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Computer Scientist

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
Interfacility Communications Engineering Team, AJW-1780, Data Comm Sub Team, AJW-1782
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Serves as a Computer Scientist within the Operations Support Directorate, AJW, Communications, Flight Service & Weather Engineering Group, AJW-17, Interfacility Communications Engineering Team, AJW-178, Data Communication Sub Team, AJW-1782.

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
01/08/2020 to 05/27/2020
Salary
$75,463 to - $116,956 per year

Salary Includes a locality payment of 15.67%

Pay scale & grade
FV I
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Oklahoma City, OK
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - The job may require up to 25% travel.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
NA
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Announcement number
ACT-AJW-20-AJW1782-65219
Control number
556003700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Also open to former permanent excepted service federal employees eligible under an interchange agreement. Current or former permanent federal employees must have met a one year probationary period or trial period in the competitive or excepted service. Applications will also be accepted from preference eligibles and veterans who are honorably discharged from the Armed Forces after completing at least 3 years of continuous active duty service.

Duties

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AJW-178 provides operational development, test, and support engineering for airline departure clearance messages between air traffic control and airline pilots, terminal system data distribution and national radio communications equipment used in the National Airspace System (NAS). AJW-178 is the highest level of engineering expertise in the FAA for these systems.

Performs multiple, varying, and complex assignments under the limited direction of a manager, or more experienced technical specialist. He/she provides technical assistance to field facilities that are maintaining NAS equipment and restoring NAS services. As the computer scientist, he/she performs software modification to resolve problems with NAS equipment. Develops and maintains technical documentation used in the maintenance of NAS systems and services.

Applies experience and advanced knowledge of computer science for the development of problem-oriented solutions to increase scope and effectiveness of computer applications. Uses computer software concepts (such as, software methodologies, network protocol, mathematical analysis, statistics and probability) to develop software source code to fix or enhance functionality for safety critical data communications includingtower data link services for the purpose of generating and delivering departure clearances and terminal information service information to commercial aircraft. Has knowledge of programming languages such as, C, C++, Java in the Linux environment. The employee understands how his/her technical area interacts with or affected by other disciplines and considers the objectives of varying NAS organizations when developing, integrating, and implementing solutions to diverse, complex systems problems. Providing technical support to Washington program offices for fielding system enhancements and to field facilities experiencing NAS outages, which requires knowledge and understanding of the software architecture and operation of systems.

The employee plans, and organizes assigned resources to accomplish organizational objectives within established schedules. He/she performs operational support through software development, software modification and technical assistance for restoration, as it relates to one of the following National Airspace System (NAS) data communications systems/equipment: tower departure clearance system, and tower departure clearance distribution services. Tower departure clearance system software development processes are used to ensure software integrity, conformity to safety standards, and information security for NAS operational ground-based systems. He/she is responsible for manipulating, configuring, transforming and operating complex departure clearance server applications for controller and pilot messaging, terminal information services messaging, fault isolation and remote monitoring and control.

He/she contributes to the preparation of technical reports and may communicate the overall results of a project or work activity to FAA management, the aviation and aerospace industries, and other external parties.

Assignments typically require solutions that are derived by interpreting and extrapolating from situations previously faced in the past. He/she modifies software data to obtain solutions to solve problems/issues in the NAS systems/equipment. Resolves most technical problems without the intervention of management or a more experienced technical specialist. Identifies and informs management of problems that require their attention. Often develops and recommends techniques to address problem situations.

Work is, reviewed periodically, typically at major milestones and at completion, for technical compliance and alignment with the requirements of the project or other work activity.

Work activities typically support and may be vital to the success of projects or activities of one or more NAS organizational units. The work may affect the safety and security of customers.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Must submit an SF50 (See Required Documents)
  • This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.

Qualifications

To view the complete qualifications standard, applicants should reference-U.S. Office of Personnel Management Group Coverage Qualification Standard for the Computer Scientist:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1500/computer-science-series-1550/

Basic Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in computer science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.

In addition to the basic requirements, to qualify for this position at the FV-I level you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the FV-H, FG/GS-12. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Specialized experience may include but not limited to: Experience in developing software source code to fix or enhance functionality for safety critical data communications for the purpose of generating and delivering departure clearances and terminal information service information to commercial and/or general aviation aircraft.

Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

Applicants should include examples of specialized experience in their Work History

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

Bachelor's degree in computer science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.

Preview job questionnaire

Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.
Position may be subject to a background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.
The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies.

As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA), in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a Human Resource Specialist as appropriate.

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: score order, category grouping, or alphabetical order and referred to the selecting official for consideration.

All, some or none of the applicants may be interviewed.

Current and former Federal employees must submit their most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action.



This position is eligible but not in a bargaining unit.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay , COLA

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.



IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

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