Through this shared announcement, we're hiring Data Scientists to join different agencies across the Federal government to improve the way we serve the public.
Summary
Through this shared announcement, we're hiring Data Scientists to join different agencies across the Federal government to improve the way we serve the public.
As a Data Scientist, GS-1560-14, your typical work assignments may include the following:
Adapting mathematical, statistical, artificial intelligence (e.g., machine learning, large language models) and other quantitative methods and techniques to solve problems and/or forecast outcomes.
Applying a variety of data analytic tools and techniques to produce findings and insights from structured or unstructured data.
Consulting with stakeholders to determine appropriate products or services and define project scope, requirements, and deliverables.
Designing and developing presentations and visual reports of advanced statistical analysis and data analytics tailored to specific audiences and stakeholders.
Developing data visualizations, including interactive dashboards, charts, tables, and graphs using custom visualizations, code, and/or off-the-shelf products.
Modeling complex business needs using data to discover insights through statistical, algorithmic, mining, and visualization techniques including, as applicable, artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Performing data cleaning and preparation activities (e.g., examining descriptive statistics, identifying and addressing outliers, errors, and missing values) to ensure data accuracy and validity.
Performing advanced exploratory data analysis (e.g., Principal Component Analysis, Cluster Analysis) to find insights and trends.
Writing code (e.g., SAS, SQL, R, or Python) that can be used by others to create models, dashboards, and user apps.
Telework varies based on the hiring agency and its telework policy. Agencies may offer remote work opportunities or require in-office work with or without telework options. Ask for clarification from the hiring agency about the duty location and remote or telework policies that apply to the position.
Completion of one-year probationary period.
May be covered by a bargaining unit.
May qualify for bonuses, incentives, and/or reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
May require financial disclosure filing.
May require a pre-employment drug test and/or random drug testing during the period of employment.
Must be a U.S. citizen or national.
Promotion potential varies. May have promotion potential to higher grade levels.
Selective service registration is required, as applicable.
Travel and security clearance requirements vary.
Qualifications
This announcement will close at 11:59 PM (ET) on 02/02/2024, or 11:59 PM (ET) the day when 750 applications are received, which may be sooner than the closing date. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement or the day when 750 applications are received, which may be sooner than the closing date.
BASIC REQUIREMENT
Degree: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study that led to a 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 that is appropriate for the position. You must submit transcripts that reflect relevant coursework. OR Combination of Education and Experience: Combination of education and experience which included at least 30 semester hours (or equivalent) in courses equivalent to a major in mathematics, statistics, computer science, data science, or field directly related to the position, plus creditable experience. You must submit transcripts that reflect relevant coursework.
Such education and experience must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. In addition to courses in the major and related fields, a typical college degree would have included courses that involved analysis, writing, critical thinking, research, etc. These courses would have provided an applicant with skills and abilities sufficient to perform progressively more responsible work in the occupation. Therefore, creditable experience should have demonstrated similarly appropriate skills or abilities needed to perform the work of the occupation.
In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement listed above, you must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience for the grade level to which you are applying: GS-14 Specialized Experience: Must have at least one full-time year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service (or comparable level of experience from outside the Federal service) performing ALL of the following duties:
Developing business solutions by writing code that utilizes open-source machine learning models or code and/or developing custom machine learning models;
Applying a variety of data analytic tools and techniques to produce insights from structured or unstructured data; and
Communicating with stakeholders to scope business requirements, obtain feedback, and deliver business-relevant solutions within the agreed upon timeframe.
(This experience must be reflected in your resume.) IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE DO NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your resume must support your application responses.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work performed 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
You must submit a copy of your college transcripts to show that you meet the basic education requirement for the Data Scientist position, 1560 series. Unofficial transcripts with the degree title, list of courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter or semester hours earned can be used as a substitute for the official transcripts at the time of application. If you are selected for a position, official transcripts will be required prior to entering on duty.
If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g., special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Provide all relevant transcripts, not just your most recent one.
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicants' resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Failure to provide such documentation with your application will result in lost consideration. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional information
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, non-career SES, or Presidential appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
Final duty station and salary will be determined by the hiring agency.
Qualified, eligible Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) applicants will be referred to the selecting official under the selection priority placement program.
CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in an agency with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate well qualified. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ctap.
ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate well qualified. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap.
Recruitment incentives may be available and will be determined the hiring agency.
Veterans: Under the provisions of the Direct-Hire Authority, veterans' preference does not apply. However, applicants who are eligible for veterans' preference are still encouraged to include that information in their application and submit supporting documentation (i.e., DD-214 or other substantiating documents). Qualified candidates with veterans' preference will be selected as they are found, just as any qualified non-preference eligible candidate would be selected.
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.
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.
This announcement is being used to recruit qualified individuals under the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Direct Hire Authority authorized by 5 United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 3304 and 5 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) Part 337, Subpart B. Therefore, category rating, veterans' preference, and traditional rating or ranking of applicants do not apply to this public notice.
You will be evaluated based on your responses to questionnaire items focused on the basic education requirement and minimum qualifications (specialized experience), review of your transcripts to verify the education you claim in the questionnaire is supported by your transcripts, and a structured resume review to verify the experience you claim in the questionnaire is documented in your resume.
To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process, including the application, questionnaire, and resume and transcripts submission. Overstating your education or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration.
Application Questionnaire: Applicants must complete a questionnaire (preview: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12280792) as part of the application process. Applicants who respond that they meet the basic education requirement and minimum qualifications (specialized experience) for the position will move on to the next phase of the assessment process.
Transcripts Review: We will review the transcripts you submit to determine if you meet the basic requirement for this position based on the required education. Applicants identified as meeting the basic education requirement will move on to the next phase of the assessment process.
Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience. SMEs will review ONLY four (4) pages of your resume, starting at your work experience.SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., Links embedded in your resume will not be opened.).
Your resume, transcripts, and all supporting documentation you submit, to include your responses to the questionnaire, will be used to determine whether you meet the basic education requirement and minimum job qualifications (specialized experience) listed in this announcement. If you rate yourself higher than what is supported by the documentation you submit, you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If it is determined you meet basic education and minimum qualification (specialized experience) requirements, you will be referred to the selecting officials. Under the provisions of the Direct Hire Authority, category rating and veterans' preference do not apply; therefore, your responses to the questionnaire will not be used to determine a scored rating. Instead, all applicants who are determined to meet the basic education requirement and minimum qualifications (specialized experience), as defined by this announcement, will be referred to the selecting officials for consideration.
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.
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.
The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 02/02/2024, or earlier since this announcement will close at 11:59 PM (ET) the day when 750applications are received, which may be sooner than the closing date.
Résumé which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year format, and indicates hours worked per week. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. IMPORTANT NOTE: ONLY four (4) pages of your resume, starting at your work experience, will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the specialized experience. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., links to additional information) will not be reviewed.
College transcripts: You must submit a copy of your college transcripts to show that you meet the basic education requirement for the Data Scientist, 1560 series. Unofficial transcripts with the degree title, list of courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter or semester hours earned can be used as a substitute for official transcripts at the time of application. (See "Education" section above for more detail.)
Complete application questionnaire.
Other supporting documents, if applicable, such as:
Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., Reduction-in-Force (RIF) Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc.; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure, competitive status, promotion potential, and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified, defined as scoring 85 or above on the rating criteria for this position.
Although veterans' preference does not apply under Direct Hire Authority, applicants are encouraged to provide documentation of their eligibility. Veterans' Preference Documentation:
If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF-15, and if applicable, a completed SF-15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans' Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement date from active duty, 2) your discharge will be under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, and 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF-15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials. You must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing office.
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.
To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process, including the application questionnaire and resume and transcripts submission.
Please read the entire announcement and instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration, or earlier since this announcement will close at 11:59 PM (ET) the day when 750applications are received, which may be sooner than the closing date.
The application process is as follows:
To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12280792
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date, or earlier since this announcement will close at 11:59 PM (ET) the day when 750 applications are received, which may be sooner than the closing date.
Overstating your qualifications or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. Your application status page is where you can view your application status and review your notifications sent regarding your application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
We will notify you of your outcome after each step of the recruitment process has been completed. Tentative timeframes are described below:
Late January - Early February 2024: Job posting open
February 2024: Transcript review
February - March 2024: Structured resume review
April 2024: Agencies conduct fit interviews and begin to make selections
List of eligible candidates: If you meet the basic education requirement and minimum qualifications (specialized experience) for this position, you will be placed on a list of eligible candidates for further consideration by agency hiring officials.
Selection process: Participating agencies will receive a list of qualified and eligible candidates. Agencies will then conduct final selection processes (e.g., fit interviews) and make offers directly to candidates. Once a job offer is extended to you by any agency and you accept, decline, or do not respond to contact from an agency, you are not guaranteed another offer, but may receive additional offers from other agencies. After tentative job offer, the hiring agency will initiate their suitability/security background investigation.
Future consideration: The list of qualified candidates may be shared with Federal agencies for up to one year. You will have an opportunity to opt-in if you would like your name, application materials, and assessment results shared to be considered for employment with multiple agencies. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore job opportunity announcements.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 02/02/2024, or earlier since this announcement will close at 11:59 PM (ET) the day when 750applications are received, which may be sooner than the closing date.
Résumé which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year format, and indicates hours worked per week. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. IMPORTANT NOTE: ONLY four (4) pages of your resume, starting at your work experience, will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the specialized experience. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., links to additional information) will not be reviewed.
College transcripts: You must submit a copy of your college transcripts to show that you meet the basic education requirement for the Data Scientist, 1560 series. Unofficial transcripts with the degree title, list of courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter or semester hours earned can be used as a substitute for official transcripts at the time of application. (See "Education" section above for more detail.)
Complete application questionnaire.
Other supporting documents, if applicable, such as:
Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., Reduction-in-Force (RIF) Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc.; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure, competitive status, promotion potential, and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified, defined as scoring 85 or above on the rating criteria for this position.
Although veterans' preference does not apply under Direct Hire Authority, applicants are encouraged to provide documentation of their eligibility. Veterans' Preference Documentation:
If you are a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Parent or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF-15, and if applicable, a completed SF-15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans' Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability.
If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement date from active duty, 2) your discharge will be under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, and 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
If you are a Discharged, Non-Disabled Veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of discharge (Member 4 copy), or other Documentation of Service and Separation under Honorable Conditions, as listed on the SF-15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.
Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials. You must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc.
Do not upload Adobe portfolio documents. Adobe portfolio documents are not viewable by our agency's staffing office.
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.
To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process, including the application questionnaire and resume and transcripts submission.
Please read the entire announcement and instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration, or earlier since this announcement will close at 11:59 PM (ET) the day when 750applications are received, which may be sooner than the closing date.
The application process is as follows:
To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12280792
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date, or earlier since this announcement will close at 11:59 PM (ET) the day when 750 applications are received, which may be sooner than the closing date.
Overstating your qualifications or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. Your application status page is where you can view your application status and review your notifications sent regarding your application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
We will notify you of your outcome after each step of the recruitment process has been completed. Tentative timeframes are described below:
Late January - Early February 2024: Job posting open
February 2024: Transcript review
February - March 2024: Structured resume review
April 2024: Agencies conduct fit interviews and begin to make selections
List of eligible candidates: If you meet the basic education requirement and minimum qualifications (specialized experience) for this position, you will be placed on a list of eligible candidates for further consideration by agency hiring officials.
Selection process: Participating agencies will receive a list of qualified and eligible candidates. Agencies will then conduct final selection processes (e.g., fit interviews) and make offers directly to candidates. Once a job offer is extended to you by any agency and you accept, decline, or do not respond to contact from an agency, you are not guaranteed another offer, but may receive additional offers from other agencies. After tentative job offer, the hiring agency will initiate their suitability/security background investigation.
Future consideration: The list of qualified candidates may be shared with Federal agencies for up to one year. You will have an opportunity to opt-in if you would like your name, application materials, and assessment results shared to be considered for employment with multiple agencies. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore job opportunity announcements.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
