyze, and exploit spectral imagery to extract intelligence and geospatial information. They collaborate with analysts to understand intelligence issues and provide scientific results to conduct intelligence production. They develop, test, and evaluate prototypes; and provide technical guidance to enhance spectral imaging capability, applicability, and collection. They represent NGA's interests to support the development and improvement of sensors and system architecture.

PROMOTION OPPORTUNITY: Promotion opportunities allow applicants at all band levels to be considered. Qualifications for NGA positions do not include specific time-in-band requirements. NGA will emphasize quality of experience, rather than duration, and assess how the quality of the experience demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies necessary for successful job performance in the NGA occupational structure.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Imagery scientists perform special processing and analysis of image and image data from all sensors-types in all domains (space, air, ground, and maritime). They prepare tailored information and products, explain technical concepts to non-specialists in an understandable manner, and serve as technical representatives to a variety of working groups and forums. They aid in the development of automation, artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) and data science analytics. The candidate will provide support in one of the following areas:

Photogrammetric imagery scientists perform complex monoscopic, stereoscopic, and multiscopic mensuration on objects and geospatial features, utilizing any/all imagery systems (e.g., satellite, airborne, ground, hand held, video, etc.) The tradecraft of a photogrammetric imagery scientist is built on developing algorithms, evaluating tools, instructing analysts on tradecraft, and creating customized methodologies and products to address a variety of intelligence problems from a photogrammetric perspective.

Radar imagery scientists lead efforts to process and analyze radar data in order to extract intelligence and geospatial information. They collaborate with analysts to understand intelligence issues, provide advanced scientific synthetic aperture radar (SAR) input, and support the expansion and production of GEOINT products and services. The tradecraft of a SAR imagery scientist is built on developing algorithms, evaluating tools, creating customized methodologies, and providing technical guidance across the Intelligence Community to enhance radar imaging capability, applicability, and collection.

Lidar imagery scientists process and analyze 3D GEOINT data to extract intelligence and geospatial information. They collaborate with analysts and support intelligence production with scientific input. The tradecraft of a lidar imagery scientist is built on developing algorithms, evaluating tools, and creating customized methodologies to address a variety of geospatial intelligence problems from a lidar and 3D GEOINT perspective. They develop, test, evaluate prototypes, advocate and provide technical guidance across NGA to enhance lidar imaging capability, applicability, collection, and exploitation of high-resolution 3D data.

OPIR imagery scientists analyze moderately complex OPIR imagery to extract intelligence and geospatial information. They conduct phenomenological studies on objects or events of interest to inform intelligence conclusions. They collaborate with analysts and support intelligence production with scientific input. They develop, test, and evaluate prototypes, and provide technical guidance across NGA to enhance OPIR imaging capability, applicability, and collection.

Thermal Infrared imagery scientists process and analyze moderately complex thermal infrared imagery to extract intelligence and geospatial information. They conduct phenomenological studies on objects or events of interest to inform intelligence conclusions. They collaborate with analysts and support intelligence production with scientific input. They develop, test, and evaluate prototypes, and provide technical guidance across NGA to enhance thermal imaging capability, applicability, and collection.

This position may be eligible for a RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE: selected candidates may be offered an incentive as part of the offer of employment. To receive the incentive, selected candidates must be eligible under 5 CFR Part 575, Subpart A, upon issuance of the Final Offer Letter. Changes in federal employment status prior to issuance of the Final Offer Letter may affect eligibility. To receive the incentive, selected candidates will be required to sign a service agreement to stay within the position at NGA for the agreed upon time. If the service agreement is terminated before its completion, the employee may be required to repay a pro rata share amount of the incentive to the government. Additional information regarding recruitment incentives for current federal employees can be found in DoDI 1400.25, Volume 2006.

MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: For this particular job, applicants must meet all competencies reflected under the Mandatory Qualification Criteria to include education (if required). Online resumes must demonstrate qualification by providing specific examples and associated results, in response to the announcement’s mandatory criteria specified in this vacancy announcement:

1. Demonstrated ability to apply and understand various sources of imagery and/or geospatial information.

2. Possess basic ability to apply mathematical analysis to raster (imagery) data such as trigonometry, regression, and linear algebra; or possess a degree in Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Geoscience, Photogrammetry or other related fields.

3. Familiarity using remote sensing tools and technologies to solve problems.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A. Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering, Imagery Science, Mathematics, Physical Science, Remote Sensing, Geography, Computer Science, Data Analytics, or a related discipline that included 24 semester hours in Physical Science and/or related Engineering Science such as Dynamics, Electronics, Mechanics, and Properties of Materials. -OR- B. Combination of Education and Experience: A minimum of 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of coursework in any area listed in option A that included at least 24 semester hours in Physical Science and/or related Engineering Science, plus experience that involves processing, analyzing, and exploiting multibanded imagery to extract intelligence and geospatial information, or a related field that demonstrates the ability to successfully perform the duties associated with this work. As a rule, every 30 semester (45 quarter) hours of coursework is equivalent to one year of experience. Candidates should show that their combination of education and experience totals 4 years.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT: Near visual acuity of 20/60 or better with or without corrective lenses

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: In addition to the mandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired:

1. Demonstrated experience with some or all of the following software tools: RemoteView, AGITK, SocetGXP, Mensuration Services Program (MSP), Compass, MATLAB, ENVI, IDL, Erdas Imagine, MuSeS, Python, IDASS, MicroStation.

2. Demonstrated experience with national imaging systems (NTM), Civil imaging systems, and commercial imaging systems, and analysis of data produced form these systems.

3. Demonstrated experience with data science; coding; computer vision; modeling; Image and Digital Signal processing; and/or Prototyping.

4. Demonstrated ability to develop and present findings to meet the needs of various audiences.

5. Demonstrated experience collaborating with others and operating independently to solve problems.

CAREER ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM: All Professional Work Category positions advertised at a Pay Band 2 are part of NGA’s Career Advancement Program (CAP). Employees in the Career Advancement Program will be evaluated semi-annually to determine if they meet the established program requirements. If requirements are met, employees will be eligible for a salary increase. Upon meeting all program requirements, the employee is eligible to be promoted non-competitively to a Pay Band 3. This promotion completes Career Advancement Program participation meaning the employee will no longer receive salary increases through the Career Advancement Program, and will now be evaluated in accordance to the Agency’s standard evaluation processes.

As a condition of employment at NGA, persons being considered for employment must meet NGA fitness for employment standards.

- U.S. Citizenship Required

- Security Clearance (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information)

- Polygraph Test Required

- Position Subject to Drug Testing

- Two Year Probationary Period

- Direct Deposit Required

APPLICANT EVALUATION PROCESS: Applicants will be evaluated for this job opportunity in three stages:

1) All applicants will be evaluated using the Mandatory Qualification Criteria,

2) Qualified applicants will then be evaluated by an expert or panel of experts using a combination of qualification criteria to determine the best-qualified candidates,

3) Best-qualified applicants may then be further evaluated through an interview process.

Military retiree applicants, if selected, may be impacted by the 180-day appointment restrictions of DODI 1402.01. HD personnel will provide additional information if applicable.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the Assignment Description, Additional Information Provided By the Selecting Official, and the Qualification Requirements; and then construct their resumes to highlight their most relevant and significant experience and education for this job opportunity. This description should include examples that detail the level and complexity of the performed work. Applicants are encouraged to provide any education information referenced in the announcement. If education is listed as a mandatory requirement, only degrees obtained from an institution accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the Secretary, US Department of Education will be accepted.

In accordance with section 9902(h) of title 5, United States Code, annuitants reemployed in the Department of Defense shall receive full annuity and salary upon appointment. They shall not be eligible for retirement contributions, participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, or a supplemental or redetermined annuity for the reemployment period. Discontinued service retirement annuitants (i.e., retired under section 8336(d)(1) or 8414(b)(1)(A) of title 5, United States Code) appointed to the Department of Defense may elect to be subject to retirement provisions of the new appointment as appropriate. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300, at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives.)

All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation.

NGA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Applications will only be accepted online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us at recruitment@nga.mil. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

Disabled applicants are encouraged to apply directly to external job announcements in addition to the Resume Repository. NGA reserves the right to direct hire Disabled Veterans with 30%+ Comp in alignment with the NGA Hiring Strategy. By selecting this option on the application form and applying to the NGA Resume Repository, you may be considered for future direct hire against critical mission vacancies. Participation does not guarantee employment.

NGA utilizes all processes and procedures of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). Non-executive NGA employees are assigned to five distinct pay bands based on the type and scope of work performed. The employee's base salary is established within their assigned pay band based on their unique qualifications. A performance pay process is conducted each year to determine a potential base pay salary increase and/or bonus. An employee's annual performance evaluation is a key factor in the performance pay process. Employees on term or temporary appointments are not eligible to apply for internal assignment opportunity notices.

This position is a DCIPS position in the Excepted Service under 10 U.S.C. 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to preference 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 an external applicant claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must self-identify your eligibility.

Pay is only part of the compensation you will earn working for the Federal Government. We offer a broad array of benefits programs and family friendly flexibilities to meet the needs of you and your family.

For more information on the array of benefits programs, please visit https://www.nga.mil/careers/Benefits_&_Pay.html.