DATA ENGINEER

Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Data, Analytics, and Technology (ODAT)

Summary

This position is located in the Office of Inspector General, Office of Data, Analytics, and Technology (ODAT). The Office of Inspector General is an independent office within EPA that helps the agency protect the environment in a more efficient and cost-effective manner. We consist of auditors, program analysts, investigators, and others with extensive expertise. Although we are a part of EPA, Congress provides us with our funding separate from the agency, to ensure our independence.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Current Federal employees with competitive status; Former Federal employees with reinstatement eligibility; CTAP/ICTAP eligibles; Veterans with VEOA, and those eligible under an OPM interchange agreement.

This job is also open in another announcement to:

The public

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Duties

As a DATA ENGINEER GS-2210-13, the incumbent will be responsible for building and maintaining the on-premises and cloud infrastructures that collect, transform, and store data at scale while ensuring data quality, security and accessibility for data scientists, data analysts, statisticians, and business intelligence (BI) reporting platforms.

Typical work assignments may include the following under supervision:

Designs and maintains data pipelines that feed into different IT systems including, but not limited to, on-premises SQL and Oracle databases, Amazon Web Services (AWS) environments, BI reporting platforms, and Microsoft Office 365
Builds and maintains data pipelines for ODAT involving audit, evaluation, and investigative oversight projects
Implements data architecture, governance, and compliance solutions for on-premises and cloud environments
Develops production-grade extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) pipelines for ingesting and transforming large, disparate data from databases, Application Programming Interface (API)s, and web-scraped feeds
Orchestrates with Airflow/Luigi and accelerates processing with Spark/PySpark or similar tools
Applies advanced techniques for data modeling and analytics to meet oversight needs; and provides technical leadership in the development or modernization of IT data systems

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
Résumé 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 period

Qualifications

This announcement will close at 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/17/2026. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the close date.

Minimum Qualification Requirement:
Under the updated Competency-Based Qualification Standard for the IT Management Series (2210), applicants must:

Meet or exceed all required general competencies at the minimum proficiency level for the GS-13 grade,
Meet or exceed all required technical competencies established for this announcement for the GS-13 grade, and
Demonstrate you have the required specialized experience for the position.

You may be considered ineligible and removed from further consideration for the position, if you fail to meet any of the criteria above.

Specialized Experience:
You must demonstrate the competencies required to successfully perform the duties of the position. These competencies are normally attained through one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level of the position being filled.

You may qualify for the GS-13 grade level, if you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the federal sector, or the equivalent in the private sector. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position your specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

Designing a production Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL) pipeline to ingest data from disparate sources into an enterprise environment feeding both, Structured Query Language (SQL) databases and Business Intelligence (Power BI) reporting endpoints;
Implementing controls to ensure data compliance and governance standards (e.g., metadata tagging, role-based access, data cataloging) across both, cloud and on-premises environments;
Implementing a testing and monitoring strategy to guarantee data integrity; AND
Leading or participating orally in meetings to collect data and technical requirements.

Evidence of the above specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience or based on job titles alone. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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). Experience must be validated through the assessment process, consistent with OPM's skills-based hiring policy.

Competencies Being Evaluated:

Attention to Detail
Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
Customer Service
Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
Decision Making
Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.
Information Management
Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information or information management systems.
Interpersonal Skills
Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations.
Oral Communication
Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
Problem Solving
Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
Teamwork
Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.
Technical Competency
Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

Education

Education cannot be used to qualify for this position.

Additional information

The selectee will be required to complete a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms. Selectees will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment", (OF-306), prior to appointment and the appropriate background investigation forms to determine suitability for Federal employment. False statements or responses on these forms can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.
If identification from the I-9 Form. We will compare information provided on the I-9 Form to records available from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The system confirms employee's identity and eligibility to work in the United States. Learn more about e-verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
Payment of relocation expenses is NOT authorized.
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.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)
If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, you must submit proof by 10/17/2026 that you meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP or you will not receive priority consideration. The proof includes a copy of the agency notice, your most recent Performance Rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty station.

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.

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.

Review our 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.

ONLY two (2) pages of your resume will be reviewed. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) will not be reviewed.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire and to all assessments required for this position. Applicants who do not respond to the application questions may be rated ineligible.

To be found minimally qualified, you must demonstrate proficiency in the competencies described in the Qualifications section of the job announcement and listed below.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:

Accountability, Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Decision Making, Flexibility, Influencing/Negotiating, Information Management, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Oral Communication, Problem Solving, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork, and Technical Competence

Online Assessments:

USA Hire Assessments: The USA Hire Assessments include a passing score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Resume review:
Your resume will be reviewed to confirm your qualifications for this position based on the required minimum qualifications.

Applicants passing the online assessment process will have their application package reviewed and rated based on the competencies listed in the vacancy announcement by a Subject Matter Expert (SME).

Interview: Applicants may be invited to in an interview to further assess their qualifications relative to the required minimum qualifications.

We will provide the selecting official a sufficient number of names, when available, to consider at least three candidates per vacancy. If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, we will expand the group in accordance with our pre-announced supplement strategy and OPM policy.

Required Documents

NOTE: You should ensure your social security number, date of birth, and any other personal information are redacted.

Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be removed from consideration for this announcement. The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position. 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, and 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.
Other supporting documents:
- Cover Letter, optional
- College Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education
- Most recent SF-50 (Showing Within Grade Increase or Promotion; an SF-50 showing an award will NOT suffice)
- Most recent Performance Evaluation/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, etc.). Additional information on veteran's preference is available at: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/veterans.aspx
- 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 noting position, grade level, tenure, and duty station; and most recent performance appraisal.)

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 and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

Preview the Application Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13007670

The application process is as follows:

Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside at least two hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the closing date of this announcement.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources:Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; 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://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online if at all possible. Applying online, through your USAJOBS account, will expedite the application process and allow you to check your application status as well as verify the documentation submitted with your application.

If you are unable to apply online please contact EPA_OIG_Recruiting@epa.gov.

All documents must be received by 10/17/2026.

Agency contact information

EPA OIG Recruiting

Email: EPA_OIG_Recruiting@epa.gov

Address: Office of Data Analytics and Technology - Data Analytics Directorate
1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20460
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 Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

DATA ENGINEER Job