Summary

As a Personnel Psychologist, you will be responsible for personnel assessment, selection system design, organizational development, and talent analytics. You will develop, validate, implement, and evaluate human capital initiatives, selection instruments, and performance management systems that support the National Nuclear Security Administration's mission.

This announcement will close on July 23, 2026 or once 75 applications are received, whichever occurs first.

Duties

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As a Personnel Psychologist, you will:

• Lead the end-to-end design, development, and implementation of high-stakes, customized personnel assessment tools (e.g., structured interviews, cognitive ability tests, situational judgment tests, work sample assessments, biographical data inventories, and personality profiles) targeted for professional, technical, administrative, and leadership positions.
• Conceptualize, design, and direct large-scale applied research initiatives linking pre-employment assessment scores to post-hire performance metrics, turnover rates, promotion rates, and organizational commitment. Prepares technical reports, white papers, and executive briefings detailing research findings, validation studies, and actionable resource recommendations for agency leadership.
• Serve as an agency-wide technical expert and trusted advisor to senior executives, hiring managers, and HR Specialists on cutting-edge human capital developments, modern selection science, and workforce planning strategies. Designs, develops, and delivers instructional training programs for HR specialists and Subject Matter Experts on job analysis methodologies, structured interviewing techniques, cognitive bias mitigation, and consensus rating protocols.
• Represent the agency on interagency workgroups, professional panels, and committees related to federal workforce planning and assessment standards.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) subject to applicant testing and random drug testing thereafter. Failure to test or a positive result on random drug tests conducted after appointment may result in removal from Federal employment.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that 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 determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• This position has been designated as Critical Sensitive and requires a security clearance at Q Access. The selectee is required to obtain and maintain this clearance; failure to do so may result in separation from federal service.
• You are required to submit OGE-450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of entering the position and annually.
• You may be required to successfully complete a one (1) year probationary period.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet the basic education requirement and specialized experience requirement as outlined below.

Basic Education:

Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major or equivalent in psychology.

Specialized Experience:

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower NNSA Demonstration Project pay band or GS grade level in the Federal service, i.e., NQ-2 or GS-12. Specialized experience for this position is defined as experience applying research techniques and measurement theories, principles, and practices to develop tools such as surveys or other assessments to meet organizational needs; conducting job analyses to inform hiring, promotion, and career path design; and providing consultative services to human resources staff and hiring managers on assessments.

Time-in-Grade/Band: Current Federal employees must have completed 52 weeks in a position equivalent to the next lower band (NQ-2) or GS-12.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a "well qualified" rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: OPM CTAP/ICTAP. CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the 'Required Documents' section of this announcement.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home.

You must submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution listing the college/university, degree confirmation date(s) and applicable courses for the position you are applying to.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.

**If you are selected, official transcripts will be required.**

Additional information

• More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
• A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized for a highly qualified applicant in accordance with agency policy and applicable regulations.
• Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/[redacted]5-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information
• 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 date of alleged noncompliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at [redacted].

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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.