Research Physiologist

Summary

The Federal Aviation Administrations Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) supports the agencys aviation safety mission by executing an aerospace medicine research program. This research program focuses on safety sensitive personnel, airline passenger, and commercial space flight participant health, safety, and performance in current and forecasted future civilian aerospace operations.

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Duties

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Researchers conduct aerospace-relevant applied research in the biomedical, biodynamics and survivability/cabin safety sciences. The research physiologist works primarily as an integral member of a multi-disciplinary environmental physiology and civil aerospace medical research team.

This team has two goals: (1) conduct research on environmental factors that may influence human performance, physiology, safety, and health in aviation/aerospace environments in response to stressors such as hypoxia, rapid decompression, and biological/chemical threats to include cabin air quality issues, and (2) develop test procedures to assess environmental hazards and the adequacy of life support systems, medical devices, and other equipment at altitude.

Incumbent will perform multiple, varying, and complex assignments under the limited direction of a section manager and research team leader. May act as a contributing associate investigator on large work activities or as a principal investigator for single or small work activities.

Applies experience and advanced technical knowledge in human physiology, aviation/aerospace physiology, and environmental physiology to accomplish assignments. Also employs technical knowledge of physiological sensor technologies, and skills in experimental set-up, instrumentation, and operation and maintenance of complex data acquisition systems to collect, record, and analyze human physiological data. Understands how his/her technical area interacts with or is affected by other disciplines and considers the objectives of the research sponsor when developing research projects addressing diverse, complex problems.

Typical assignments include formulating hypotheses; developing and carrying out research plans; determining resource needs; keeping the supervisor informed of general plans and progress; addressing novel and difficult problem requiring modification of standard methods; analyzing and interpreting results; preparing comprehensive reports of findings; and working with research sponsors to interpret and implement research findings.

Defines, plans, and organizes assigned resources to accomplish research projects and achieve research objectives. Allocates resources to accomplish small work-activities within established schedules.

Contacts are internal and external. May act as a key technical point of contact for assigned activities. Is primary author or contributes to the preparation of management/technical reports or contractual documents, and may communicate the overall results of a project or work activity to FAA management, the aviation and aerospace industries, and other external parties. Work is expected to result in selection to serve on committees and review panels of technical groups and professional organizations; recognition by the scientific community as a significant contributor in epidemiology, public health, or aerospace medicine; and invitations to make presentations to professional societies and others outside the organization on technical matters; and consultations by agency technical and managerial staff and other researchers who are respected in their fields of study.

Uses or adapts guidelines consisting of literature in the fields of human physiology, aviation/aerospace physiology, and environmental physiology; procedures; instructions; or precedents to meet the requirements of the current assignment. May need to deal with situations where the existing literature is of limited usefulness due to contradictions, critical gaps, or limited applicability, or is largely absent because of the novel nature of the work.

Provides guidance to lower-level technical staff on how to solve difficult technical issues. Resolves all but unique technical problems without the intervention of management or a more experienced technical specialist.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• US Citizenship is required.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must submit an SF50 (See Required Documents).
• Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
• This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.
• Successful completion of a security investigation may be required.
• A one-year probationary period may be required.
• Pre-employment Physical is Required.
• Please review Required Documents & Additional Information.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

Degree: in one of the basic animal sciences or physiology; or a related discipline or field of science that included at least 24 semester hours in the basic animal sciences, of which 10 semester hours were in animal physiology. (transcripts must be submitted)

Evaluation of Education: Courses such as anatomy; cytology; invertebrate and vertebrate zoology; embryology; entomology; animal, dairy, and poultry husbandry; nutrition; genetics; and physiology may be used to meet the 24-semester-hour requirement in the basic animal sciences.

You must submit a transcript of your college coursework by the closing date of the announcement.

In addition to the above basic requirements:

To qualify at the FV-I (FG/GS 13) level , you must demonstrate in your application you possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the FV-H (FG/GS 10-12) level. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Specialized experience includes: Conducting research on environmental factors that may influence human performance, physiology, safety, and health in aviation/aerospace environments; developing test procedures to assess environmental hazards and the adequacy of life support systems, medical devices, and other equipment at altitude; experience setting up, operating and maintenance of instrumentation; experience collecting, recording, and analyzing human physiological data; preparation of technical reports, presentations, and publications; experience identifying and recommending solutions for complex/difficult problems

Applicants should provide examples of Specialized Experience in their Work History

AND

Quality Ranking Factor (QRF): A well-qualified candidate will demonstrate all of the following:

1) Experience designing and conducting human physiology, environmental physiology.

2) Exercise science research studies as a lead/lead/principal investigator or as a research team member.

3) Record of communicating scientific findings to the broader research community through research publications, such as peer-reviewed professional journal articles, monographs, books, reviews, reports, etc.

AND

Physical Requirements: You must be able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position without hazard to yourself or others. Selectee must pass a preemployment physical prior to appointment.

Qualifications must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: .

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

KSA Information:

As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are not required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA, in your work history please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a Human Resource Specialist as appropriate.

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on the KSA's listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: score order, category grouping, or alphabetical and referred to the selecting official for consideration.

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Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.

Position may be subject to a background investigation.

A one-year probationary period may be required.

The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies.

This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying a "testing designated position (TDP)" will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing.

Notes:

1) Applicants must apply online to receive consideration for this vacancy announcement. Faxed, mailed or emailed applications cannot be accepted. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered for the job.

2) Some, none, or all candidates may be interviewed.

3) This position is covered by the FAA Core Compensation plan. Additional information about core compensation is available on the following website:

4) Additional information regarding living in Oklahoma can be found at

5) If eligible, Permanent Change of Station (PCS) will be paid in accordance with the Federal Aviation Administrative Travel Policy (FAATP).

6) Selectee must pass a pre-employment physical prior to appointment.

7) To check receipt of emailed documents, please contact Ryan Cappadony at [click to reveal email address] View email address on us.fitly.work .

This position is eligible but not in a bargaining unit.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.