November 16, 2018

Dear Colleagues:

The Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS), within the Directorate for Engineering at the National Science Foundation, announces a nationwide search for a senior-level engineering researcher to fill an open Program Director position in the Communications, Circuits, and Sensing Systems (CCSS) area.

Formal consideration of interested applications will begin 11/16/2018 and will continue until a selection is made. The division is looking to fill this position as promptly as possible.

NSF Program Directors have the primary responsibility for carrying out the Agency's overall mission to support innovative and merit-evaluated activities in fundamental research and education that contribute to the nation's technological strength, security, and welfare. They are also responsible for service to NSF-wide activities and initiatives that together accomplish NSF's strategic goals to: 1) Transform the Frontiers of Science and Engineering, 2) Stimulate Innovation and Address Societal Needs through Research and Education, and 3) Excel as a Scientific Federal Agency.

In support of these goals, NSF Program Directors are responsible for extensive interaction with academic research communities and industry, as well as interaction with other Federal agencies. Within this context, Program Directors solicit, receive and review research and education proposals, make funding recommendations, administer awards, and undertake interaction with research communities in these fields. This requires expertise in appropriate disciplines to implement the proposal review and evaluation process for the program, as well as strong skills in written and oral communication. Successful candidates should be receptive to new ideas, have a strong sense of fairness, excellent judgment, and a high degree of personal integrity.

The NSF Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS) supports enabling and transformative research at the nano, micro, and macro scales that fuels progress in engineering system applications with high societal impact. ECCS programs encompass novel electronic, photonic, and magnetic devices — and the integration of these devices into circuit and system environments, intelligent systems, control, and networks — for applications spanning communications and cyber technologies, energy and power, healthcare, environment, transportation, manufacturing, and other systems-related areas. ECCS also strengthens its programs through links to other areas of engineering, science, industry, government, and international collaborations. In addition, ECCS emphasizes the integration of research and education to ensure the preparation of a diverse and professionally skilled workforce.

The Division is organized around three broad programs: Electronic, Photonic and Magnetic Devices (EPMD); Communications, Circuits, and Sensing Systems (CCSS); and Energy, Power, Control and Networks (EPCN). For further information, please visit the ECCS web site at https://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?org=ECCS.

Specifically, the new CCSS Program Director is expected to have knowledge and/or experience working in the following areas: advanced semiconductor microelectronics for future communications, sensing, and computing; fast, secure and energy-efficient microelectronics for distributed mobile processing platforms; engineered systems with multi-level and scalable security; high-speed and low-latency electronics and system architectures for dynamically interconnected autonomous systems such as autonomous vehicles; secure Internet of Things; electromagnetics, antennas and wave propagation; new techniques, algorithms, and architectures for sensing, communication, and learning; new approaches for spectrum efficiency and spectrum sharing; integrated design of hardware, architectures, and algorithms for information processing systems and networks, including quantum information processing systems. These areas are of strategic interest and importance to the ECCS Division and the Engineering Directorate.

Qualification requirements for the position are: (a) Ph.D. or equivalent professional experience in the relevant discipline in engineering or science; (b) six or more years of successful research; and (c) research administration and/or managerial experience in academe, industry, or government. The candidate must also demonstrate vision and leadership to identify and support long-term research and education that contributes to the mission of the ECCS Division and NSF.

This position is an unparalleled opportunity to ensure NSF funded research is at the forefront of advancing engineering research and education. The individual will work with other NSF Program Directors in formulating research strategies, developing collaboration and cooperation across the Foundation and among government, academe and industry, fostering outreach to underrepresented groups, and providing leadership within NSF and the engineering community.

The Program Director position recruited under this announcement may be filled under the following programs:

Visiting Scientist Appointment: Appointment to this position will be made under the Excepted Authority of the NSF Act. Visiting Scientists are on non-paid leave status from their home institution and placed on the NSF payroll. NSF withholds Social Security taxes and pays the home institution's contributions to maintain retirement and fringe benefits (i.e., health benefits and life insurance), either directly to the home institution or to the carrier. Appointments are usually made for a one-year period and may be extended for an additional year by mutual agreement.

Temporary Excepted Service Appointment: Appointment to this position will be made under the Excepted Authority of the NSF Act. Candidates who do not have civil service or reinstatement eligibility will not obtain civil service status if selected. Candidates currently in the competitive service will be required to waive competitive civil service rights if selected. Usual civil service benefits (retirement, health benefits, and life insurance) are applicable for appointments of more than one year. Temporary appointments may not exceed three years.

Applications will be accepted from U.S. Citizens. Recent changes in Federal Appropriations Law require Non-Citizens to meet certain eligibility criteria to be considered. Therefore, Non-Citizens must certify eligibility by signing and attaching this Citizen Affidavit to their application. Non-citizens who do not provide the affidavit at the time of application will not be considered eligible.

Applicants should indicate in their cover letter that they are applying to the CCSS Position.

To apply, submit a current curriculum vitae or resume and cover letter to:

Carmiña Londoño, PhD
Deputy Division Director
Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS)
National Science Foundation
2415 Eisenhower Avenue
Alexandria, Virginia, 22314
Phone: (703) 292-8339

NSF is an Equal Opportunity Employer Committed to Employing a Highly Qualified Staff that Reflects the Diversity of Our Nation.