This vacancy is for a Survey Statistician position in the Demographic Directorate located at the U.S. Census Bureau Headquarters in Suitland, Maryland. The Census Bureau is accessible from the Metro Rail Green Line – Suitland Station.
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Survey Statisticians, GS-1530-07/09/11/12, (FPL-12) positions within the Census Bureau in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.
Summary
This vacancy is for a Survey Statistician position in the Demographic Directorate located at the U.S. Census Bureau Headquarters in Suitland, Maryland. The Census Bureau is accessible from the Metro Rail Green Line – Suitland Station.
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Survey Statisticians, GS-1530-07/09/11/12, (FPL-12) positions within the Census Bureau in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.
Work independently and on teams to complete tasks for surveys, the decennial census, population estimates, and/or administrative records.
Communicate with supervisor and employees throughout the organization performing work for the assigned programs and projects.
Apply statistical theories, techniques, and methods to programs for collecting, processing, or presenting statistical information.
Develop and design survey questionnaires for paper and/or automated data collection efforts.
Evaluate appropriate methodology and perform data collection, research, and/or dissemination tasks for surveys, decennial census, population estimates, and/or administrative records.
Registered for Selective Service if applicable. (www.ssa.gov)
You may be required to complete a financial disclosure (OGE-450)
Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the announcement closing date
A one-year probationary period may be required
Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Qualifications
Minimum Education Requirement:
A. Degree: that included 15 semester hours in statistics (or in mathematics and statistics, provided at least 6 semester hours were in statistics), and 9 additional semester hours in one or more of the following: physical or biological sciences, medicine, education, or engineering; or in the social sciences including demography, history, economics, social welfare, geography, international relations, social or cultural anthropology, health sociology, political science, public administration, psychology, etc. Credit toward meeting statistical course requirements should be given for courses in which 50 percent of the course content appears to be statistical methods, e.g., courses that included studies in research methods in psychology or economics such as tests and measurements or business cycles, or courses in methods of processing mass statistical data such as tabulating methods or electronic data processing.
NOTE: As indicated in A above credit toward meeting statistical course requirements will be granted for courses in which 50 percent of the course content appears to be statistical methods, e.g., courses that included studies in research methods in psychology or economics such as tests and measurements or business cycles, or courses in methods of processing mass statistical data such as tabulating methods or electronic data processing. Additionally, to receive credit for course work that is not catalogued on the transcript as Statistics or contain 'statistics' in the course title, applicants must attach an official course description for the course that clarifies that the course has statistical content, or written documentation (documentation must be on official school letterhead) from a professor or a school official verifying that the content of a course has either met the 50% statistics course requirements or was a statistical course if the course name in your transcript is not entitled as statistics.
or B. Combination of education and experience -- courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The experience should have included a full range of professional statistical work such as (a) sampling, (b) collecting, computing, and analyzing statistical data, and (c) applying statistical techniques such as measurement of central tendency, dispersion, skewness, sampling error, simple and multiple correlation, analysis of variance, and tests of significance.
Specialized Experience:
For the GS-07, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes writing clearly and effectively; assisting with preparing and delivering presentations to technical and non-technical audiences; background specializing in Demography, Sociology, Economics, Statistics, or Survey Methodology; assisting with reviewing or analyzing demographic or economic data; using statistical software such as SAS, Stata, SPSS, R or some other statistical software; and experience working in teams and completing projects on time.
OR
Education: 1 year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement.
For the GS-09, you must have one year of specialied experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes writing clearly and effectively; preparing and delivering presentations to technical and non-technical audiences; background specializing in Demography, Sociology, Economics, Statistics, or Survey Methodology; reviewing or analyzing demographic or economic data; using statistical software such as SAS, Stata, SPSS, R or some other statistical software; conducting/participating in a project from start to finish, and experience working in teams and completing projects on time.
OR
Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education.
For the GS-11, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes writing clearly and effectively; preparing and delivering presentations to technical and non-technical audiences; background specializing in Demography, Sociology, Economics, Statistics, or Survey Methodology; reviewing or analyzing demographic or economic data; using statistical software such as SAS, Stata, SPSS, R or some other statistical software; conducting/participating in a project from start to finish, setting priorities, and maintaining schedules; and experience working in teams and completing projects on time.
OR
Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree that provided you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the work of a survey statistician.
For the GS-12, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes writing clearly and effectively; preparing and delivering presentations to technical and non-technical audiences; reviewing or analyzing demographic or economic data; using statistical software such as SAS, Stata, SPSS, R or some other statistical software; background specializing in Demography, Sociology, Economics, Statistics, or Survey Methodology; oversee a project from start to finish, setting priorities, and maintaining schedules; and experience working in teams and completing projects on time.
Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level.
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.
Additional information
The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures, or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.
The Department of Commerce provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. TTY users can contact the Human Resources Office via the Federal Relay Service, 1-800-877-8339.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Additional benefits available at Census Headquarters located in Suitland, MD, include: fitness center; child-care facility; credit union; free parking; convenient access to Metrorail and Metrobus transit services in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia communities; car pools/van pools; etc.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are "gold," "silver," and "bronze." Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.
How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed.
Preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold).
The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:
The following competencies are desirable at the full performance level of this position (GS-12).
Skill in communicating to peers, technical, and professional audiences.
Ability to analyze factual information and trends, solve complex problems based on data, and write comprehensive technical reports.
Knowledge of the principles, statistical theories, and tools of survey methodology, sociology, economics, statistics or demography.
Ability to analyze and evaluate data and/or carry out a research agenda related to a field of expertise, such as survey methodology, housing, poverty, income, education, family formation, race, ethnicity, or applied statistics.
Ability to plan and implement work/project assignments, exchange technical information, and resolve problems.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Additional benefits available at Census Headquarters located in Suitland, MD, include: fitness center; child-care facility; credit union; free parking; convenient access to Metrorail and Metrobus transit services in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia communities; car pools/van pools; etc.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume should list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.
Veterans' Preference Documentation: Please indicate on your resume the type of veterans' preference you are claiming and provide the appropriate supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.) to validate your claim. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please go to: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation, if applicable (see other information).
Education Documentation: If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. This also applies to Census Bureau employees. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information.
You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/workrecog.doc You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
CTAP and ICTAP Eligibles
CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap
CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice);
A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location;
A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.
ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination, certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a work-related compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement.
A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", documenting your RIF separation, noting your position, grade/band level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov/. To begin, click the "Apply" button and follow the prompts to register into your USAJOBS account, answer the questions, and submit all required documents. (After registering in your USAJOBS account and clicking "Submit," you will automatically transition to the Department of Commerce's specific site where you will complete your application. You must click "Submit" at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration.)
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application."
If you have problems completing your online application, including problems submitting your supporting documents, please contact the Help Desk by email at mgshelp@monster.com or by phone at 866.656.6831. The help desk is available Monday—Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online; however, if you are unable to apply online, please contact: Tamika Humes at tamika.l.humes@census.gov.
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
4600 Silver Hill Road
Room 2K038D
Attn: Human Resources
Washington, District of Columbia 20233
United States
Next steps
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Applications." The status will be visible next to the corresponding positions. The four points of notification are:
Application Received or Application Incomplete;
Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
Referred or Not Referred; and
Selected or Not Selected
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume should list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.
Veterans' Preference Documentation: Please indicate on your resume the type of veterans' preference you are claiming and provide the appropriate supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.) to validate your claim. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please go to: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation, if applicable (see other information).
Education Documentation: If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. This also applies to Census Bureau employees. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information.
You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/workrecog.doc You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
CTAP and ICTAP Eligibles
CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap
CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice);
A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location;
A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.
ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:
A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination, certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a work-related compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement.
A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", documenting your RIF separation, noting your position, grade/band level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov/. To begin, click the "Apply" button and follow the prompts to register into your USAJOBS account, answer the questions, and submit all required documents. (After registering in your USAJOBS account and clicking "Submit," you will automatically transition to the Department of Commerce's specific site where you will complete your application. You must click "Submit" at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration.)
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application."
If you have problems completing your online application, including problems submitting your supporting documents, please contact the Help Desk by email at mgshelp@monster.com or by phone at 866.656.6831. The help desk is available Monday—Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online; however, if you are unable to apply online, please contact: Tamika Humes at tamika.l.humes@census.gov.
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
4600 Silver Hill Road
Room 2K038D
Attn: Human Resources
Washington, District of Columbia 20233
United States
Next steps
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Applications." The status will be visible next to the corresponding positions. The four points of notification are:
Application Received or Application Incomplete;
Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
Referred or Not Referred; and
Selected or Not Selected
By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
