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Operations Research Analyst (Data Scientist)

Department of Defense
Defense Human Resources Activity
Defense Personnel Analytics Center (DPAC)
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is part of the Defense Human Resources Activity. The incumbent will be responsible for modeling complex problems, discovering insights and identifying patterns in data through the use of statistical analysis, data mining and visualization techniques. Incumbent will work with the team using machine learning and data mining methods for prediction, and ingest and combine data from a wide variety of sources.
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Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open date: 09/25/2024
Closed date: 09/27/2024
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 - In accordance with OPM regulations approved remote work participants must have a remote work arrangement documented in writing, known as a remote work agreement. You will be expected to sign a remote work agreement as a condition of employment.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$74,441 - $96,770 per year

Locality will be added after selection is made and Geographic Location is determined.

Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
DHRA-DPAC-24-12557489-DH
Control number
811292600

Duties

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As a Operations Research Analyst (Data Scientist) at the GS-1515-12 some of your typical work assignments may include:

  • Modeling complex problems, discovering insights and identifying patterns in data through the use statistical analysis, data mining and visualization techniques.
  • Integrates and prepares large, varied datasets, architects specialized database and computing environments, and communicates results to decision makers.
  • Incumbent utilizes code to automate a pipeline from many data sources, including Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL) operations, programming in scripting languages (e.g., Python, Ruby, PERL) and statistical languages (e.g., R, Julia).
  • Takes steps to understand their needs, identify shared interests, and develop research and evidence-based solutions that contribute to improved performance and or efficiencies for stakeholders.
  • Interacts with customers', identifies the problem and business case (practical application) to be addressed by an analytic application or project.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. citizen
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
  • Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
  • Work Schedule: Full Time
  • Overtime: Occasionally
  • Tour of Duty: Flexible
  • Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
  • Financial Disclosure: Not Required
  • Must obtain and maintain Non-Critical Sensitive (Secret) Security Clearance

Qualifications

You may qualify at the GS-12, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service:

  • Proficiency programming in Python or R and SQL, experience in machine learning algorithms (e.g. Random Forests, Neural Networks), experience with Natural Language Processing (e.g. Regex, LSA, Transformers), data engineering and feature selection methods, and experience in Extract/Transform/Load; OR
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.

In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 1515 series.

This position has an education requirement: A 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.

*NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.

Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

Foreign education may be qualifying if a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign education programs has deemed the foreign education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program or a U.S. accredited college or university has given full credit for the foreign courses.

Unofficial transcripts from U.S. Department of Education accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions listing your name, the name of the school, the date and degree awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned are acceptable for the application process. If selected, official transcripts are required before a firm job offer is made. A photocopy of your degree/diploma is not acceptable.

When relying on foreign education, submit transcripts and a copy of the equivalency evaluation results letter with a course-by-course listing. Documents must be in English or include an English translation. The hiring employer for this position does not evaluate degrees from foreign colleges or universities. For further information, visit: Foreign Education

Additional information

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs: This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; Well qualified is defined as possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds the positions minimum qualifications. and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. For more information: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements:
Persons with Disabilities - Schedule A
Special Hiring Authority for Veterans
Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses
Other Special Appointment Authorities - Subpart F
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/register/)

The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews, and once the selection is made, you will receive a notification of the decision.
NOTE: Declining to be interviewed or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a declination for further consideration for employment against this vacancy.

Selective Service Requirement: Please visit http://www.sss.gov for more information.

For more information, please visit

https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo%2012-1-2020.pdf?ver=ECNbdsHtGilTd3OENN4A0Q%3d%3d

Re-employed Annuitant: This position Does/Does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at:
https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf

Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the Occupational Questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Competencies:


Military Spouse Preference: If you are entitled to military spouse preference, in order to receive this preference you must choose the spousal eligibility in your application package referencing MSP Military Spouse Preference. Your preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. To claim Military Spouse Preference (MSP) please complete the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist, save the document and attach it to your application package.

Priority Placement Program (PPP) DoD Retained Grade Preference (RGP): In order to receive this preference, you must choose to apply using the "Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference (RGP)" eligibility. If you are claiming RGP and are determined to be Well Qualified (score of 85 or above) for the position, you will be referred to the hiring manager as a priority applicant. Information and required documentation for claiming MSP may be found at the General Applicant Information and Definitions link below. To be eligible as a RGP, you must submit the following supporting documents with your application package: a signed Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD3145-1 (whs.mil)); a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) effecting the placement in retained grade status; or a copy of the notification letter you received regarding the RIF or classification downgrade.

Defense Human Resources Activity

This position is located in the Methods, Analysis & Statistical Support (MASS) Office of the Defense Personnel Analytics Center (DPAC), a component of Defense Human Resource Activity (DHRA), a Field Activity reporting to the Under Secretary of Defense (USO) for Personnel and Readiness (P&R), with policy direction from the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Readiness and Force Management). As the single execution arm for the Defense Human Resources community, DHRA maximizes its resources to effectively promote the statutory and Principal Staff Assistant responsibilities of the USA (P&R) by providing applications, systems, data, and decision support information on all aspects of DoD human resource management across the Total Force.

Agency contact information

DHRA Servicing Team
Phone
6146920201
Email
DHRS-D-DHRA@dla.mil
Address
Defense Human Resources Activity
4800 Mark Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22350-110
US

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