Career Center

Director, MOVES Institute, AD-1701-09

Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA

Open: 14 April 2022

Closes: 1 July 2022

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) seeks qualified candidates to fill the position of Director of the Modeling, Virtual Environments, and Simulation (MOVES) Institute. This is a federal government position in the excepted service. The selection for appointment is made by the President, Naval Postgraduate School.

Who may apply: This announcement is open to all—both those internal to the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) and to all U.S. Citizens (i.e., the general public).

About NPS: NPS is a military, graduate, teaching and research university. NPS faculty have made fundamental contributions to national security by bridging basic and applied research to meet the defense and national security needs of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), Department of the Navy (DoN), the U.S. defense establishment, and America’s allies. NPS furnishes trusted technical and operational advice to the military and host tenant research organizations and provides experimental and demonstration platforms for dealing with a wide variety of exigent military problems. The university conducts both unclassified and classified research to equip military officers and DOD civilians with a superior graduate education.

About MOVES Institute: MOVES is an interdisciplinary research and academic program dedicated to education and research in all areas of defense modeling and simulation. It offers two programs leading to a Master of Science or a Doctor of Philosophy in MOVES. The MOVES Institute has a rich history of DOD contributions starting with the NPSNET Research Group founded in 1986. NPSNET was the original low-cost, government-owned SIMNET and DIS-compatible visual simulator. The MOVES Institute was founded in 2000 as a focal point for research in Modeling & Simulations (M&S) and Virtual Environments. Today, the MOVES Institute’s focus is on the science and technology driving the development and novel application of M&S tools applicable to the Navy and DOD and the international M&S community.  Current research emphasis is on simulation interoperability and Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) Simulations, Virtual/Augmented Reality systems, commercial gaming technology, M&S enhanced wargaming and Artificial Intelligence in simulation systems.  Sponsors and customers include Training, Analysis, Operational Planning, Design Methodology, Acquisition, and other communities where M&S can provide a competitive advantage.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Director, MOVES Institute, is directly responsible to the Chair, Computer Science Department. The director plans and administers the educational, research, personnel, and budgetary activities of the MOVES Institute. The director is the supervisor for all assigned faculty and staff, leads the academic enterprise at the program and academic unit level, and provides significant external services to DoN activities, DOD activities, and professional organizations, and may engage with students located at duty stations across the world, as well as at Monterey. This is a three-year appointment, and it is expected that anyone selected for this position would be prepared to serve the full term. The director could shape the future of the Institute, and play a central role in the associated Naval Postgraduate School, DoN, and DOD activities.

Required Qualifications:

• A graduate or terminal degree in a discipline relevant to the MOVES Institute;
• Accomplishments in education and research commensurate with appointment as a senior faculty member;
• Significant prior experience in an academic/educational management/leadership position, or similar professional experience; and
• Familiarity with DoN/DOD

Strongly desired (but not necessarily required) qualifications:

• Supervision of direct reports
• Knowledge of revenue, overhead, expenditures, and cost models for education
• Budgeting for academic units
• Ability to communicate administrative information clearly and effectively to stakeholders
• Experience with military commands
• Expert knowledge in Modeling and Simulation (M&S) for military applications
• Academically active and current
• Record of publications in MOVES-relevant research topics
• Demonstrated record of team building and leadership

Applicants should submit: a letter of interest in the position highlighting relevant experience, a curriculum vitae, and contact information for three or more references, preferably at least one who can speak directly to the candidate's leadership, management, and communications skills. All documents should be submitted by email to: 2022MOVESDirector_Applications@nps.edu. Deadline for receipt of complete application materials is by 11:59 P.M. PST on Friday, 1 July 2022. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Typically, this three-year position would start on 1 October 2022.

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. The Naval Postgraduate School is an equal opportunity employer. NPS fully supports the Department of the Navy's policy to recruit qualified individuals from across the United States in an effort to achieve a workforce drawn from all segments of society. Accordingly, we welcome all qualified applicants, whether civilian or active duty military, and strongly encourage women, minorities, people of color, and individuals with disabilities to apply. For additional information about NPS, please refer to the website at http://www.nps.edu.

NOTE: IF YOU ARE A VETERAN, Veterans preference is treated as a positive merit factor for NPS faculty positions. We strongly encourage you to indicate if you are a veteran in your application when applying to NPS positions and you must provide a copy of your signed DD-214 (member 4 copy), Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other acceptable documentation.