Summary
This announcement is issued under the Direct Hire Authority (DHA) to recruit for positions for which there is a critical hiring need. Selectee(s) will receive a career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service and may be required to serve a one year probationary period. The official title of this position is Physical Scientist GS-1301-11/12.
Duties
Typical work assignments at the full performance level include, but are not limited to: Analyzing and defining data requirements for NRMC mission needs. Developing and maintaining data specifications, standards, policies, and procedures to support consistent use of critical infrastructure (CI) data. Conducting data analysis on complex CI risk topics (e.g., environmental impacts, natural disasters, cascading consequences) using appropriate quantitative methods to identify trends, relationships, and risk drivers across CI sectors. Evaluating data quality and fitness-for-use by determining accuracy requirements, validating sources, and assessing impacts of incomplete/poor-quality data on statistical interpretation and analytic conclusions. Developing reproducible analytic workflows and code to ingest, transform, and analyze structured/unstructured data (e.g., using R/Python/Structured Query Language (SQL); file investigation/output preprocessing such as normalization/imputation/dimensionality reduction). Incorporating appropriate geographic information system (GIS) technology into analytic workflow to provide comprehensive and scientifically sound answers to inquiries from stakeholders. Using automatic methods of data collection, analysis or illustration. Inputting data into digital form and using computer applications for data analysis, manipulation, and presentation. Preparing technical reports/papers and representing the program in reviews, conferences, and working groups. Coordinating with other government entities and external partners as technical authority/spokesperson when assigned. Providing actionable recommendations and decision support to leadership and stakeholders by translating analytic findings into operationally relevant options, assumptions, limitations, and impacts to CI resilience and risk reduction. Serving as a project officer/technical team member for assigned analytic initiatives: plan work, coordinate with partners/contractors, track milestones, and contribute to improvements in methods and procedures.
Requirements
You must be a U.S. citizen. Selective Service - Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service, see http://www.sss.gov/ All Federal employees are required to participate in Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer for salary payments. DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities. You must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance suitable for Federal employment as determined by a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs. This position may be designated as essential personnel. Essential personnel must be able to serve during continuity of operation events without regard to declarations of liberal leave or government closures due to weather, protests, and acts of terrorism or lack of funding. Failure to report for or remain in this position may result in disciplinary or adverse action in accordance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations (5 U.S.C. 7501-7533 and 5 CFR Part 752, as applicable). This position has been identified as a drug testing designated position (TDP) for purposes of the CISA's Drug-Free Workplace Program. All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to a drug test to screen for illicit/illegal drug use prior to receiving a final offer of employment. A final offer of employment is contingent upon a negative drug test result. After appointment, you may be subject to periodic random drug testing.
Education
For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for a position by substituting education or training for experience, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. Education must be from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Graduate Education: One academic year of graduate education is the number of credits hours 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: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the qualification requirements. You must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.
How you will be evaluated
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 Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Program (I/CTAP): If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not I/CTAP eligible. View information about I/CTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered under I/CTAP, you must be rated eligible based on minimum qualifications for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. Veterans' preference procedures are not applicable when candidates are selected through Direct Hire Authority (DHA). To preview the application questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13039438