You will be a hands-on technologist who serves as the lead architect for the agency's data engineering platforms. You design, build, and maintain a modern data lake architecture using Microsoft Azure and Databricks (or equivalent), providing high-level strategy as well as hands-on code-level execution. You will develop and optimize complex data pipelines using ADF and Python, provide technical mentorship to data engineers, and work closely with IT staff, data analysts, and key stakeholders.
Summary
You will be a hands-on technologist who serves as the lead architect for the agency's data engineering platforms. You design, build, and maintain a modern data lake architecture using Microsoft Azure and Databricks (or equivalent), providing high-level strategy as well as hands-on code-level execution. You will develop and optimize complex data pipelines using ADF and Python, provide technical mentorship to data engineers, and work closely with IT staff, data analysts, and key stakeholders.
Specific duties as the IT Specialist (Data Architect) include the following:
Develop, support, and modernize data engineering systems which collect, transform, and utilize data from various data providers.
Work hands-on with technology including the Azure data platform (ADLS, ADF, Azure SQL, Databricks, Python, Spark) or equivalent;
Design, build and maintain optimal data pipeline architecture;
Support Data Analysts and other internal data consumers who use BI Tools, Python, and AI workloads;
Create proof-of-concepts to demonstrate viability of solutions under consideration;
Evolve data engineering practices within the team and across the Division;
Oversee software analysis, requirements analysis, peer review, identification of code metrics, and performance monitoring;
Proactively engage and collaborate with other offices to ensure that the data engineering solutions are aligned with organizational goals.
The duties are written at the VH-40 band level. A key distinction in the duties for the VH-39 and VH-40 band levels are the authority to act, level of supervision, and knowledge required. The VH-39 will be known as a Data Architect and the VH-40 as a Senior Data Architect.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
Resume and supporting documents (See How to Apply)
Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
May be required to successfully complete a probationary or trial period.
Submission of a financial disclosure report may be required.
Qualifications
Desired QualificationsSeeking an experienced data engineering platform architect with the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
You should be a strong analytical thinker and love working with data with a strong background in data engineering or application development;
Must be a hands-on technologist passionate about learning new technologies and help improve the ways we can better support and leverage data engineering platforms for advanced analytics, machine learning, and AI.
You must have significant hands-on experience with cloud data lake architectures and related services such as Azure Data Factory, Azure Databricks, Azure Data Lake Storage (ADLS Gen2), Azure SQL, and other Azure data services (or equivalents).
Experience supporting data analysts using Databricks or equivalent analysis/AI platforms.
A solid foundation in data technologies, including SQL, columnar, and NoSQL data stores;
Hands-on programming experience writing Python code and developing data pipelines;
Experience with modern software development tools and practices including unit testing, CI/CD, and API design.
Demonstrated excellent skills in the ability to innovate, think critically and disaggregate problems;
A passion for mentoring, coaching, and building collaborative teams.
You may qualify at the VH-39 (GS-13) band level if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the VH-38 (GS-12) band in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position such as architecting and implementing enterprise-scale data lakes within Azure and Databricks environments or equivalent; building, maintaining and optimizing complex data pipelines (e.g., Azure Data Factory and Python); and providing input on the evaluation of new technologies in the data and AI realms, in a hands-on technical capacity.
You may qualify at the VH-40 (GS-14) band level if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the VH-39 (GS-13) band in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position such as architecting and implementing enterprise-scale data lakes within Azure and Databricks environments or equivalent; building, maintaining and optimizing complex data pipelines using (e.g., Azure Data Factory ADF and Python); and providing strategic technical direction for the evaluation and adoption of emerging technologies in the data engineering and AI realms, in a hands-on technical capacity.
In addition to the specialized experience requirements listed above for each grade level, individuals must have IT-related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below:
1. Attention to Detail
2. Customer Service
3. Oral Communication
4. Problem Solving
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.
Time-In-Grade Requirements: Current and former Federal employees (including VEOA eligibles) must have served one-year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade in the Federal service to meet time-in-grade restrictions per 5 CFR 300, Subpart F, by the closing date of the announcement.
Education
There is no substitution of education for experience at the VH-39 and VH-40.
Additional information
Salary Information:
Base Salary Rate for the VH-39: $89,815 to $148,195
Base Salary Rate for the VH-40: $102,757 to $169,548
A locality rate of 33.94% percent for McLean, Virginia is added to the base salary rate
If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service. For more information visit: https://www.sss.gov/verify/. Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply 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 the CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; (2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above; and (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
All FCA employees are subject to the conflict-of-interest laws and Standards of Ethical Conduct imposed upon all employees of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and may be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report.
FCA's supplemental ethics regulations restrict certain FCA employees concerning their direct or indirect interests in, or connections with, Farm Credit System institutions. These rules also require all employees to obtain approval for outside employment or business activities. Please contact the HR Division for additional information on these rules.
FCA uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.
This announcement may be used to fill similar vacancies.
Applicants are encouraged to apply to all band/grade levels for which believe they are qualified for and wish to receive consideration.
The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019, with some exceptions, prohibits the Farm Credit Administration from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, visit our website at (Careers at FCA | Farm Credit Administration) for information on filing a complaint.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your resume will be reviewed, to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements outlined in this announcement. Therefore, it is imperative that your resume contains sufficiently detailed information upon which to make the qualification determination.
If you are found minimally qualified, a Management Rating Panel (MRP) will review your qualifications and experience against pre-established benchmarks. The rating panel will place applications in one of three quality categories, i.e., Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. These category assignments are a measure of the degree in which your background and responses to the assessment questions match the competencies listed below.
Accountability, Attention to Detail, Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Customer Service, Decision Making, Flexibility, Influencing/Negotiating, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Oral Communication, Problem Solving, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, and Teamwork
Top ranked (Best Qualified) candidates will be referred to the selecting official for further review and consideration.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
Your resume (no more than two pages in a Times Roman 10pt font) showing (1) paid and non-paid work experience including your position title, start and end dates (month/year) of employment, hours worked per week, and duties performed (separated by position series and grade for each federal position, if applicable).
Other supporting documents:
Cover letter, optional
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that is most recent that shows you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held. A cash award SF-50 should not be provided.
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.)
Certain Family Members Eligible under E.O. 12721. Your most recent non-award SF-50 and performance appraisal.
Certain Military Spouses Eligible under E.O. 13473. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, that lists you as authorized to accompany the Military member to the new duty permanent station; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
Interchange Agreement with Other Merit Systems Eligible. Documentation eligibility as listed in each individual interchange agreement.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Division. Please contact FCA HR Division at Employment_Opportunities@fca.gov or 703-883-4135 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, at least two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement to obtain an alternative application.
Office of Agency Services, Human Resources Division
1501 Farm Credit Drive
McLean, VA 22102
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Division to determine your eligibility for the position. Later steps in the selection process are specifically designed to verify your ratings. Your resume may be evaluated by a subject matter expert or may be asked to complete a structured interview, written demonstration, and/or fit interview as part of the assessment process. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
Your resume (no more than two pages in a Times Roman 10pt font) showing (1) paid and non-paid work experience including your position title, start and end dates (month/year) of employment, hours worked per week, and duties performed (separated by position series and grade for each federal position, if applicable).
Other supporting documents:
Cover letter, optional
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that is most recent that shows you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held. A cash award SF-50 should not be provided.
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.)
Certain Family Members Eligible under E.O. 12721. Your most recent non-award SF-50 and performance appraisal.
Certain Military Spouses Eligible under E.O. 13473. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, that lists you as authorized to accompany the Military member to the new duty permanent station; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
Interchange Agreement with Other Merit Systems Eligible. Documentation eligibility as listed in each individual interchange agreement.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Division. Please contact FCA HR Division at Employment_Opportunities@fca.gov or 703-883-4135 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, at least two business days prior to the closing date of this announcement to obtain an alternative application.
Office of Agency Services, Human Resources Division
1501 Farm Credit Drive
McLean, VA 22102
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Division to determine your eligibility for the position. Later steps in the selection process are specifically designed to verify your ratings. Your resume may be evaluated by a subject matter expert or may be asked to complete a structured interview, written demonstration, and/or fit interview as part of the assessment process. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
