Program Director (Electromagnetic Spectrum Management Unit)

Submission Information
Publish Date: 
Friday, September 16, 2022
Archive Date: 
Friday, October 28, 2022
Job Summary
Job Category: 
Scientific/Technical Staff
Institution Classification/Type: 
Government Agency
Institution/Company: 
National Science Foundation
Department Name: 
Astronomical Sciences (MPS/AST)
Street Line 1: 
2415 Eisenhower Avenue
City: 
Virginia
State/Province: 
Alexandria
Zip/Postal: 
VA
Country: 
United States of America
Announcement
Job Announcement Text: 

Position Summary

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Program Director within the Electromagnetic Spectrum Management Unit (ESMU), Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST), Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), Alexandria, VA. The objective of NSF’s ESMU is to ensure access by the scientific community to portions of the radio spectrum that are needed for research purposes, especially for radio astronomy. The ESMU staff members accomplish this objective by representing the interests of the NSF and the scientific community in various national and international regulatory bodies, including the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU); and by communicating with the science community about spectrum-related issues that impact scientific use of the radio spectrum. ESMU staff members also are responsible for obtaining certification and frequency authorizations for radio systems operating under NSF control. ESMU provides spectrum management support for the entire NSF, including radio astronomy, remote sensing, satellite systems, oceanography, ionospheric and magnetospheric radars, and routine operational systems that require spectrum support. ESM activities at NSF have significant crossover with science policy in general. For more information about AST and its programs, please visit here.

Position Description

The candidate selected for this position will be directly responsible for leading NSF’s efforts for the protection of radio astronomy domestically and at the ITU, within the ITU-R Working Party 7D (Radio Astronomy).  The candidate will assist in establishing an overall strategy for spectrum management within the NSF, setting NSF’s positions on a wide range of spectrum-related issues, especially related to the protection of radio astronomy, and working within various national and international committees to further those positions. The successful candidate will also be responsible for making presentations at scientific conferences and to advisory bodies on spectrum-related issues, and will interface with government and private-sector spectrum-using entities to coordinate frequency use.

Depending on the expertise of the successful candidate, the program director also may have the opportunity to assist in the program management of other programs within the Division of Astronomical Sciences. This may include soliciting grant proposals, interfacing with current and prospective Principal Investigators (PIs), organizing and running proposal review panels, and making funding recommendations.

Application Deadline: 
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Selection Deadline: 
Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Current Status of Position: 
Accepting Applicants
Apply to Job
Attention To: 
Dr. Debra Fischer
Title: 
Division Director
Institution/Company: 
National Science Foundation
Department Name: 
Astronomical Sciences (MPS/AST)
Street Line 1: 
2415 Eisenhower Avenue
City: 
Alexandria
State/Province: 
VA
Zip/Postal Code: 
22314
Phone: 
7032928820
Institution/Company Job ID or Reference Code: 
AST-2022-85588
Inquiries About Job
Attention To: 
Dr. Debra Fischer
Subject: 
Program Director within the Electromagnetic Spectrum Management Unit (ESMU)