Description

The U.S. Navy is seeking qualified candidates holding doctorates in I/O Psychology that are interested in shaping the future of Naval aviation through applied research and program management. This is an uniformed officer role.

If you are interested in the following types of projects: 

        Research, development, and validation of novel assessments and measurements for personnel selection;

        Development of requirements, operational maintenance, and ongoing validation of large-scale personnel selection tests for operational communities such as Pilots, Naval Flight Officers, Unmanned Air Vehicle Operators, and Special Forces teams;

        Development and verification testing for advanced data analytic techniques to include computer-adaptive testing, machine learning methodologies, and Bayesian statistics;

        Job-task analyses of Naval occupations and roles to include aircrew positions and aviation training requirements;

        Research on operational stress, including techniques for prediction of and training for success in extreme environments such as carrier landing operations or combat; 

        Design and evaluation of training programs and their effectiveness; 

        Development and evaluation of criterion measures of aviator performance (cognitively, physiologically, and mission achievement) and systems for their utilization;

        Research, development, and evaluation of emerging technologies and their capability/applicability for future flight simulator and aircraft systems;

        Research on aviation safety, including techniques for prediction and prevention of aviation mishaps;

        Training requirements verification, training media analyses, and curriculum design work;

        Policy advisory work on aviation training and Navy personnel programs;

 You may be interested in the U.S. Navy’s Aerospace Experimental Psychology (AEP) program. 

 Commissioning

 Those selected will be commissioned as Navy Lieutenants (O-3) with an obligation to serve one three-year tour of duty following completion of training. 

Location of Initial Duty Assignment

 First-tour I/O psychologists commissioned as AEPs are typically assigned to Pensacola FL, Orlando FL, Dayton OH, or Patuxent River MD as their first permanent duty stations. Although the AEP community currently has no permanent assignments outside the continental United States, opportunities for domestic and international travel exist. 

Starting Salary

 Starting salary in the Pensacola area is approximately $90,000-$100,000 per year. This figure includes flight pay, which begins upon commencement of flight training. Parts of this salary consist of allowances for subsistence and housing, which are tax exempt. This translates into an extra $2,000 in your federal income tax refund. Note also that housing allowances are regionally variable. Housing allowances for duty stations outside Pensacola are typically higher.

 Tuition Repayment

 Tuition repayment programs are available, but not guaranteed. Selectees are also eligible to participate in the G.I. Bill, which provides financial assistance for future education. (Benefits are transferable to a dependent with an additional period of obligated service.)

 Leave and Benefits

 Selectees are provided 30 days of paid leave per year plus Federal holidays. Additional benefits include a no-cost retirement plan, free family medical care, free dental care, and privileges to Navy exchanges and commissaries.

 Career Outlook

 AEPs begin their careers as experts in a single area, but become generalists over time. They work with psychologists from other disciplines in the AEP community, including specialists in Human Factors, as well as Cognitive, Experimental, and Clinical Psychology, among others. 

 Opportunities exist for research and publication, as well as applied work. 

 AEPs remain on flight status throughout their careers, and are required to log a minimum of 48 hours per year as special crewmembers in Department of Defense (DoD) aircraft. Following initial training, AEPs are authorized, though not required, to operate the controls of any DoD aircraft for which they have appropriate qualifications and mission commander approval. 

Requirements

Medical Requirements

 Applicants should be in good health with a benign medical history. Applicants will be required to undergo medical examination for the purpose of determining physical qualifications. Glasses or contact lenses are acceptable so long as they correct the applicant’s eyesight to 20/20. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must not be taking any mood-altering or psychoactive medication (including antidepressants and ADHD medication). This is a Navy requirement for all officers on flight status. 

 Citizenship Requirements

 Applicants must be U.S. citizens, and will be subject to a security investigation prior to acceptance into the program.

 Background Knowledge Required

 Doctoral-level education in quantitative, research-based psychology programs is preferred. Prior military experience, experience in aviation or aviation-related research, and facility with quantitative methods are desirable, but NOT essential. Applicants with solid backgrounds in research and applied work are encouraged to apply, regardless of whether they possess any other specialized experience. If you bring knowledge of your field to the table, the Navy is prepared to teach you everything else you need to know.

Required Training

Applicants must be willing to fly in Naval aircraft.

 Those selected will report to Officer Development School in Newport RI, for a five-week indoctrination course, covering the basic responsibilities of a naval officer, the structure and organization of the Navy, and military etiquette. 

Next, selectees report to Pensacola FL for approximately six months of aviation psychology, physiology, and flight training. Flight training typically involves ground training, simulator work, and flights in both fixed-wing aircraft (T-6A/B) and helicopters (TH-57B). This training is critical in that it introduces the student to both the nomenclature and the complex, interdependent types of information aviators have to use in order to perform their jobs. The aviation training you receive will not make you a subject-matter expert (SME), but it will help you understand what aviation SMEs are saying to you when they talk about their jobs.

 This program also requires some swim qualifications, so good physical conditioning is important, and swimming ability should exceed basic staying afloat skills. 

 Following the completion of AEP training, selectees are awarded their “Wings of Gold” and assigned to a permanent duty station for a three-year tour.