SUMMARY

As a Research Physicist/Technical Lead at NSA, the creativity of you & your team is essential to explore and create effective solutions for internal and Agency-supported customers around the world. Your efforts will drive global impacts that may include: saving lives of U.S. and ally soldiers; providing U.S. policy and decision makers with critical, timely intelligence; ensuring the continued safety of U.S. citizens and residents by thwarting foreign adversaries; and defending vital networks.

QUALIFICATIONS

The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position.

EDUCATION

Degree must be in either (1) Engineering, (2) Physics or Astronomy from an accredited college or university, or (3) a relevant professional technical field (for example, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, geology).

For Engineering degrees, if program is not ABET accredited, it must include specified coursework.*

• Specified coursework includes courses in differential and integral calculus and 5 of the following 18 areas: (a) statics or dynamics, (b) strength of materials/stress-strain relationships, (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics, (d) thermodynamics, (e) electromagnetic fields, (f) nature and properties of materials/relating particle and aggregate structure to properties, (g) solid state electronics, (h) microprocessor applications, (i), computer systems, (j) signal processing, (k) digital design, (l) systems and control theory, (m) circuits or generalized circuits, (n) communication systems, (o) power systems, (p) computer networks, (q) software development, (r) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, or soil mechanics. Relevant experience must be in one or more of the following: performing engineering or physical sciences work, or conducting academic or independent research in a technical field (for example, mathematics, engineering, cognitive sciences and physical sciences).

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Would you like to work for the most esteemed, reputable, and established in-house research organization in the U.S. Intelligence Community? If so, let’s talk!
NSA employs scientists with world-class skills in fields such as mathematics, physics, computer science, engineering, and cybersecurity. We collaborate with leading companies, universities, and national laboratories to leverage work in overlapping disciplines, advance core capabilities, and seek out and develop revolutionary ideas that will provide our nation with an overwhelming advantage over our adversaries.
At the Laboratory for Physical Sciences (LPS), you will have incredible opportunities with high visibility to work on investigating and designing large-scale high performance computing systems, focusing on computer architectures, processing/memory subsystems, and transforming computing beyond Moore’s Law. You will be a part of a multi-disciplinary team of physicists, engineers, computer scientists, and systems architects that challenge you to make impacts that others have yet to attain.
We’re looking for talented PHYSICISTS that have a familiarity and/or interest in quantum phenomena. Desired skills/experiences include a fluency in physical models of device behavior and the ability to calculate parameters relevant for understanding device behavior, familiarity with the feasibility limits of technologies that support quantum technologies, such as arbitrary waveform generators, voltage sources, etc., as well as a thorough understanding of factors influencing quantum behavior such as charge noise, magnetic/flux noise, and temperature.

As a Research Physicist/Technology Lead you will:

• Set broad directions across the entire quantum community;
• Guide the development of Quantum Information Science (QIS) across academic, industry, and government teams from across the country and around the world;
• Have deep technical exchanges with top researchers to understand and influence emerging technology;
• Impact the direction of technology and national policy;
• Perform technical analyses to identify key technical issues;
• Advocate for resources for the most critical opportunities;
• Present findings to internal and/or external stakeholders;
• Visit research teams on location and attend program reviews;
• Always keep learning: attend conferences, review technical documents, advance education, stay up-to-date with the latest and most cutting edge research in the field.