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DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST/ENGINEER FOR ELECTRO-OPTIC/INFRARED SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES

Naval Sea Systems Command

Crane, INFull-time$170–210K/yrPosted 5 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$170–210K/yr
Location
Crane, IN
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

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Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Professional Engineering Registration Or Licensure Or Written Test Or Specified Coursework, required

Job overview

The Distinguished Scientist/Engineer for Electro-Optic/Infrared Sensor Technologies provides technical leadership for EO/IR research, development, testing, evaluation, and transition. The role guides sensor programs, capability roadmaps, and prototyping teams, and coordinates research strategies across organizations. Candidates must demonstrate expert EO/IR knowledge and the ability to assess mission requirements, capability gaps, and emerging threats. A qualifying engineering or related education pathway is required; an advanced degree is highly desirable.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

EO/IR Sensor Technologies, requiredMission Requirements Assessment, requiredCapability Gap Assessment, requiredThreat Assessment, requiredMulti-Organizational Strategy, required

Qualifications

Two-Page Resume Limit, requiredBachelor's or Higher Engineering Degree or Equivalent Path, requiredProfessional Engineering Registration or Licensure or Written Test or Specified Coursework, requiredPhysics Degree or Related Degree With 24 Physics Semester Hours or Equivalent, requiredComputer Science Degree or Bachelor's With 30 Semester Hours, requiredMaster's or PhD in Listed Fields, nice to haveSignificant Research or Development Experience, nice to haveNational or International Field Reputation, nice to have

Full job description

Summary

You will serve as Distinguished Scientist/Engineer for Electro-Optic/Infrared Sensor Technologies of NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER.

Duties

  • You will guide research, development, and technology transition for advanced sensors, imaging modalities, laser protection, optical signatures, communications, SWAP reduction, and advanced image processing like machine learning and sensor fusion.
  • You will establish the overall technical direction and guidance for programs providing science and technology, research and development, acquisition support, test and evaluation, and in-service support for EO/IR systems.
  • You will provide technical leadership for EO/IR systems, guiding long-term capability roadmaps, facilities, infrastructure, and personnel to maintain NAVSEA Technical Capabilities and support NAVSEA Technical Warrant Authority in EO/IR technologies.
  • You will lead and provide expert technical guidance and technical oversight to a large NRDE team(s) involved in executing development and prototyping efforts in electro-optic and infrared sensor systems and related optics and laser technologies.
  • You will manage strategic alignment and project coordination enterprise-wide, advising NRDE teams on research directions and proposals while building cross-organizational collaborations to ensure success and eliminate duplication.
  • You will provide broad technical oversight and direction to EO/IR sensor system RDTE and prototyping teams through reviews, briefings, and reports, identifying corrective actions and advising managers to resolve emerging problems.

Qualifications

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, your resume must show that you possess the Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit will be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications: TQ1. Expert knowledge in Electro-Optic and InfraRed (EO/IR) sensor technologies across the full spectrum of science and technology, research, development, test and evaluation, modeling and simulation, and transition. TQ2. Demonstrated ability to assess current and future mission requirements, capability gaps, and emerging threats in EO/IR technologies, and to formulate and lead multi-organizational strategies that deliver innovative technical solutions. Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PROF AND All Professional Engineering series, 0801 Physics Series, 1310 Operation Research Series, 1515 Mathematics Series, 1520 Computer Science Series, 1550 Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

Education

Applicants must meet the following positive education qualifications requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Standards Manual: For 0801 Professional Engineering Series: A. Degree: Engineering. Successful completion of a bachelor's or higher engineering degree from an accredited college or university. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. -or- B. Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: (I) Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions; or (II) Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico; or (III) Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A; or (IV) Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive.) For 1310-Physics Series: a. A degree in physics; or related degree that included at least 24 semester hours in physics; OR b. Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in physics totaling at least 24 semester hours, plus appropriate experience or additional education; In either A or B above, the courses must have included a fundamental course in general physics and, in addition, courses in any two of the following: electricity and magnetism, heat, light, mechanics, modern physics, and sound. For 1515-Operations Research Series: A degree in in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus. For 1520-Mathematics Series: A degree in mathematics; or the equivalent of a major that included at least 24 semester hours in mathematics or A combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in mathematics (including at least 24 semester hours in mathematics), as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. For 1550-Computer Science Series: A degree in computer science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions. An advanced degree of Master's or Ph.D. in one of the educational fields listed above is highly desirable. How You Will Be Evaluated

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Technical Qualifications (TQ) listed above. TQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. Additional documentation may be required in the interview/assessment process. The technical panel will review results and make recommendations on final selections to the approving authorities. This recruitment will utilize the following technical assessment tools: Structured Resume Review and Structured Interview. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation. If after reviewing your resume and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be found ineligible/not qualified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment. All qualifications requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Other Information

Senior Scientific Technical Manager (SSTM) positions are positions which exceed the ND-05 (GS-15 equivalent). SSTMs provide a continuity of technical leadership and oversight that is needed to ensure long term stewardship of an organization's technical capabilities. Typically, applicants for SSTM positions are expected to have a graduate degree, significant research or development experience, and a national or international reputation in his/her field and are recognized throughout the applicable community as a renowned expert. SSTM positions are in the competitive service. This position is not covered by the Department of War Priority Placement Program. Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement. A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments. Federal annuitant information: The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants. Policy information may be found at: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/donhr/Documents/CivilianJobs/FedCivAnnuitants.pdf There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents: Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information)" Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx)

How this job compares

Set against the 2,080 open Scientist jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 14, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$170–210K/yr
  • Indiana median$68–174K/yr31 salary ranges
  • US median$101–160K/yr1,009 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $190K, is 57% above the Indiana median midpoint ($121K) — in the top quarter of Scientist salary ranges in Indiana.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 52 open Scientist jobs in Indiana and 2,080 across the US. 1% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Indiana
Experience
Scientist postings that state a minimum ask for 3 years of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 1 to 6 years (1,593 postings).
Education
992 of the 2,080 open Scientist jobs (48%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 14, 2026. Figures based on too few postings are left out.

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