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.
Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Assignment Opportunities at the U.S. National Science Foundation, Directorate for Biological Sciences (NSF BIO)
Application timeline
Date Posted:
Closing date:
Open until filled
and will continue until a selection is made.
Position Summary
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is seeking highly qualified individuals interested in serving in STEM positions through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Mobility Program. This agency-wide informal outreach effort is intended to identify candidates with strong scientific, technical, technical, leadership, and program management expertise who are interested in contributing to NSF’s mission to promote the progress of science and advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare.
IPA assignments provide a unique opportunity for eligible individuals from academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and other eligible entities to contribute their expertise while gaining valuable federal experience supporting national science and engineering priorities.
Position Description
NSF BIO is particularly interested in candidates with demonstrated experience in biological sciences disciplines, strategic leadership, research administration, innovation, and collaboration across academia, industry and government.
The NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) invests in research that crosses all areas of biology at all scales of biological organization from molecules to cells to organisms to communities to ecosystems, across spatial and temporal dimensions. These areas are encompassed by BIO’s three thematic areas: Foundations of Life (exploring natural or synthetic molecules, cells and physiology that build living things); Living Systems (understanding how species evolve, interact, and shape Earth’s ecosystems); and Bioinnovation and Infrastructure (investigating the functional genomic complexity of life and developing the tools, data, and technologies to drive biological discovery). BIO enables research in these areas of biology by funding physical and cyberinfrastructure, such as centers, institutes, and multi-user facilities. BIO is also committed to education and workforce development through its support for researchers at all careers, including undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, with the goal of building a workforce for the biological needs of industries today and in the future to strengthen the economy and maintain America’s global competitiveness.
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.
The NSF BIO welcomes candidates with strong scientific expertise in any area of biological research supported by the directorate.
We encourage candidates with expertise in biological infrastructure and program management, informatics, molecular biophysics, neuroscience, plant biology, synthetic biology, and systems biology. Candidates with backgrounds in NSF’s priority areas, especially biology-focused research in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum information science and technology, are also welcome.
Interested individuals should submit the following materials:
- Current resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
- Brief statement of interest highlighting relevant experience and areas of expertise
- Current contact information
Application materials should be submitted electronically to: biocareeropportunities@nsf.gov
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until positions are filled. NSF IPA onboarding will occur twice per year, in August and January. Be advised that IPA participants will be eligible for either one year of per diem allowance, in accordance with U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) rates, or a round-trip household goods move to support the rotational assignment. For more information about the IPA program, please see https://www.nsf.gov/careers/rotator-programs.
We encourage you to share this opportunity broadly with qualified colleagues and professional networks. Questions regarding IPA opportunities may also be directed to Lindsey Moraz, Excepted Service Unit Chief, Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) at lmoraz@nsf.gov.
Thank you for your interest in supporting the mission of the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Source: NSF Job Opportunities
Source: NSF Job Opportunities. Review credited third-party material before publication.
