Support Scientist

Job Description

Description

SAIC is seeking a Support Scientist, this position requires coordinating activities between government, private, and academic parties in order to facilitate fair and thorough reviews of scientific proposals and projects. A high degree of scientific literacy/writing and good communication skills are needed to construct and edit reports and reviews as well as for selecting subject matter experts.  Additionally, management and presentation skills are necessary to coordinate meetings and the people involved, both on the customer side and the review side. The primary NASA customers will be the Physical Sciences (https://science.nasa.gov/biological-physical/programs/physical-sciences) and Flight Opportunities (https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/flightopportunities/index.html) programs. Applicants should familiarize themselves with these programs prior to applying.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:  Include, but are not limited to the following:

• Coordination and oversight of multiple activities to ensure responsiveness to NASA customer needs and to achieve end-item deliverables that meet contract requirements while meeting cost and schedule constraints.
• Serve as an expert on NASA peer review panel protocols and procedures.
• Know, understand and implement current NASA peer review policies and procedures including rules governing confidentiality of proposals and review materials, reviewers’ conflicts of interest, and procedures for panel review.
• Assume overall responsibility for management of assigned panels, workshops, and other peer review activities including preparation and quality checking of required documentation.
• Recruit experts to serve as panel chairs and subject matter experts on peer review panels, site visits and non-advocate reviews in the areas of physical sciences (combustion science, fluid physics, materials sciences, soft matter, fundamental physics) and space technology (engineering, mathematics, computer science, space science).
• Break submitted proposals into panels by subject matter for review and assign proposals submitted to the NASA research solicitations to appropriate subject matter experts.
• Maintain the integrity of the independent peer review process, ensure that each review activity receives a fair, impartial and complete evaluations consistent with published NASA evaluation criteria.
• Interface with NASA representatives and the scientific community at workshops and conferences.
• Advises NASA about panel operations, progress, technical results, and assures that panel proceedings comply with established NASA science or technical protocols and policies.
• Review solicitations for consistency and compliance with FAR, NASA FAR Supplement, NASA Grants and Cooperative Agreement Manual, and NASA Guidebook for Proposers.
• Work on and meet deadlines for several projects/panels across multiple NASA programs simultaneously. Assist other peer review administrators as necessary.
• Provide support to NASA in notification, selection, and other post-review activities for proposals and letters of intent.
• Read scientific proposals and edit scientific reports.
• Examine scientific proposals for conformance to policies and procedures.

Secondary Duties:

• Monitors and reports to the Project Manager about the progress of activities relative to solicitation deadlines and is responsible for identifying and reporting to the Project Manager about significant slippages, delays, or impediments.
• Supports the Project Manager in developing and producing proposal information, related summary statistics and analytics.

Qualifications

TYPICAL EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• PhD or Master’s degree plus 4 years of experience in physical sciences, engineering, mathematics, computer science, space science, and other related science disciplines pertinent to the NASA Physical Sciences and Flight Opportunities programs.
• High degree of communication, organization and multitasking skills.
• Intermediate or better Microsoft Office and Windows OS skills.

Desired Skills:

• Computer skills beyond MS Office and Windows (queries, coding, data analyses).
• Team player/good relationship with coworkers.
• Collaborates with others to capitalize on collective capabilities.
• Committed to continual learning.
• Self-motivated, diligent, and dependable.

COVID Policy: Prospective and/or new employees are required to adhere with SAIC's vaccination policy. All SAIC employees must be fully vaccinated and they must submit proof of vaccination on their first day of employment. Prospective or new employees may seek an exemption to the vaccination requirement at Contact Us and must have an approved exemption prior to the start of their employment. Where work is performed strictly at a customer site, customer site vaccination requirements preempt SAIC's vaccination policy.

Overview

SAIC® is a premier Fortune 500® technology integrator driving our nation's technology transformation. Our robust portfolio of offerings across the defense, space, civilian, and intelligence markets includes secure high-end solutions in engineering, digital, artificial intelligence, and mission solutions. Using our expertise and understanding of existing and emerging technologies, we integrate the best components from our own portfolio and our partner ecosystem to deliver innovative, effective, and efficient solutions that are critical to achieving our customers' missions.

We are more than 26,500 strong; driven by mission, united by purpose, and inspired by opportunities. SAIC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, fostering a respectful work culture based on diversity, equity, and inclusion that values all contributors. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $7.1 billion. For more information, visit saic.com.