NIST works with industry and science to advance innovation and improve quality of life. We're looking for a Biologist to join our team! CAISI is seeking a candidate who will evaluate the chemical and biological capabilities of AI systems, and help lead collaborations to conduct and interpret national security-relevant chemical and biological evaluations. This notice is issued under direct-hire authority to recruit new talent to occupations for which NIST has a severe shortage of candidates.
All applicants must submit a resume NOT TO EXCEED two pages on standard-size paper. If the resume exceeds two pages, only the first two pages will be reviewed for qualifications or assessment determinations. Basic Requirements Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to the basic requirements, applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-14 (ZP-IV at NIST) or equivalent grade level. Specialized experience is defined as: -Strong subject matter expertise in Biotechnology, Computational Biology, Machine Learning, Computer Science, Structural Bioinformatics or closely related field -Experience collaborating with national security agencies and stakeholders, especially in the Intelligence Community (IC), on collaborative efforts to assess AI systems' biological misuse-relevant capabilities -Experience delivering analytic products and briefings to agency leadership and interagency partners -Experience engaging with industry, academic partners, and research institutions Selective Placement Factor: Position duties require immediate access to classified intelligence; therefore, applicants must possess a current TS/SCI clearance. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The qualification requirements in this vacancy announcement are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook. If requesting reconsideration of your qualification determination, please refer to the following site: Applicant Reconsideration
In this position, you will: Apply biological sciences and computational expertise to lead technical efforts for the NIST Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) chemical and biological security team. Develop, manage, and lead CAISI's approach to assessing the capabilities and potential national security implications of chem-bio AI models, including those that aid in the analysis, prediction, or generation of novel chemical or biological sequences, structures, or functions. Work closely with technical research staff within CAISI, U.S. government partners, including the intelligence community, and the scientific community to develop and apply new technical approaches and methodologies for assessing design capabilities and performance of chem-bio AI models. Build and coordinate a network of scientific and national security stakeholders to define guidelines for assessing and mitigating potential risks of chem-AI models while enabling innovation. Provide guidance to CAISI leadership on emerging benefits and risks at the intersection of AI and biotechnology. Serve as a technical representative for the CAISI chemical and biological security team at interagency, academic, and other external meetings. Lead and manage other lines of effort for the chemical and biological security team as designated by the Team Lead, including shaping and defining the longer-term strategy of chemical and biological security, as well as broader national security efforts.