Department of Defense

Supervisory Physical Scientist

Arlington, Virginia Full time

Supervisory Physical Scientist

Department: Department of Defense

Location(s): Arlington, Virginia

Salary Range: $169279 - $197200 Per Year

Job Summary: Serves as a Supervisory Physical Scientist with full oversight and technical management of a team of engineers and technical specialists.

Major Duties:

  • As a Supervisory Physical Scientist you will be responsible for the following duties:
  • Supervises CBRNE engineering technical team and manages day-to-day operations supporting collective protection and life-safety systems.
  • Serves as a recognized technical expert in Collective Protection, Materials Science, and Life-Safety systems as applied to facilities and occupants.
  • Acts as technical authority for collective protection infrastructure, materials performance, and integration of CBRNE detection and protective systems within facilities.
  • Manages CBRNE field engineering projects (cost estimating, scheduling, contractor oversight, logistics, and sustainment).
  • Publishes technical guidance and directives governing protective infrastructure and emergency protection measures.
  • Participates in DoD and inter-agency study groups and exercises.

Qualifications: To qualify for a Supervisory Physical Scientist your resume and supporting documentation must support: A. Basic Requirement: 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 A 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. AND B. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position and is directly in or related to this position. To qualify at the GS-15 level, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military, or private sector. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements including time-in-grade (General Schedule (GS) positions only), time-after-competitive appointment, minimum qualifications, and any other regulatory requirements by the cut-off/closing date of the announcement. Creditable specialized experience includes: Supervising technical personnel and managing workforce planning, performance standards, and disciplinary actions. Expert knowledge of CBRNE principles, detection and protection techniques, consequence management, and response options. Serving as a technical expert in collective protection infrastructure, CBRNE systems, life-safety engineering, and materials science. Managing complex engineering projects involving design, development, testing, installation and sustainment of CBRNE protective systems. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

How to Apply: To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. NOTE: Resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement. You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://www.usajobs.gov, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To preview the questionnaire, please go to https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12900781.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-13