Print
You are viewing a Dear Colleague Letter.

A Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) is an informal correspondence which is written by a Requesting Office and distributed to communities within a specific program area, to attract individuals eligible under a Visiting Scientist, Engineer, and Educator (VSEE) appointment, an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignment and/or a Federal Temporary appointment. These letters may be circulated in paper form through internal mail, distributed electronically using listservs or accessed through NSF.gov’s Career Page.

Program Director (Electronics, Photonics and Magnetic Devices)

Division: Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ENG/ECCS)
Directorate: Engineering (ENG)
Job Type:
STEM
Appointment Type:
Temporary / Rotator
Pay Grade/Scale:
AD-04
Salary Range:
$160,889 - $195,000
This job is open to the public

Application timeline

Date Posted:
Closing date: Open until filled
Formal consideration of interested applicants will begin and will continue until a selection is made.

Position Summary

The Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS), within the Directorate for Engineering at the National Science Foundation, announces a nation-wide search for a senior-level engineering researcher to fill an open Program Director position in the Electronics, Photonics and Magnetic Devices (EPMD) Program.


NSF Program Directors have the primary responsibility for carrying out the Foundation’s overall mission to support innovative and merit-reviewed activities in fundamental engineering research and education that contribute to the nation's technological strength, security, and welfare. They are also responsible for service to NSF-wide activities and initiatives that together accomplish NSF's strategic goals to: (1) Expand Knowledge in science, engineering, and learning; (2) Advance the capability of the Nation to meet current and future challenges; and (3) Enhance NSF’s performance of its mission.


In support of these strategic goals, NSF Program Directors interact extensively with the academic engineering research community, industry, and other Federal agencies. Within this context, Program Directors solicit, receive and review engineering research and education proposals, make funding recommendations and administer awards to implement the NSF Merit Review Process in a thorough and transparent manner. This requires expertise in appropriate engineering disciplines as well as strong skills in written and oral communication. Successful candidates should be receptive to new ideas, have a strong sense of fairness, excellent judgment, and a high degree of personal integrity.

Position Description

The Electronics, Photonics and Magnetic Devices (EPMD) Program supports innovative research on novel devices based on the principles of electronics, optics and photonics, optoelectronics, magnetics, opto- and electromechanics, electromagnetics, and related physical phenomena. EPMD’s goal is to advance the frontiers of micro-, nano- and quantum-based devices operating within the electromagnetic spectrum and contributing to a broad range of application domains including information and communications, imaging and sensing, healthcare, Internet of Things, energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing. The program encourages research based on emerging technologies for miniaturization, integration, and energy efficiency as well as novel material-based devices with new functionalities, improved efficiency, flexibility, tunability, wearability, and enhanced reliability.

The successful candidate will possess broad and demonstrated experience to address emerging and innovative engineering research in the areas of nanoelectronics, extreme scale devices, wide/extreme (and narrow) bandgap semiconductor devices; carbon-based electronics; devices with new functionalities based on material-device interactions and reliability; device-related electromagnetic effects; propagation and scattering; microwave/mm-wave/THz devices; heterogenous integration and packaging; and ferroelectric devices.


The ECCS Division supports enabling and transformative engineering research at the nano, micro, and macro scales that fuels progress in engineering system applications with high societal impact. ECCS programs encompass novel electronic, photonic, and magnetic devices and the integration of these devices into circuit and system environments, intelligent systems, control, and networks for applications spanning communications and cyber technologies, energy and power, healthcare, environment, transportation, manufacturing, and other systems-related areas. ECCS also strengthens its programs through links to other areas of engineering, science, industry, government, and international collaborations. In addition, ECCS emphasizes the integration of research and education to ensure the preparation of a diverse, professionally skilled, and globally competent workforce. ECCS is organized around three broad program clusters: Electronic, Photonic and Magnetic Devices (EPMD); Communications, Circuits, and Sensing Systems (CCSS); and Energy, Power, Control and Networks (EPCN). For further information, visit the ECCS web site at https://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?org=ECCS.

The position recruited under this announcement will be filled under the following appointment option(s):

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 the negotiated funding toward the assignee's salary and benefits. Initial IPA assignments are made for a one-year period and may be extended by mutual agreement. 

It is NSF policy that NSF personnel employed at or IPAs detailed to NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign government talent recruitment programs.  Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment and referral to the Office of Inspector General. https://www.nsf.gov/careers/Definition-of-Foreign-Talent-HRM.pdf.

Applications will be accepted from U.S. Citizens. Recent changes in Federal Appropriations Law require Non-Citizens to meet certain eligibility criteria to be considered. Therefore, Non-Citizens must certify eligibility by signing and attaching this Citizenship Affidavit to their application. Non-Citizens who do not provide the affidavit at the time of application will not be considered eligible. Non-Citizens are not eligible for positions requiring a security clearance.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

Candidates must have a Ph.D. in engineering or physical science, plus after award of the Ph.D., six or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position.


This position is an opportunity to ensure NSF funds the forefront of engineering research and education. The chosen individual will work with ECCS Senior Management and other NSF Program Directors in formulating research strategies, developing collaboration and cooperation across NSF and among government, academia, and industry, while fostering outreach to underrepresented groups.

To apply, email a single PDF document that includes: (i) a cover letter outlining qualifications for the position, (ii) a curriculum vitae, (iii) Citizen affidavit, as applicable. Please make sure that in the subject line of your e-mail you reference the DCL number that applies to this specific announcement.
 

Vacancy Contact: Dr. Anthony Maciejewski
Application Submission Email Address: amacieje@nsf.gov

Top