The Linguistics Program supports basic science in the domains of the structure, acquisition, and processing of human language, encompassing investigations of the phonological, morphological, semantic, and syntactic properties of human languages, their intersections with social and environmental contexts, and of language processing, including across diverse learning and interactional situations, such as first, second, or multilingual contexts. The program encourages projects that are interdisciplinary in theoretical perspective and/or methodological approach, and that address questions that cross disciplinary boundaries. Linguistics Program Directors also manage the Dynamic Language Infrastructure-Documenting Endangered Languages (DLI-DEL) program, a cross-agency program with the National Endowment for the Humanities, which supports research and infrastructure that advances the science of language documentation of endangered languages through the preparation of lexicons, grammars, databases, and the development of computational tools in support of language documentation.
The responsibilities of NSF Program Directors are dynamic and constantly evolving. Program Directors have an opportunity and responsibility to ensure NSF-funded research is at the forefront of advancing fundamental knowledge. In support of that, Program Directors are responsible for extensive interaction with academic research communities, as well as interaction with other Federal agencies that may lead to development of interagency collaborations. Within this context, Program Directors solicit, receive and review research proposals, make funding recommendations, administer awards, and undertake interaction with research communities in their fields.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
PROGRAM PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
- Maintain a healthy balance of support for all the needs of the research and education enterprise either through program, division, directorate, Foundation, or interagency activities.
- Manage program resources so as to provide optimal appropriate scientific judgment to ensure integrity and consistency in the grant/declination process without conflict of interests, and with balance among appropriate sub-fields and institutions, and participation of all qualified scientists. Incorporate cross-directorate responsibilities into program administration.
- Manage an effective, timely merit review process, with attention to increasing the size and quality of the reviewer pools and ensuring participation by women, minorities, and disabled scientists.
- Provide scientific expertise, evaluation, and advice for other programs in NSF, including international programs, other research programs, and cross-directorate programs.
- Advise and assist in the development of short- and long-range plans, establishing goals and objectives for research programs. Plan the budget for the program/programs considering past, present, and future fiscal years, allocate resources within that budget distributing scarce resources among major competitive programs, and manage post-award evaluation.
- Control waste, fraud, and abuse.
REPRESENTATION, COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP - Represent the Program, Division, Directorate, and Foundation within the scientific community, with other NSF units, with other appropriate agencies and organizations, and with the public, accurately reflecting NSF policy and positions.
- Create and maintain linkages to other NSF units and other Federal agencies in pursuit of the overall NSF mission.
- Participate in staff, panel, committee, and other meetings, providing input relevant to Program area and/or Division.
- Pursue affirmative action and EEO goals.
- Pursue and/or be responsive to assignment on special projects and temporary functional teams from across the Foundation to solve problems, improve staff communication, and effect coordination for special programs.
- Contribute ideas and effort to improving the quality of policies and NSF's performance of the overall mission. Develop policies and plans for strengthening research and education programs.
- Provide information to the community on how NSF is pursuing its mission and gather data and impressions from the community on the effectiveness of NSF's performance of its mission.
- Prepare and disseminate a variety of informational documents which may include data on progress being made toward NSF's goals, trends and opportunities papers, and budget plans.
Starting at $169,430 Per Year (AD 4)