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Operations Research Analyst

Department of Energy
Department of Energy - Agency Wide
This job announcement has closed

Summary

A successful candidate in this position will provide expert analysis and technically authoritative guidance to originate and perform mathematical, statistical, economic, and/or other analysis projects pertaining to the Energy sector, an energy sub-sector, scientific research, and/or national security, and to maintain and enhance models for use in simulation studies.  

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
01/20/2021 to 02/11/2021
Salary
$144,128 to - $172,500 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
few vacancies in the following location:
Washington, DC
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
TN-21-EI-00919-MP
Control number
589784100

Duties

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As an Operations Research Analyst, you will:

  • Serve as an analyst and advisor to a Department of Energy executive and has responsibility over multiple operations research analysis projects with program office-wide or Department-wide impacts. 
  • Obtain, compile, organize, select critical elements of real world systems for inclusion in models, and apply analytical techniques in innovative ways.
  • Monitor and conduct studies important to agency decision makers.
  • Originate new programs, techniques, studies, and approaches in assigned subject areas.
  • Evaluate the impact of new technologies, systems innovations, and policies to generate ideas and recommend ways to enhance the effectiveness of operations research tools, techniques and scenarios used in current and future projects.
  • Serve as a technical expert with respect to all phases of research and development project management.
  • Serve as a project leader assuming responsibility for project planning, coordinating overall team efforts, and maintaining appropriate lines of communication.  Assignments have nation-wide or Department-wide impact which requires the development of plans and the compilation and detailed analysis of data and information across a very broad and managerially complex spectrum of activity.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a United States Citizen.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
  • Resume and question responses must be submitted online.
  • Must complete a Financial Disclosure Statement, OGE-450 form.
  • May be required to complete a one-year probationary period.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS: 

If selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure, OGE-450 form upon entry into the position and annually thereafter.

Position is not covered under a bargaining unit.

Telework is in accordance with agency policy and at the supervisor's discretion.

You must submit an unofficial or official transcripts by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.  NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.  

You may be required to complete a one-year probationary period, if not completed under a competitive or excepted service appointment.

You must submit all application paperwork by the closing date of the vacancy announcement. 

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

Degree: in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.

Evaluation of Education:  Courses acceptable for qualifying for operations research positions may have been taken in departments other than Operations Research, e.g., Engineering (usually Industrial Engineering), Science, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, or Management Science. The following are illustrative of acceptable courses: optimization; mathematical modeling; queueing theory; engineering; physics (except descriptive or survey courses); econometrics; psychometrics; biometrics; experimental psychology; physical chemistry; industrial process analysis; managerial economics; computer science; measurement for management; mathematical models in social phenomena; and courses that involved application of operations research techniques and methodologies to problems of management, marketing, systems design, and other specialized fields; or other comparable quantitative analysis courses for which college-level mathematics or statistics is a prerequisite. Courses in theory of probability and statistics are highly desirable but are not specified as minimum educational requirements because to do so would possibly exclude some applicants who would otherwise be well qualified.

In addition to meeting the "Basic Requirements" described above, applicants must also have at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: Specialized Experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.  A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as:

  • Applying analytical methods (e.g., statistical analysis, cost-benefit analysis, optimization, simulation mathematical modeling) to resolve issues.
  • Using project management techniques and methods in order to direct, lead and manage analytical studies and projects pertaining to energy.
  • Developing briefings to support new operating procedures and modifications to senior management officials to assist in decision-making.
  • Developing and maintaining new baseline models and simulation techniques and scenarios for use in current and future studies.

Your application and resume should demonstrate that you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must describe in your application how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the KSAs identified below. Cite specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position. DO NOT write "see resume" in your application!

  1. Knowledge of a broad range of operations research analysis principles, theories, concepts, and techniques, and of one or more specialized areas of operations research sufficient to apply new analytical developments, methodologies and research findings to broad studies of important programs of an unprecedented nature and to define, perform and guide major studies to meaningful conclusions.
  2. Skill in applying advanced analytical, mathematical, or statistical methods, and techniques including, but not limited to, mathematical optimization and economic analysis sufficient to design and build very complex, sophisticated models and to use those models to simulate real world environments of many variables.
  3. Skill in managing and coordinating projects characterized by high visibility, unusual urgency or program criticality.
  4. Skill in using advanced techniques and in modifying and extending theories, precepts and practices of operations research and related sciences and disciplines to originate new ideas, projects, studies, and methodologies and to develop and utilize appropriate data collection techniques.
  5. Skill in establishing and maintaining effective relationships with customers, information sources and project team members.
  6. Skill in articulating and negotiating very complex and sensitive issues with officials of diverse perspectives and with different, sometimes opposing views.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

Time-in-Grade: Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement to receive consideration.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

EDUCATION:

This position has a positive education requirement.  For additional information regarding education requirements described above for the GS-1515, Operations Research Analyst can be found at following website:https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1500/operations-research-series-1515/

Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

Additional information

The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

  • New employees to the Department of Energy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.  To learn about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.
  • Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the FedsHireVets website.
  • If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the OPM ICTAP/CTAP website for more information. In order to be considered under the ICTAP program, your application must score within the pre-established "well qualified" category as stated in the Qualifications section.
  • More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
  • Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.
  • Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
  • All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.

EEO Policy: https://www.eeoc.gov/federal/fed_employees/index.cfm
Reasonable Accommodation Policy:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/reasonable-accommodations/
Veterans Information: https://www.fedshirevets.gov/job-seekers/veterans-preference/ 

Telework:  www.telework.gov

Selective Service Registration: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/fair-and-transparent/selective-service/

How you will be evaluated

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

The Department of Energy uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the applicant assessment questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications necessary for this position. Then, the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to determine if your qualifications meet the criteria for referral to the selecting official.

We will also verify that you are eligible for Merit Promotion positions by reviewing your previous Federal employment to ensure you meet Time-in-Grade requirements. If you are eligible to apply to Merit Promotion announcements based on Veteran or other non-competitive statuses, we will verify your supporting documentation prior to referral.

If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the definition of "well qualified" which is defined as having a score of 85 or better.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.
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