United States Fleet Forces Command
SENIOR TECHNICAL PHYSICAL SCIENTIST
Department of the Navy · Washington, District of Columbia
- Salary
- $186,207 - $228,000 per year
- Pay grade
- ST-00
- Schedule
- Full-time
- Appointment
- Permanent
- Opened
- Nov 3, 2026
- Closes
- Nov 24, 2026
- Remote
- No
- Telework eligible
- Yes
- Openings
- 1
- Security clearance
- Sensitive Compartmented Information
- Promotion potential
- None
- Announcement
- DE-13104679-27-SRP
Who may apply: Open to the public
Applications are submitted on USAJOBS.gov, not on Careers.org. Always confirm details in the official announcement.
Summary
You will serve as the Celestial Reference Frame Director (CRFD) Senior Technical Physical Scientist and be located at Naval Observatory (USNO) headquarters, in Washington DC. The U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) is a fourth echelon command reporting to Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (COMNAVMETOCCOM) for operations, and the Commander, Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) as the Type Commander. Click "Learn more about this agency" for more detail on USNO.
Duties
- You will advise the USNO Scientific Director on evolving requirements and the potential need for new programs to meet these requirements.
- You will work with the Scientific Director to prioritize and program those resources in accordance with requirements and emerging future community needs.
- You will monitor and oversee development of system concepts and maturation of the capabilities through all phases of capability development and will manage all CRF programs based on future evolving DoW needs.
- You will provide scientific leadership for future CRF developments within the CRFD and will plan, execute, and review relevant research in CRF and Earth Orientation (EO) including establishing standards of quality for the research conducted at USNO.
- You will interface routinely with high-level DoW personnel, mission partners, and Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) stakeholders to facilitate the dissemination of CRF and Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP) standard products.
- You will interface with stakeholders to define parameters, focus areas for investigation, assessments, and validation of processes.
- You will work with appropriate DoW personnel to establish evolving DoW requirements for celestial information and to implement necessary improvements in DoW capabilities.
- You will make technical presentations at conferences to program managers and to those at the highest executive levels to ensure CRF requirements are established, and products and their use, are clearly understood.
- You will act as a liaison for DoW with national and international programs and lead multiagency collaborations to solve technical challenges and ensure data product requirements are met.
- You will represent the USNO at national and international scientific forums and be a member of international and national scientific working groups concerned with Celestial Reference Frames and Earth Orientation.
Qualifications
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, your resume must show that you possess the Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit will be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications: TQ 1. Demonstrated experience in Celestial Reference Frames (CRF) and Earth Orientation, including practical applications, conventional scientific/technical standards, and international collaboration standards. TQ 2. Comprehensive theoretical and technical knowledge of DoD requirements for CRF and Earth Orientation, with the proven ability to research, evaluate, and advocate for capabilities that improve the security, integrity, and operations of CRF programs. Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PROF AND 1301 General Physical Science Series Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
Education
Applicants must meet the following positive education qualifications requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Standards Manual: For 1301 General Physical Science Series: A. Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics. -or- B. Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM. Retrieved Nov 4, 2026, 9:04 AM EST.