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Data Scientist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Benefits Administration
Loan Guaranty Service - Central Office

Summary

This role requires paramount knowledge based on academic and experiential learning in the area of discipline of Data Science. The Data Scientist serves as a non-supervisory, technical expert in LGY's Business Insight and Data Solutions (BIDS) group ensuring authoritative data is prepared and available to stakeholders in support of data-informed decision making.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted this week · Apply in 1 day
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 16, 2026
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$143,913 - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - 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
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
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
101-LGY-12981430-26-MR-NBU
Control number
872886500

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open to current permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affair, Veterans Employment Opportunities Act, Military Spouses eligible, 30% or More Disabled Veterans, Schedule A, Peace Corp eligible, VA employees who are CTAP eligible, ICTAP eligible, P.L. 115.46 Sec 204 Appointment of qualified former VA career-career conditional employees, Reinstatement, Transfers, and Land Management eligible in the Washington, DC area.

Duties

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Specific duties include:

  • Addressing and integrating governance and administration data and architecture standardization.
  • Uncover and explain actionable insights from data by combining scientific method, math and statistics, specialized programming, advanced analytics, AI, and storytelling to major organizations, high-ranking government officials and key stakeholders within and outside the federal government.
  • Engages proactively with champions in existing boards, working groups, programs and committees on often sensitive enterprise issues, and identifies gaps in enterprise governance and program management processes that detract from efficiency and effectiveness of LGY.
  • Implement data policies that enable the effective management and use of data by planning, designing, and working with multiple groups to implement data policies into IT systems that enable the strategic use of data for decision making. The incumbent will work in a team to undertake data governance and data management efforts.
  • Conducting research and analytical activities using the design of sample frames used to collect data; data quality/validity assessments; variance estimation and inference for sample surveys.
  • Serves as a technical expert with responsibility for the initiation, planning, implementation, controlling, modifying, and executing a variety of complex projects, including tasks such as the formulation of workload estimates for program segments, specification of the methodology to be used, preparation of appropriate specifications and procedures.
  • Provides proactive, well-planned communications of all types and media to program participants and leadership.
  • Analyzing data and results of executed research designs, and statistical and econometric models to ensure accuracy. In particular, the incumbent should be well-versed in research design, modeling and execution of credit underwriting, appraisal and loan servicing policies.
  • Identifying new developments in statistical theory, research design, analytical and data collection techniques or new software and/or technologies that will continually improve a program/organization's analytical capability and ability to make data-driven policy decisions.

Promotion Potential: None

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday between 6:00 am - 6:00 pm
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: Available, as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Data Scientist; PD 41669A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements I-9 Acceptable Documents.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:06/16/2026.

Individual Occupational Requirement:

This position does have an IOR (Individual Occupational Requirement) that must be met in addition to the basic Specialized Experience qualifications. In order to qualify for this position, you must have the education or experience listed below:

Education: 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.

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.

AND

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements (unless if in the commuting area and eligible for a non-competitive hiring authority such as Schedule A, VRA, or 30% or more disabled Veterans).

  • For a GS-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13 level.
The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. These requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement and those applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-14 Level: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as:
  • Experience in applying a wide range of concepts, approaches, practices, regulations, policies, precedents, and analytical, and procedures related to data science.
  • Experience planning and executing a variety of data science and/or analytics projects.
  • Experience applying programming logic, data management, data governance, and data optimization strategies.
  • Experience applying coding, data, and data processing expertise to solve business problems.
  • Assists in developing new or improved business processes or methodologies for assigned programs and projects.
There is no education substitution for this grade level.

Volunteer Experience: 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; religions; 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.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.

Physical Requirements: The work is principally sedentary.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Click here for more information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
  • Strategic Thinking - Formulates effective strategies consistent with the business and competitive strategy of the organization in a global economy. Examines policy issues and strategic planning with a long-term perspective. Determines objectives and sets priorities; anticipates potential threats or opportunities.
  • Project Management - Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance.
  • Interpersonal Skills - Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, cooperation, concern, and politeness to others; relates well to different people from varied backgrounds and different situations.
  • Modeling and Simulation - Knowledge of mathematical modeling and simulation tools and techniques to plan and conduct test and evaluation programs, characterize systems support decisions involving requirements, evaluate design alternatives, or support operational preparation.
  • Computer Languages - Knowledge of computer languages and their applications to enable a system to perform specific functions.
  • Data Management - Knowledge of the principles, procedures, and tools of data management, such as modeling techniques, data backup, data recovery, data dictionaries, data warehousing, data mining, data archiving, data disposal, and data standardization processes.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Veterans Benefits Administration

OUR MISSION: "To fulfill President Lincoln's promise to care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors." How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?

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Agency contact information

Monique Robertson
Phone
4102304400 X12501
Email
monique.robertson@va.gov
Address
VBA Human Resources Center - Central Office
810 Vermont Ave NW
Washington, DC 20420
US

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