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

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DGE 10-001

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

Date: September 16, 2010

The NSF Division of Graduate Education (DGE) announces a nationwide search for an individual to serve as a Program Director in the Division. The appointment will be made through a rotational program (see below), with an initial appointment for up to two-years and possible extension for an additional year by mutual agreement.

NSF’s rotational positions become available throughout the year. Formal consideration of interested applicants responding to this announcement will begin November 1, 2010 and will continue until the position is filled. It is anticipated that respondents to this announcement would have start dates in the January 1, 2011 to October 1, 2011 timeframe. Therefore, interested individuals may apply after the initial consideration date of November 1, 2010, but are encouraged to first contact the Division (contact information below) about the availability of positions.

DGE has leadership responsibilities in NSF’s efforts to attract talented students into science and engineering graduate studies and to promote the education necessary for them to become leading scientists and engineers of the future. In particular, DGE is responsible for the management of three NSF programs: Graduate Research Fellowship Program, Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeships, and Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Division website at http://www.nsf.gov to find information about these programs and the projects they support. The selected individual will have a primary assignment with one of these programs, based on the Division’s needs and particular interests of the individual. However, DGE is seeking applicants whose experience, expertise, and interests will enable their effective work in all the programs managed by the Division. The selected individual will be expected to work with staff throughout the NSF directorates and offices on issues related to graduate education. The selected individual will also be expected to be an effective spokesperson for NSF in the science and engineering community and to participate in the Division’s ongoing interactions with the community to help ensure the vitality of the Nation’s graduate education enterprise.

NSF Program Directors are responsible for supporting innovative, merit-reviewed activities that advance NSF’s mission in research and education. Discharging this responsibility requires a commitment to high standards, breadth of knowledge and interest, 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 science or engineering discipline relevant to NSF’s mission, plus six or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or graduate education administration experience. Candidates must be knowledgeable about graduate education, participate actively in the science and engineering community, have strong teamwork and collaborative skills, and have excellent oral and written communication skills.

The Program Director position recruited under this announcement will be filled under the following appointment option:

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.

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 should send a current CV and statement of interest to:

Shanelle Cash
Division of Graduate Education
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 875
Arlington, Virginia 22230
Phone: 703-292-8630
Email: scash@nsf.gov