Personnel Psychologist
What you'd do
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.
Major duties
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.
What you need to qualify
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.
Before you apply
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