Title: Dear Colleague Letter - The Office of Budget, Finance, and Award Management (BFA) Date - 10/24/2008 National Science Foundation 4201 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, Virginia 22230 October 24, 2008 Dear Colleague: The Office of Budget, Finance, and Award Management (BFA) of the National Science Foundation (NSF) announces an opportunity for an individual, with demonstrated experience in project and line management applied to the construction or operation of a large scientific facility, to assist BFA’s Deputy Director for Large Facility Projects (LFP) in strengthening NSF’s capabilities in project management. NSF Program Directors bear the primary responsibility for carrying out the Agency's overall mission: to support innovative and merit-reviewed activities in basic research and education that contribute to the nation’s scientific and technical strength, security, and welfare. For Program Directors to discharge this responsibility effectively requires not only technical knowledge in appropriate disciplines; it also requires access to specialized resources such as project management expertise that Program Directors can call on to supplement their own expertise. The incumbent will work closely with BFA staff, NSF Program Directors and other program staff responsible for the management and oversight of large facility projects, and the Office of Polar Programs. LFP is responsible for advising NSF staff and NSF Awardees in the planning, construction, and operational phases of large facility projects. The duties of the incumbent will emphasis support of operational large facilities and will include: * Developing policies, procedures and techniques that aid NSF Program Officers in the oversight and support of operating large facilities funded by the NSF. Examples may include helping to organize annual facility operations reviews, attending annual reviews and providing input and assisting in the analysis of facility operating costs. * Developing the community of Program Officers responsible for Large Facility oversight. Tasks here include: organizing the annual Large Facilities Workshop, disseminating Large Facility best practices across scientific disciplines and serving as a resource for Program Officers on topics such as facility maintenance, ES&H and Quality Assurance. * Visiting NSF-funded large facilities, and providing trip reports on operations and project management related issues, including maintenance status, ES&H and project status reporting and tracking using Earned Value Management; * Participating in developing new or improved procedures that enhance NSF’s capabilities to provide cost-effective management in the planning, construction, and operation stages of major research facilities. * Providing assistance to teams of NSF staff developing plans and strategies to conduct effective oversight, assess and minimize project risks, and develop risk-adjusted budgets appropriate to the work scope, drawing on the incumbent’s experience dealing with these issues in a management setting; * Assisting with the planning of NSF-organized external reviews of large facility projects in planning, construction, and operation. Providing an assessment, independent of the sponsoring NSF Directorate or Office, of the project management-related aspects of the project under review; This position is a unique opportunity to learn about and assist the development of large scientific research facilities covering a wide range of both scientific disciplines and geographic locations. It involves significant contact with NSF staff and awardees. Periodically rotating individuals with project management experience into NSF is intended to bring fresh insights that will synergistically strengthen NSF’s administrative partnership with the research community in fostering the planning, construction, and operation of large research facilities. It will also help to ensure that NSF’s oversight practices are in line with the best available procedures and practices utilized by large research laboratories for strategic planning, budgeting, risk management, and other facility related issues. Applicants should have a Ph.D. or equivalent professional experience or combination of education and equivalent experience in a field of science or engineering, plus six years of research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position. Equally valuable is a broad knowledge in a capital-intensive field of research supported by NSF in a position entailing significant management responsibility for either construction or operation of a major research facility. Program Director positions recruited under this announcement may be filled under the following appointment options: * Visiting Scientist Appointment. Appointment to this position will be made under the Excepted Authority of the NSF Act. A Visiting Scientist is on non-paid leave status from their home institution and appointed to NSF’s payroll as a Federal employee. NSF withholds Social Security taxes and pays the home institution’s contributions to maintain retirement and fringe benefits (i.e. health benefits and life insurance), either directly to the home institution or to the carrier. Appointments are usually made for up to one year and may be extended for an additional year by mutual agreement. * Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA). Assignment. Individuals eligible for an IPA assignment with a Federal agency include employees of State and local government agencies or institutions of higher education, Indian tribal governments, and other eligible organizations in instances where such assignments would be of mutual benefit to the organizations involved. Initial assignments under IPA provisions may be made for a period up to two years, with a possible extension for up to an additional two-year period. The individual remains an employee of the home institution and NSF provides funding toward the assignees salary and benefits. Initial IPA Assignments are made for a one-year period and may be extended by mutual agreement. * Temporary Excepted Service Appointment. Appointment to this position will be made under the Excepted Authority of the NSF Act. Candidates who do not have civil service status or reinstatement eligibility will not obtain civil service status if selected. Candidates currently in the competitive service will be required to waive competitive civil service rights if selected. Usual civil service benefits (retirement, health benefits, life insurance) are applicable for appointments of more than one year. Temporary appointment may not exceed three years. For additional information on NSF’s rotational programs, please see Programs for Scientists, Engineers, and Educators on the NSF website at http://www.nsf.gov/about/career_opps/. The desired starting date for the position is negotiable. Formal consideration of applicants will begin on December 31, 2008 and continue until a selection is made. Dr. Mark Coles Deputy Director, Large Facility Projects Office of Budget, Finance, and Award Management National Science Foundation 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 405N Arlington, Virginia 22230 Phone: 703-292-8200 Fax: 703-292-9255 E-mail: mcoles@nsf.gov NSF IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER COMMITTED TO EMPLOYING A HIGHLY QUALIFIED STAFF THAT REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR NATION.