Spectral Imagery Scientist

NGA Marketing Message

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

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 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

LIDAR/3D IMAGERY SCIENTISTS: Conduct scientific analysis on point cloud, mesh, and elevation data to extract geospatial intelligence, and provide technical guidance to enhance lidar and other 3D imaging capabilities, collection, and intelligence production. Physical requirements include; Near visual acuity of 20/20 or better with or without corrective lenses. Ability to distinguish principal colors and shades/hues of principal colors.
OPIR IMAGERY SCIENTISTS: Analyze overhead persistent infrared imagery, develop methodologies, provide technical guidance and conduct phenomenological studies on objects or events to address key intelligence questions. Physical requirements include; Near visual acuity of 20/60 or better with or without corrective lenses and ability to distinguish principal colors.
PHOTOGRAMMETRIC IMAGERY SCIENTIST: Extract dimensional information from any imagery type (e.g., satellite, airborne, ground, etc.) using customized scientific methodologies to help solve intelligence problems and assist with military planning scenarios. Physical requirements include; Near visual acuity of 20/20 or better with or without corrective lenses. Ability to distinguish principal colors, stereopsis ability, head steadiness and shades/hues of principal colors.
RADAR IMAGERY SCIENTISTS: Analyze & process radar data to extract intelligence and geospatial information while providing technical guidance to enhance radar imaging capability and collection. Physical requirements include; Near visual acuity of 20/20 or better with or without corrective lenses. Ability to distinguish principal colors and shades/hues of principal colors.
SPECTRAL IMAGERY SCIENTISTS: Analyzes, and exploits spectral imagery to extract intelligence and geospatial information while providing technical guidance to enhance spectral imaging capability, and collection. Physical requirements include; Near visual acuity of 20/60 or better with or without corrective lenses.
THERMAL INFRARED IMAGERY SCIENTISTS: Analyze, process, and exploit thermal infrared imagery to extract intelligence and geospatial information while providing scientific results to conduct intelligence production. Physical requirements include;
Near visual acuity of 20/60 or better with or without corrective lenses and ability to distinguish principal colors.
Duties:
1. Apply and develop statistical and quantitative methodologies aligned to Lidar and 3D data, Radar data, Thermal data, Spectral data, OPIR data, or Photogrammetric processes to refine and improve GEOINT analysis and conclusions.
2. Develop, test, and evaluate new algorithms, processes, methodologies, and products using sensor data and imagery.
3. Educate customers on availability and capabilities of imagery products, methodologies, procedures, and algorithms to enhance analysis.
4. Use Lidar and 3D data, Radar data, Thermal data, Spectral data, OPIR data, or Photogrammetric processes to determine the occurrence, location, duration, and timing of events; determine the type, operating status, or production level of equipment or facilities, etc. to answer key intelligence questions pertinent to national security.
Additional Application Requirement: You may be asked to complete one or more assessments in addition to the application you submit on this website as part of your application to NGA. These assessments may include but are not limited to: 1) Online questionnaires or assessments that require you to describe your job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, or other characteristics that are aligned with the mandatory and desirable qualifications of this job posting. The information you provide in the application you submit must support the response you provide to this questionnaire. You will receive an email to describe any additional assessments required. Please monitor your emails and complete any required assessments as soon as possible.
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.

Qualifications Mandatory

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 experience completing tasks on time in a fluid environment.
2. Demonstrated experience working on interdisciplinary teams.
3. Demonstrated written and oral communication skills with the ability to develop AND present findings to various audiences.
4. Demonstrated experience in academia, industry, and/or government with imagery science, photogrammetry, LIDAR/3D data, Spectral SAR, and/or Thermal processing.
5. Demonstrated experience leveraging critical thinking skills to develop remote sensing analytic techniques and/or tradecraft, to answer scientific 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

Qualifications Desirable

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

1.  Familiarity with coding/scripting /software development (e.g. Matlab, Python, Java, C++, R, IDL, GIT, GDAL/PDAL) for automating imagery, raster, and/or 3D data processing and exploitation activities.
2.  Demonstrated application of automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, and/or automated feature extraction concepts and tasks.
3. Demonstrated experience with satellite, airborne, and/or ground imaging systems.
4. Demonstrated experience with remote sensing processing tools (e.g. RemoteView, AGITK, SocetGXP, Mensuration Services Program (MSP), Compass, ENVI, ERDAS Imagine, MuSeS, IDASS, ARCGIS Pro, QGIS, QT Modeler, Google Earth Engine, STK, or MicroStation).

Special Info External

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

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.

DCIPS Statement

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.

Benefits

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.

How To Apply

Application submission involves applying using NGA's online application process at https://careers.nga.mil. Additional information concerning NGA's hiring process can be found by visiting https://www.nga.mil/careers/Hiring_Process.html.

All announcements close at 11:59PM EDT on the closing date listed. Be sure to complete and submit your application by that time in order to be considered.

ONLY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

What To Expect Next

After visiting https://careers.nga.mil and applying via NGA's online application process, applicants can follow their status via that same NGA online application functionality. Several other topics relating to what is involved in the hiring process and how long it takes can be found by visiting https://www.nga.mil/careers/Hiring_Process.html.

Special Requirements

You must be able to obtain and retain a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information. In addition, you are subject to a Counterintelligence Polygraph examination in order to maintain access to Top Secret information. All employees are subject to a periodic examination on a random basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Refusal to take the examination may result in denial of access to Top Secret information, SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs.

Employees with SCI access and who are under NGA cognizance are required to submit a Security Financial Disclosure Report, SF-714, on an annual basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Failure to comply may negatively impact continued access to Top Secret information, Information Systems, SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs.