Computer Scientist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. DHA-STB-12619618-25-TR Department Surface Transportation Board
Salary $139,395.00 to $181,216.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/11/2024 Close Date 1/7/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Surface Transportation Board is an independent federal agency responsible for the economic oversight of the nation's freight rail system.

This position is located in the Surface Transportation Board's Office of Economics. As a Computer Scientist, the position will be responsible for applying expert knowledge of computer science to develop methods, requirements, and code to develop, test, and maintain business workflows that support the Uniform Railroad Costing System.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens This position is being filled through Direct Hire Authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applications Do NOT apply. Veteran's preference Does NOT apply.

Duties

THIS JOB ANNOUNCEMENT has an applicant limit of 50. Therefore, the announcement will close the day 50 applicants have been received, which may be before the date listed above.

As a Computer Scientist in the Office of Economics, you will perform the following duties:

  • Applying and adapting advanced computer science methods and techniques to solve complex problems in data loading, transformation, and dissemination.
  • Applying advanced computing, scientific and/or statistical techniques, and methods to enhance the efficiency or quality of STB products or procedures.
  • Evaluating and providing recommendations to the Board's leadership on the advantages and disadvantages of new computer science methods or technologies, including applications of analytic tools, computer languages, data schemas, and platforms.
  • Utilizing structured development lifecycles to analyze system requirements, perform application design, develop prototypes, and conduct testing.
  • Providing informal and formal training sessions to internal and/or external audiences on topics related to the Board's railroad costing system and the technical requirements for redesigning the legacy system.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • US. Citizenship is required.
  • All qualification requirements must be met by 01/07/2025. Please Note: Your application package will not receive consideration if it lacks any of the required documents under the "Required Documents" tab.
  • Probationary Period: A One-year probationary period may be required.
  • Required to participate in the Direct Deposit program.
  • Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/
  • E-Verify: If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form 1-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System. The STB is an E-Verify Participant.
  • Employment is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of a background investigation and the granting of a Federal suitability clearance. If selected, you may be offered a tentative offer until the background investigation has been adjudicated.
  • Transcripts are required to be submitted for this position.
  • Relocation expenses are not authorized.
  • Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

Qualifications

To qualify at the GS-14 level, you must meet the following qualification requirements:

Basic Requirements:
You must have a bachelor's degree in computer science;

OR

A Bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. All academic degrees and coursework must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.

AND

GS-14
You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following:
1) Experience managing software/application development projects resulting in measurable improvements in processes and outcomes. 2) Experience with application design and development, automating manual processes and maintaining systems. 3)Proficient in testing and documenting new and existing applications. 4)Experience with soliciting requirements, developing guidance, and working on cross-functional teams. 5) Responsibility for independently analyzing and resolving a wide variety of user problems and technical challenges.

Specialized Experience: To further determine eligibility, review the following grade-specific details. You will be asked a few questions as part of your application but make sure to verify how you meet these grade levels in your resume.

You must meet the Mandatory Education Requirements listed in the "Education Requirements" section and the "Specialized Experience" to qualify for this series as described below. All applicants are required to submit a resume with your application. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please utilize the following date format MM/YY to MM/YY - or - MM/YY to present and the number of hours worked per week for each period of employment/experience listed in your resume. Your responses to the questionnaire must be supported/demonstrated in your resume. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience or education. Read more about what should I include in my federal resume below: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/

Specialized experience must meet 52 weeks equivalent to the next lower grade level. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Specialized Experience is defined as the experience that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position of the Computer Scientist, 1550 series.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies

  • Computer Science
  • Planning
  • Project Management
  • Software Testing and Evaluation
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Technical Competence

*Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (i.e, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations. 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.

Education

This position has a basic education requirement.

You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims (unofficial transcripts are acceptable). All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

You must provide your transcripts to support your educational claims. Transcripts may be unofficial copies, but they must come from an accredited college or university, and they also must include the courses' names and number of credit hours. To search the database of accredited institutions visit: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at U.S. accredited college or university. For further information visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Once the application process is complete, a review of the resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation.

A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.

As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

In addition, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) has work/life-balance flexibilities that may be right for you, such as .

A Flexible Work Schedule options.

This position is Telework eligible based upon the STB Telework policy.

Fitness Center: STB employees, at no cost, have access to the fitness center conveniently located in the building; and

A monthly transit subsidy for a portion of your commuting costs to help defray the commuting costs of employees who use mass transportation, including commuter bus, Metrorail or Metrobus, or commuter rail systems.

More than one position may be filled from this announcement.

The lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal 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 rated well-qualified by scoring 85 or better on the assessment. Please use this link to find out additional information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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, a review of the resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to accurately reflect the submitted documentation.

All applicants will be reviewed to determine if they meet the basic qualifications for this position, specifically the educational and specialized experience requirements.

Please note, that applicants will not be rated or ranked for this position and Veteran's Preference does NOT apply.

All applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. All answers provided in the online process must be substantiated by a resume. If, upon review, it is determined that your resume and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be removed from consideration. Applicants will be evaluated on their resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience will be rated using an Assessment Questionnaire that is based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job:

  • Computer Science
  • Planning
  • Project Management
  • Software Testing and Evaluation
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Technical Competence
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility, you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. Well-qualified means you must be within the Best and Highly Qualified categories; meet medical, suitability, and minimum educational and experience requirements; all selective factors where applicable and appropriate quality ranking factor levels; be physically qualified, with reasonable accommodation where appropriate, to perform the essential duties of the position; meet any special qualifying condition(s) that OPM has approved for the position; and be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Information about ICTAP is on OPM's website at http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp.


Preview the Assessment Questionnaire, clickhttps://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12619618

Required Documents

Please be advised, the following documents are required even if you are already a current Federal or STB employee:

1. Resume that includes the experience you wish to be considered for the review of your qualifications, the dates of employment with month and year, and hours worked per week, if part-time. Resumes that do not contain all of the necessary information to determine qualifications may be marked as insufficient and applicants may not receive consideration for this position. Your latest resume submission is the one that will be used to determine your qualifications.

2. Responses to questionnaire.

3. Transcripts from all educational institutions where courses were taken.

4. Supporting documentation that will be used to verify your eligibility or any preference eligibility along with your application package. These documents may include, but are not limited to:
  • Veteran documentation: All veterans MUST submit a DD-214, MEMBER 4 copy, if you are currently on active duty, you must submit an official statement of service from your command or other official documentation that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions;
  • Preference eligible documentation: If claiming 10-point preference you must also submit an SF-15 and any other proof that you are eligible for 10-point preference if a job offer is extended to you, final VA letter including percentage (please do not any include letters from VA noting specific private medical information);
  • ICTAP documentation: RIF separation notice along with last performance rating or appraisal; and
  • Transcripts are required due to this position having a positive education requirement.
You may be asked to provide a writing sample as part of the interview process.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting 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.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, which includes the submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on {INSERT DATE} to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

  1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
  3. Click the "Submit Application" button prior to 11:59pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by return to your USAJOBS account. There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to "Update Application." This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account, all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an "Additional Application Information" page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

Tara Rauch
Address
Surface Transportation Board
395 E Street SW
Washington, DC 20423
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once referred, you may be asked to complete a structured interview, written demonstration, and/or fit interview.
Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you or for dismissing you from the position/agency during the probationary period.

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated. You will receive another notification about the status of your application.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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