Physical Scientist

Physical Scientist Department of Energy Department of Energy

• Agency Wide Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, Research Division Summary This position is part of the Office of Science
• Headquarters, Department of Energy. As a Physical Scientist, you managing scientific and technological advancement across fusion science, facility operion, and technology development. Learn more about this agency Summary This position is part of the Office of Science
• Headquarters, Department of Energy. As a Physical Scientist, you managing scientific and technological advancement across fusion science, facility operion, and technology development. Learn more about this agency Overview Help Accepting applicions Open & closing des 05/20/2026 to 05/26/2026 Salary $169,279
• $197,200 per year Pay scale & grade GS 15 Locion 1 vacancy in the following locion: Germantown, MD Remote job No Telework eligible No Travel Required Occasional travel
• You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocion expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time Service Competitive Promotion potential None Job family (Series) 1301 General Physical Science Supervisory stus No Security clearance Not Required Drug test No Position sensitivity and risk Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Modere Risk Trust determinion process Credentialing Suitability/Fitness Financial disclosure Yes Bargaining unit stus No Announcement number 26-SC-12957624-DH Control number 869609100 This job is open to Help The public U.S. Citizens, Nionals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S. Clarificion from the agency U.S. citizens or U.S. Nionals; no prior Federal experience is required. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your applicion for considerion. Duties Help We are truly honored th DOE has been named America's #1 Best Employer for Veterans in 2023 by Forbes-not only among Government agencies, but among employers across the U.S. We are so proud of this ranking which reflects our commitment to the employment of veterans. As so many veterans DOE renew their service to our Nion, we are deeply committed to their success and advancement. Veterans shape the future of energy As a Physical Scientist, you will: Provide scientific advice and guidance to officials, managers, scientists, and engineers. Serve as a recognized authority for a significant segment of a specific area in one or more of the following: advanced scientific computing research; basic energy sciences; biological and environmental research; fusion energy sciences; high energy physics; nuclear physics; and workforce development. Provide technical guidance on proposed research projects and programs of interest. Coordine, implement, and evalue segments of research programs in the assigned area of responsibility. Assemble essential informion on topics of assigned segments of research through various source merials. Provides overall authoritive leadership and direction to pioneering scientific and technologoical efforts in achieving new and innovive capabilities in fusion energy R&D. Requirements Help Conditions of employment You must be a U.S. Citizen or Nional. This employer participes in the e-Verify program. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify th you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov. If selected, your appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determinion, as determined by a completed background investigion. If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probionary period. You may be required to submit a Financial Disclosure Stement, OGE-450, Executive Branch Personnel Confidential Financial Disclosure Report upon entering the position and annually (5CFR Part 2634, Subpart

I USOGE, 6/08

). Qualificions

BASIC REQUIREMENT

You must meet both the Basic Requirement and the Specialized Experience to qualify for this series as described below. See the Educion section for the Basic Requirement.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

A qualified candide's online applicion and resume must demonstre least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-14 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting ALL of the following: Managing, executing, or actively participing in scientific and/or technology research programs for fusion energy with expertise and publicions reled to magnetic confinement fusion science and technology R&D, facility projects, and/or user facilities; AND Leading, stewardship, and administrion of scientific research, involving tasks such as preparing, justifying, or managing multi-year budgets and funding actions; evaluing operional effectiveness or establishing performance metrics; and coordining and integring complex activities while professionally interacting with internal and external stakeholders; AND Contributing to the development, recommendion, or implemention of stregic plans for scientific and technological research programs for fusion energy. "Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through Nional Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizions. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience th transles directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

CTAP/ICTAP

candides: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section. You must meet all qualificions and eligibility requirements by the closing de of this announcement. Educion This vacancy has a positive educion requirement. In order to be red as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a ring of "Ineligible". Educion must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion. Foreign educion must be reviewed by an organizion recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion. For special instructions pertaining to foreign educion and a list of organizions th can evalue foreign educion, see the Department of Educion website.

BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR 1301 SERIES A.

Degree:

physical science, engineering, or mhemics th included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or reled engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of merials, and electronics. OR B.

Combinion of educion and experience:

educion equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above th included least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or reled engineering science, plus approprie experience or additional educion. If substituting educion for specialized experience you must submit proof of your qualifying educion. Failure to provide college transcripts may result in a ring of 'Ineligible'. This vacancy has a positive educion requirement. In order to be red as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a ring of "Ineligible". Educion must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion. Foreign educion must be reviewed by an organizion recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion. For special instructions pertaining to foreign educion and a list of organizions th can evalue foreign educion, see the Department of Educion website. Additional informion The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE. For general informion on government-wide Telework polices : www.telework.gov Hiring incentives may be authorized in accordance with agency policy and if funding is available.

EEO Policy:

https://www.energy.gov/justice/eeo-complaint-process

Reasonable Accommodion Policy:

https://www.energy.gov/hc/department-energy-reasonable-accommodion-program

Veterans Informion:

https://www.energy.gov/careers/veterans-military-spouses

Selective Service Registrion:

http://www.sss.gov/ The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the de of alleged noncompliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrive Investigions Program AdministriveInvestigions@hq.doe.gov . Expand Hide additional informion Candides should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passione about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United Stes Constitution. Benefits Help 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 th are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits . Review our benefits 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 informion on the specific benefits offered. How you evalued You evalued for this job based on how well you meet the qualificions above. This position is announced under a government-wide Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) for Physical Scientist positions in the 1301 series. Under the DHA, applicants who meet the Educion and Qualificion requirements listed in this announcement referred for considerion. Veteran's Preference, cegory ring, and traditional ring and ranking of applicants do not apply under the DHA process. Appointments made under the DHA are processed as "new" appointments. Current Federal employees may be required to serve a new probionary period (5 CFR 315.802(b). Successful candides will possess the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Manages and Organizes Informion Physics Research Technical Competence Career Transition Assistance Programs:

If you are eligible for career transition assistance, such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the Educion and Qualificion requirements to be referred for considerion. d

Certifices:

The Department of Energy shares lists of applicants among its internal Departmental Elements and organizions. You may be referred for considerion to other DOE Hiring Managers throughout the Department for more than one position based on this applicion. By applying to this announcement, you understand your applicion merials may be shared with multiple Hiring Mangers throughout DOE. If additional positions are filled from this announcement conditions of employment may differ. You notified if you are referred for additional positions. You must meet all qualificions and eligibility requirements by the closing de (05/26/2026) of this announcement. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12957624 Benefits Help 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 th are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits . Review our benefits 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 informion on the specific benefits offered. Required documents Required Documents Help To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete applicion package which includes: Your RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end des (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed educion and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion de). Cover Letter , optional , expressing additional informion not covered in your resume. Transcripts, if specific educional requirements are indiced in this job announcement .Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adeque proof th you meet the educional requirements. Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documention, if applicable (e.g., Certificion of Expected Separion, Reduction-In-Force Separion Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 th documents the RIF separion action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more informion see the OPM Guide to Career Transition . Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of considerion due to an incomplete applicion package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Do not provide photos or list a Social Security Number or de of birth on any tachment. If you are relying on your educion to meet qualificion requirements: Educion must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion in order for it to be credited towards qualificions. Therefore, provide only the tendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion . Failure to provide all of the required informion as sted in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible ring or may affect the overall ring. How to Apply Help Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an applicion. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online applicion, to include submission of the required documention specified in the Required Documents section. A complete applicion package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing de to receive considerion. The applicion process is as follows: Read all instructions before you begin. Click "Apply Online." Complete the applicion and tach all required documents. Submit by 11:59 PM ET on the 05/26/2026.

Resume Tips:

Max 2 pages and 5MB file size. PDF is recommended to preserve formting; we also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, ODT, or Word (DOC/DOCX). No PDF portfolios. Use clear fonts like Lo, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Source Sans Pro, Roboto, or Noto Sans. Set 0.5-inch margins. Use 14-point font for titles, 10-point for main text.

Managing Your Applicion:

Upde:

Edit your applicion in USAJOBS before the closing de.

Stus:

Log into USAJOBS to view your applicion stus.

Learn more here:

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/applicion/stus/ .

Support:

USAJOBS Help:

Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/ for login.gov or USAJOBS assistance.

Applicion Issues:

If you have difficulty applying online, contact the Agency Contact listed in this announcement during business hours. Take screenshots of any system errors. To upde your applicion, including supporting documention: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your applicion record, and click Edit my applicion. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To verify the stus of your applicion, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applicions will appear on the Welcome screen. The Applicion Stus will appear along with the de your applicion was last upded. For informion on wh each applicion stus means, : https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/applicion/stus/ . Agency contact informion Leonard Elkins leonard.elkins@hc.doe.gov Address Office of Science

• Headquarters Department of Energy Human Capital d Service Center 1000 Independence Ave, SW Washington, DC 20585 US Next steps Once you submit your online applicion, you will receive a confirmion notificion by email th your submission was successful.

After the closing of the announcement, if your self-assessment responses place you as an eligible candide for referral, we will refer your name to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. We will notify you of the stus of your Applicion Package the time candides are referred for considerion, and when the selection process is complete. If you are interested in being added to our Schedule A or 30% or more Disabled Veterans repository, please submit your informion by using the below links.

https:

//www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/859568600

• 30 Percent or More Disabled Veteran Repository 2026 for Department of Energy Headquarters and their associed field offices.

https:

//www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/859568900

• Schedule A Repository 2026 for Department of Energy Headquarters and their associed field offices.

Fair and transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance. Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Financial suitability New employee probionary period Privacy Act Reasonable accommodion policy Selective Service Signure and false stements Social security number request Required Documents Help To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete applicion package which includes: Your RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end des (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed educion and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion de). Cover Letter , optional , expressing additional informion not covered in your resume. Transcripts, if specific educional requirements are indiced in this job announcement .Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adeque proof th you meet the educional requirements. Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documention, if applicable (e.g., Certificion of Expected Separion, Reduction-In-Force Separion Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 th documents the RIF separion action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more informion see the OPM Guide to Career Transition . Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of considerion due to an incomplete applicion package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Do not provide photos or list a Social Security Number or de of birth on any tachment. If you are relying on your educion to meet qualificion requirements: Educion must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion in order for it to be credited towards qualificions. Therefore, provide only the tendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion . Failure to provide all of the required informion as sted in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible ring or may affect the overall ring. How to Apply Help Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an applicion. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online applicion, to include submission of the required documention specified in the Required Documents section. A complete applicion package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing de to receive considerion. The applicion process is as follows: Read all instructions before you begin. Click "Apply Online." Complete the applicion and tach all required documents. Submit by 11:59 PM ET on the 05/26/2026.

Resume Tips:

Max 2 pages and 5MB file size. PDF is recommended to preserve formting; we also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, ODT, or Word (DOC/DOCX). No PDF portfolios. Use clear fonts like Lo, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Source Sans Pro, Roboto, or Noto Sans. Set 0.5-inch margins. Use 14-point font for titles, 10-point for main text.

Managing Your Applicion:

Upde:

Edit your applicion in USAJOBS before the closing de.

Stus:

Log into USAJOBS to view your applicion stus.

Learn more here:

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/applicion/stus/ .

Support:

USAJOBS Help:

Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/ for login.gov or USAJOBS assistance.

Applicion Issues:

If you have difficulty applying online, contact the Agency Contact listed in this announcement during business hours. Take screenshots of any system errors. To upde your applicion, including supporting documention: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your applicion record, and click Edit my applicion. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To verify the stus of your applicion, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applicions will appear on the Welcome screen. The Applicion Stus will appear along with the de your applicion was last upded. For informion on wh each applicion stus means, : https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/applicion/stus/ . Expand Hide how to apply Agency contact informion Leonard Elkins leonard.elkins@hc.doe.gov Address Office of Science

• Headquarters Department of Energy Human Capital d Service Center 1000 Independence Ave, SW Washington, DC 20585 US Next steps Once you submit your online applicion, you will receive a confirmion notificion by email th your submission was successful.

After the closing of the announcement, if your self-assessment responses place you as an eligible candide for referral, we will refer your name to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. We will notify you of the stus of your Applicion Package the time candides are referred for considerion, and when the selection process is complete. If you are interested in being added to our Schedule A or 30% or more Disabled Veterans repository, please submit your informion by using the below links.

https:

//www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/859568600

• 30 Percent or More Disabled Veteran Repository 2026 for Department of Energy Headquarters and their associed field offices.

https:

//www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/859568900

• Schedule A Repository 2026 for Department of Energy Headquarters and their associed field offices.

Expand Hide next steps Fair and transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance. Criminal history inquiries Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Financial suitability New employee probionary period Privacy Act Reasonable accommodion policy Selective Service Signure and false stements Social security number request Overview Help Accepting applicions Open & closing des 05/20/2026 to 05/26/2026 Salary $169,279

• $197,200 per year Pay scale & grade GS 15 Locion 1 vacancy in the following locion: Germantown, MD Remote job No Telework eligible No Travel Required Occasional travel
• You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocion expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time Service Competitive Promotion potential None Job family (Series) Supervisory stus No Security clearance Drug test No Position sensitivity and risk Trust determinion process Financial disclosure Bargaining unit stus Announcement number 26-SC-12957624-DH Control number 869609100