Dear Colleague Letter: Division of Graduate Education (DGE) Program Director Employment Opportunities

February 12, 2009

Dear Colleague:

The Division of Graduate Education (DGE) announces a nationwide search for a number of Program Director positions at the National Science Foundation (NSF).  Appointments will usually be made for one year and may be extended for an additional year by mutual agreement.

The Division of Graduate Education (DGE) leads the National Science Foundation’s efforts to attract the most talented US students into graduate studies, and to support them in their quest to become the leading scientists and engineers of the future. In the past year, DGE supported approximately 4500 students in graduate programs in the various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields.  DGE manages three major programs that support graduate studies directly or indirectly.  These include the largest (and oldest) graduate fellowship program that directly supports graduate students in STEM fields, and two innovative programs that pilot and implement new approaches to graduate education designed to serve large numbers of universities across the US. The Division is interested in augmenting and intensifying its efforts to increase the impact of its three programs, and to broaden participation among underrepresented groups of students.  DGE’s three major programs are: 

The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) provides three years of support for graduate study leading to research-based masters or doctoral degrees and is intended for students who are in the early stages of their graduate study. The GRFP invests in graduate education for a cadre of diverse individuals who demonstrate their potential to successfully complete graduate degree programs in disciplines relevant to the mission of the National Science Foundation. The National Science Foundation aims to ensure the vitality of the human resource base of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the United States and to reinforce its diversity by offering approximately 900-1,600 graduate fellowships in this competition pending availability of funds.

The Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 (GK-12) program provides funding for graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to acquire additional skills that will broadly prepare them for professional and scientific careers in the 21st century. Through interactions with teachers and students in K-12 schools and with other graduate fellows and faculty from STEM disciplines, graduate students can improve communication, teaching, collaboration, and team building skills while enriching STEM learning and instruction in K-12 schools. Through this experience, graduate students can gain a deeper understanding of their own STEM research. In addition, the GK-12 program provides institutions of higher education with an opportunity to make a permanent change in their graduate programs by incorporating GK-12 like activities in the training of their STEM graduate students.

The Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Program has been developed to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists, engineers, and educators with the interdisciplinary backgrounds, deep knowledge in chosen disciplines, and technical, professional, and personal skills to become, in their own careers, leaders and creative agents for change.  Since 1998, 195 IGERT projects have been funded; these involve over 4,000 graduate students and over 3,000 faculty at 96 lead universities.

Additional information about the division and its programs can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=DGE.

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 technical strength, security, and welfare.  Discharging this responsibility requires not only knowledge in the appropriate disciplines but also a commitment to high standards, a considerable breadth of interest and receptivity to new ideas, a strong sense of fairness, good judgment, and a high degree of personal integrity.

Qualification requirements include a Ph.D. or equivalent experience in a relevant Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or Education discipline, plus six or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or graduate education administration experience.   Candidates must be knowledgeable about graduate education in STEM.   Also desirable are knowledge of the general scientific community and strong skills in written and oral communication.  All appointees are expected to function effectively both within specific programs and as part of the division team, contributing to and coordinating with offices throughout the Foundation and with other Federal and state government agencies and private sector organizations.

Program Director positions recruited under this announcement may be filled under one of the following appointment options:

• Visiting Scientist Appointment.  Appointment to this position will be made under the Excepted Authority of the NSF Act.  Visiting Scientists are on non-paid leave status from their home institution and appointed to NSF's payroll as Federal employees.  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.

• 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.   The individual remains an employee of the home institution, and NSF provides funding toward the assignee's salary and benefits.

• 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, and life insurance) are applicable for appointments of more than one year.

For additional information about NSF's rotational programs,
please see "ROTATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS AND
EDUCATORS" on the NSF website at http://www.nsf.gov/about/career_opps.

Individuals interested in applying for a Program Director position in any one or all of the Division’s three programs should send a current CV and statement of interest to:

Carol Van Hartesveldt, Acting Division Director
Division of Graduate Education
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 875
Arlington, VA  22230
Phone:     703-292-8630
Fax:         703-292-9049
E-mail:    cvanhart@nsf.gov