Chief for the Office of Weights and Measures

Chief for the Office of Weights and Measures

National Institute of Standards and Technology

The Physical Measurement Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) anticipates the need for a Chief for its Office of Weights and Measures (OWM) (https://www.nist.gov/pml/weights-and-measures) located on the NIST campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The Office of Weights and Measures has a mission to improve the accuracy of legal measurements, enhance consumer protection, foster fair competition, and facilitate economic growth and trade through technical activities that promote uniformity in national and international legal metrology laws, regulations, standards, test procedures, and enforcement.  The OWM Chief is responsible for the overall management of the Office and creating and supporting its strategic and operational goals.   In addition, the OWM Chief is expected to play an active role helping to set and execute the goals of the Physical Measurement Laboratory as part of its senior leadership team. The OWM has approximately 20 permanent staff, consisting primarily of physical scientists, weights and measures coordinators, engineers, physicists, and administrative specialists.   OWM fulfills its mission through broad legal metrology activities in standards development and technical guidance both nationally and internationally.  It does this through design and development of test and operational procedures; design and delivery of training in the areas of laboratory metrology, weights and measures laws and regulations, and weights and measures inspections; and implementation of national policy to establish the SI as the preferred system of weights and measures. 

Interested candidates should have leadership and management experience and a degree in physical sciences or a related field.   Interested candidates must be U.S. Citizens and should submit a Curriculum Vitae or a Resume and a list of potential references by April 8, 2021 to Zulma Lainez, 100 Bureau Drive MS 8400, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8420 or by email to zulma.lainez@nist.gov.  If you have technical questions concerning this position please contact Carl Williams, Deputy Director of the Physical Measurement Laboratory (carl.williams@nist.gov). 

Whether submitting a Curriculum Vitae or a Resume, the candidate must provide sufficient information to clearly articulate their leadership and management capabilities and experience, including personnel and financial management.  This may be provided in a separate cover letter.   Individuals should also include a list of publications and a list of talks and presentations covering at least the past 5 years showing research or standards development.  

Depending on the identified candidates professional background they will be hired as a Supervisory Physical Scientist, ZP-1301, Grade V or a related position (GS15 equivalent).  Applicant’s Curriculum Vitae or Resume must provide positive evidence that they have performed highly creative or outstanding research or standards development activity that has led to or can lead to major advances in a specific area of research, science, or standards development.  In addition, applicants must show positive evidence of the ability to collaborate with stakeholders or interest groups to achieve programmatic goals.   Applicants can be rated under this provision for highly demanding research or standards development positions requiring similar abilities or show at least 1-year equivalent at the GS-14 level.  The position when available will be posted at (http://www.usajobs.gov).  The minimum qualification and education standards per the OPM qualification standards for ZP-1301 require you to meet one of the following: 1. Degree: physical sciences, engineering, or mathematics degree that included at least 24 semester hours in physical sciences or 2. Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in 1 above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

The salary range for the position is $144,128 to $172,500 per annum.  The National Institute of Standards and Technology of the Department of Commerce is an Equal Opportunity Employer.