Clarification from the agency

External Applicants Only

This Job Announcement will be used used to build a pool of qualified applicants for a hiring event taking place on 28 February 2026 thru 1 March 2026.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) serves as the world leader in providing timely, relevant, accurate and actionable geospatial intelligence (GEOINT).

Data Scientists apply the application of programming, statistics and visualization to glean insights from large and disparate data sources. Data Scientists understand and utilize aspects of machine learning to solve and automate classification, regression, cluster analysis, anomaly detection, association discovery, and topic modeling tasks. Data Scientists understand and utilize solutions with predictive patterns from data into practical, intelligent applications that anyone can use. They can utilize rich toolsets to help users create, rapidly experiment, fully automate, and manage machine learning workflows to power intelligent applications.
They produce intelligence using geospatial methodologies and spatio-temporal data derived from imagery, intelligence databases, and other classified and unclassified sources in support of national security. They are intelligence analysts who use their understanding of geographic information science and technology, spatial thinking, remote sensing, intelligence issues, spatial relationships and visualization techniques and the social and physical sciences to create information, characterize events, and discover relationships and trends. They produce descriptive and predictive analyses and communicate findings as written, visual, and/or oral geospatial intelligence.

Other duties may include:
Develop and apply quantitative and qualitative analytic methods to identify, collect, process, and analyze large data sets for specified purposes;
Identify trends, solves analytical problems, optimizes performance, and develop results through appropriate data analysis techniques (e.g., data mining and retrieval);
Use applied statistics, build algorithms, and collaborating with domain experts to analyze large volumes of data to build and enhance products, processes, and systems
Possess the ability to think tactically and strategically; operate in a dynamic environment; and deliver interoperable corporate solutions.
They will have extensive experience in building and maintaining geodatabases and integrating and managing foundation, intelligence, and multi-INT data into structured geodatabases.
Seek out spatial data from classified and unclassified sources and utilize existing tools or develop methods to tie spatial information to datasets where necessary.
Builds and maintains professional relationships with other NGA offices and external partners to collaborate on effective data management, data dissemination, and online on-demand practices
Conduct data mining and retrieval and apply statistical and mathematical analysis to identify trends, solve analytic problems, optimize performance, and gather intelligence.
Develop scripts and algorithms (e.g. Python), create explanatory and predictive models and conduct comparative analyses to address complex military and intelligence problems.
Support the visualization of information using a range of tools (e.g. Tableau, R, and ESRI Arc-GIS 10.4 suite, including model builder).

Conditions of employment

• US Citizenship is required.
• Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
• Security Investigation

SPECIAL INFO:
As a condition of employment at NGA, persons being considered for employment must meet NGA fitness for employment standards.

- U.S. Citizenship

- Security Clearance - Top Secret /Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI)

- Polygraph & Drug Test

- Direct Deposit

- Trial Period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. We may consider: performance conduct; needs and interests of the agency; and whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government and the efficiency of the Federal service

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
You must be able to obtain and retain a Top Secret security clearance with access to SCI. In addition, you are subject to a Counterintelligence Polygraph examination in order to maintain access to Top Secret information. All employees are subject to a periodic examination on a random basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Refusal to take the examination may result in denial of access to Top Secret information, SAP, or unescorted access to SCIFs.

Employees with SCI access and who are under NGA cognizance are required to submit a Security Financial Disclosure Report, SF-714, on an annual basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Failure to comply may negatively impact continued access to Top Secret information, Information Systems, SAP, or unescorted access to SCIFs.

NGA utilizes all processes and procedures of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). Non-executive NGA employees are assigned to five distinct pay bands based on the type and scope of work performed. The employee's base salary is established within their assigned pay band based on their unique qualifications. A performance pay process is conducted each year to determine a potential base pay salary increase and/or bonus. An employee's annual performance evaluation is a key factor in the performance pay process.

This position is a DCIPS position in the Excepted Service under 10 U.S.C. 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to preference eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are an external applicant claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must self-identify your eligibility.

Qualifications

MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: For this particular job, applicants must meet all competencies reflected under the Mandatory Qualification Criteria to include education (if required). Online resumes must demonstrate qualification by providing specific examples and associated results, in response to the announcement's mandatory criteria specified in this vacancy announcement:

1. Demonstrated experience utilizing visualization tools such as Tableau, ArcGIS Pro, or Python/R visualization packages.
2. Demonstrated experience using data visualization (e.g., scripts, algorithms, predictive models, etc.) for exploratory comparative analysis.
3. Demonstrated experience utilizing structured or unstructured data for exploratory data analysis, classification, regression and/or other types of statistical analysis.
4. Demonstrated experience analyzing large data sets.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: A. Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Mathematics, Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Geographic Information Science, Information Science, Informatics and Computing, or a related field that provided at least 6 semester hours in statistics and 9 additional semester hours in scientific or technical coursework such as engineering, medicine, physical, biological, or social sciences. Credit toward meeting statistical course requirements should be given for courses in which 50 percent of the course content appears to be statistical methods, e.g., courses that included studies in research methods in psychology or economics such as tests and measurements or business cycles, or courses in methods of processing mass statistical data such as tabulating methods or electronic data processing. -OR- B. Combination of Education and Experience: A minimum of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) of courses equivalent to a major field of study in any area listed in Option A plus experience that included programming for data science (e.g., Python, R) and a full range of professional statistical work such as: (a) intermediate and/or advanced statistics, (b) linear, semi-linear, and/or non-linear models, (c) working with a range of data types and statistical methods, or (d) data visualization capabilities. As a rule, every 30 semester (45 quarter) hours of coursework is equivalent to one year of experience. Candidates should show that their combination of education and experience totals 4 years.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: In addition to the mandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired:

1. Experience in applying analytic techniques (classification, regression, clustering, data reduction, or causal modeling) to solve data problems.
2. Experience collaborating with experts in other fields to analyze and respond to customer requirements.
3. Demonstrated expertise with one or more visualization techniques and/or software tools (i.e., Tableau, matplotlib, etc.).

How you will be evaluated

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

Applicants are not required to submit a cover letter for employment consideration with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. However, a cover letter is recommended. Applicants will have the option to attach a cover letter in the Qualifications - Attachments step of the online application.

APPLICANT EVALUATION PROCESS: Applicants will be evaluated for this job opportunity in three stages:

1) All applicants will be evaluated using the Mandatory Qualification Criteria,

2) Qualified applicants will then be evaluated by an expert or panel of experts using a combination of qualification criteria to determine the best-qualified candidates,

3) Best-qualified applicants may then be further evaluated through an interview process.

Military retiree applicants, if selected, may be impacted by the 180-day appointment restrictions of DODI 1402.01. HD personnel will provide additional information if applicable.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the Assignment Description, Additional Information Provided By the Selecting Official, and the Qualification Requirements; and then construct their resumes to highlight their most relevant and significant experience and education for this job opportunity. This description should include examples that detail the level and complexity of the performed work. Applicants are encouraged to provide any education or degree information referenced in the announcement that is relevant. If education is listed as a mandatory requirement, only degrees obtained from an institution accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the Secretary, US Department of Education will be accepted.

In accordance with section 9902(h) of title 5, United States Code, annuitants reemployed in the Department of Defense shall receive full annuity and salary upon appointment. They shall not be eligible for retirement contributions, participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, or a supplemental or re-determined annuity for the reemployment period. Discontinued service retirement annuitants (i.e., retired under section 8336(d)(1) or 8414(b)(1)(A) of title 5, United States Code) appointed to the Department of Defense may elect to be subject to retirement provisions of the new appointment as appropriate. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300). Reemployed annuitants must meet additional selection criteria as outlined in the DODI 1400.25, v300.

All candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation.

NGA provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Applications will only be accepted online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us at recruitment@nga.mil. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.