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Data Scientist

Department of Homeland Security
Federal Emergency Management Agency
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The ideal candidate for this position is a curious problem solver with technical expertise in the implementation or creation of machine learning tools or approaches, analysis of structured and unstructured data sets, and big data analytics in a cloud computing environment.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open date: 10/18/2023
Closed date: 10/28/2023
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Not applicable, this is a remote position.
Remote job
Yes - This position is eligible for remote work arrangements consistent with applicable FEMA policy. Remote work arrangements may be approved at the time of selection and the duty station will be determined based upon the upon the location of the selectee's residence. Core work hours for this position are 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern time. Employees may vary their start and end times each eight-hour workday while adhering to these core work hours.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$116,393 - $151,308 per year

Salary listed reflects the Rest of U.S. Scale and, if applicable, will be adjusted to meet the locality pay of the negotiated worksite location.

Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Promotion potential
14
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel my be required.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
FEMA-24-DRB-701331-MP
Control number
755362800

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Duties

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What will I do in this position if hired? 

In this position, you will serve as the subject matter expert in the highly technical and specialized area of data sciences and as a key advisor to Office of Policy and Program Analysis (OPPA) and Enterprise Data and Analytics Modernization Initiative (EDAMI) senior leadership on all matters related to the application of mathematics, statistical analysis, modeling/simulation, machine learning, natural language processing, data and computer sciences. Typical assignments include: 

  • Serving as a subject matter expert for data science and the application of mathematics, statistical analysis, modeling/simulation, machine learning, natural language processing, and related techniques.
  • Applying data tools, programming skills, data visualization, and advanced analytics to solve complex problems.
  • Constructing data pipelines using complex tools and techniques to handle data at scale.
  • Developing new methods to automate reports, develop predictive models, and analyze trends.
  • Providing management with technical advice and recommendations for developing data science capabilities.

What else do I need to know? 

At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters, and every employee at FEMA has a role in emergency management.  Every FEMA employee has regular and recurring emergency management responsibilities, though not every position requires routine deployment to disaster sites. All positions are subject to recall around the clock for emergency management operations, which may require irregular work hours, work at locations other than the official duty station, and may include duties other than those specified in the employee's official position description. Travel requirements in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature (weeks to months), with little advance notice, and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites with physically austere and operationally challenging conditions.

FEMA is committed to ensuring that its workforce reflects the diversity of the nation.  At FEMA, our workforce includes the many identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, ages, cultures, and beliefs of the people we serve. To learn about FEMA’s ongoing diversity and inclusion efforts, reasonable accommodation process, and the FEMA Core Values, please visit www.fema.gov.    

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation.
  • Selective Service registration required.
  • Current federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements.
  • You must be able to obtain and maintain a Government credit card.
  • Please review "Other Information" section for additional key requirements.

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo, successfully pass, and maintain a background investigation for Public Trustas a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check after initial job qualifications are determined, a review of financial issues, such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs (please visit: Mythbuster on Federal Hiring Policies for additional information). For more information on background investigations for Federal jobs please visit OPM Investigations.

Please ensure you meet the qualification requirements described below.

Qualifications

Current Federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the Federal service. The time-in-grade and qualification requirements must be met within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.  

This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement:  

Bachelor's or higher degree in Mathematics, statistics, computer science, data science or field directly related to the position. The degree must be in a major field of study (at least at the baccalaureate level) that is appropriate for the position.  (Submission of transcript is required. Unofficial is acceptable at time of application. Official transcript will be required if selected)

-OR-

Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major field of study (30 semester hours) as shown in paragraph A above, plus additional education or appropriate experience.

In addition to the above Individual Occupational Requirement; to qualify for this position at the GS-14 level (starting salary $116,393), you must possess one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal government, which has equipped you with the skills needed to successfully perform the duties of the position. Experience may be obtained in the Federal or Private Sector and must demonstrate all of the following: 

  1. Applying data science methodologies such as statistical analysis, machine learning, or natural language processing to improve outcomes for organizations or initiatives; AND
  2. Using programming languages such as Python, R, or SQL to explore and analyze data; AND
  3. Consulting with stakeholders or customers to identify the appropriate data, methodology, and design for projects; AND
  4. Developing recommendations and presenting findings from data science projects to leadership.

Please read the following important information to ensure we have everything we need to consider your application:

  • Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
  • Please limit your resume to five pages.  If more than five pages are submitted, only the first five pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications. 
  • Your resume serves as the basis for experience related qualification determinations, and you must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable), as it relates to this job opportunity. Please use your own words, be clear, and specific when describing your work history. We cannot make assumptions regarding your experience.

Are you qualifying based on your work experience? 

  • Qualifications are based on your ability to demonstrate in your resume that you possess one year of the specialized experience for this announcement at a comparable scope and responsibility.  To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, it must contain the following information organized by experience/position: (1) job title, (2) name of employer, (3) start and end dates of each period of employment (from MM/DD/YY to MM/DD/YY), (4) detailed description of duties performed, accomplishments, and related skills, and (5) hours worked per week (part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience). Federal experience/positions must also include the occupational series, grade level, and dates in which you held each grade level.  
  • Are you a current or former FEMA Reservist/DAE employee?  To accurately credit your experience from intermittent positions and Reservist Deployments, you must list the dates (from MM/DD/YY to MM/DD/YY) of deployments that are relevant to your qualifying experience, along with the job title and specific duties you were responsible for during each deployment.
  • Determining length of General or Specialized Experience is dependent on the above information.  Failure to provide the above information in your resume may result in your application being found “not qualified.” 
  • 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 provides valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Positive Education Requirement: This position has a positive education requirement, as outlined in the "requirements" section.  You must submit a copy of your transcripts (unofficial are acceptable) with your online application.  Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide official college transcripts.

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. Visit the Department of Education's Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information. 

Additional information

  • If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
  • DHS uses E-verify, an internet based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
  • The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.
  • This announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies.
  • All candidates must be able to deploy with little or no advance notice to anywhere in the United States and its territories for an extended period of time.
  • A one year probationary period is required for new Federal competitive service employees and new supervisors and managers. 
  • Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
  • Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).
  • This is a Bargaining Unit position.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.  If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education and training will be rated using a job questionnaire that is based on the following competencies needed to perform this job:

  • Technical Proficiency
  • Communication
  • Customer Service
  • Representing the Agency

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. 

We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. (Note: Veteran’s preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.)

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP/CTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP/CTAP eligibility on OPM’s Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85.00 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. 

Interview Requirement:  Interviews may be required for this position.  Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Federal Emergency Management Agency

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling on those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS Components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws; safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters. We achieve these vital missions through a diverse workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join DHS.

FEMA is calling all problem-solvers, relationship builders, and humanitarians!  FEMA is a mission-driven, people-focused Agency.  Our mission is to help people before, during, and after disasters. We coordinate with other federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to make sure America is equipped to prepare for and respond to disasters.  

At FEMA we strive to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.  We are looking for citizens capable of bringing diverse perspective of thought, experience, or culture to help us achieve our mission.  Everyday FEMA employees are inspired by that mission and are working tirelessly to make a difference.

Come join us in a rewarding career where you can help make our nation safer, stronger, and more prepared! Visit www.careers.fema.gov for more information.

Agency contact information

De'Andra Brown
Phone
202-394-5106
TDD
800-877-8339
Fax
999-999-9999
Email
deandra.brown@fema.dhs.gov
Address
FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency
Please read entire announcement
Please apply online
Washington, District of Columbia 20472
United States

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