ICF is a mission-driven company filled with people who care deeply about improving the lives of others and making the world a better place. Our core values include Embracing Difference; we seek candidates who are passionate about building a culture that encourages, embraces, and hires dimensions of difference. 

ICF is seeking an experienced Support Scientist to provide scientific and technical leadership for federal research solicitations and rigorous peer-review activities. This senior, non-management role works with program officials, researchers, panel chairs, reviewers, and operational teams to help ensure proposals are evaluated fairly, consistently, securely, and in accordance with established scientific and technical protocols. The position is contingent upon contract award. 

You will apply scientific judgment throughout the review lifecycle so that federal program officials receive credible technical evaluations, well-supported recommendations, and clear information for program decisions. 

The Work 

In this role, you will be responsible for the planning, organization, performance, and results of the technical aspects of solicitation and peer-review support throughout assigned tasks. You will identify qualified reviewers, support recruitment, administer mail and panel reviews, manage conflict-of-interest processes, advise government stakeholders on panel operations and technical results, and capture technical actions arising from review decisions. You will coordinate closely with solicitation, logistics, data, and technology staff while remaining focused on scientific and technical integrity. 

Job Location and Client Requirements 

Work may be performed at an ICF or other contractor facility, a rented facility, or a client site in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, depending on program needs. The position may require domestic travel and on-site support for peer-review panels, workshops, scientific conferences, and program meetings. No classified security clearance is required.

Key Responsibilities:

• Plan, organize, perform, and support the technical aspects of solicitation and peer-review activities throughout the lifecycle of assigned tasks. 
• Identify qualified candidates to serve as panel chairs, panelists, and reviewers based on the scientific and technical expertise required for each review. 
• Support the recruitment of and communication with panel and reviewer candidates endorsed by government program officials, including participation commitments and review expectations. 
• Document and maintain evaluation criteria and prepare scientific evaluation forms, instructions, and orientation materials for reviewers and panelists. 
• Administer mail reviews and other scientific or technical review activities, including reviewer assignments, technical submissions, reminders, and completion tracking. 
• Administer conflict-of-interest and nondisclosure processes, maintain required records, and promptly elevate potential or actual conflicts for government determination. 
• Advise government stakeholders on panel operations, progress, and technical results and help ensure proceedings follow established scientific and technical protocols and policies. 
• Facilitate panel chairs and reviewers during technical deliberations, support conflict resolution, and assist with accurate panel summaries and technical evaluations. 
• Capture and compile technical actions arising from panel deliberations, review findings, and follow-up decisions for project and government program leadership. 
• Support science-program activities, including tracking active grants, developing briefing materials on program status, and representing program officials at scientific conferences or agency meetings when requested. 
• Protect proposal, reviewer, conflict-of-interest, panel-deliberation, and pre-decisional information while coordinating with project management, solicitation, logistics, data, and technology staff. 

Basic Qualifications:

• Master's degree in a scientific or technical field relevant to NASA's scientific or technical areas. 
• At least 10 years of professional experience in a scientific or technical field relevant to NASA's scientific or technical areas. 
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and provide on-site support for peer-review panels, workshops, scientific conferences, and program meetings when required. 
• Must successfully complete a federal background investigation and obtain and maintain a Personal Identity Verification credential for required facility and system access. 

Professional Skills: 

• Strong scientific and analytical judgment, with the ability to assess technical content and reviewer expertise across multidisciplinary research areas. 
• Ability to analyze, synthesize, and clearly communicate complex scientific or technical information, panel findings, and program status. 
• Clear and professional written and verbal communication with researchers, reviewers, panel chairs, federal program officials, and multidisciplinary delivery teams. 
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines, reviewer communities, and concurrent mail or panel reviews in a structured, fast-paced environment. 
• Strong facilitation and interpersonal skills, including the ability to support technical deliberations and resolve issues while preserving reviewer independence. 
• Sound judgment and discretion when applying scientific protocols and handling confidential, proprietary, conflict-of-interest, or pre-decisional information. 

Preferred Skills and Experience: 

• Doctorate in a scientific or technical field relevant to NASA's scientific or technical areas is strongly preferred. 
• Experience supporting scientific merit review, mail reviews, reviewer recruitment, or complex multidisciplinary peer-review panels. 
• Experience with NASA or another federal organization that sponsors, evaluates, or manages scientific research and technology programs. 
• Experience using grants-management, proposal-processing, reviewer-management, peer-review, or virtual collaboration systems; familiarity with Grants.gov is a plus. 
• Experience with scientific portfolio analysis, active-grant tracking, research-program reporting, technical briefings, or research-community engagement. 

***Please note this role is contingent

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Bot and Third-Party Applications

Please note that this application must be submitted directly by the applicant for consideration. Failure to do so may result in the application being excluded for consideration.  Applicants needing an accommodation for disability or religious purposes in connection with the application process should contact [email protected] for assistance.

Working at ICF

Pay Range - There are multiple factors that are considered in determining final pay for a position, including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and competencies that align to the specified role, geographic location, education and certifications as well as contract provisions regarding labor categories that are specific to the position.

The pay range for this position based on full-time employment is: