Data Scientist Job in May be filled in various FAA duty locations

Vacancy No. ACT-AVS-24-AUS-400-92126 Department Federal Aviation Administration
Salary $75,305.00 to $116,712.00 Grade I to I
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/30/2024 Close Date 10/15/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
May be filled in various FAA duty locations


Job Description (Please follow all instructions carefully)

Summary

This position serves as a Data Scientist providing complex data analysis to support programs and projects in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office (AUS). The employee understands how the technical area interacts with or is affected by other disciplines and considers the objectives of AUS and AVS when developing, integrating, and implementing solutions to diverse, complex problems.

Location negotiable with the position reporting to an approved FAA AVS facility.

Duties

The Data Scientist applies experience and advanced knowledge of computer science and mathematical and statistical theories, techniques, and methods to gather, analyze, design and construct new processes for modeling, interpreting, and/or reporting quantitative information, trends, relationships and correlations among or within data sets. Uses considerable discretion in selecting appropriate approaches or recommends new approaches to support data-driven policy and operational decisions. Performs multiple, varying, and complex assignments under the limited direction of a manager, project/program manager, team leader, or more experienced technical specialist.

Possesses an understanding of how the technical area interacts with or is affected by other disciplines and considers the objectives of the AUS, AVS when developing, integrating, and implementing solutions to diverse, complex problems. Serves as a contributing specialist on work activities to meet program and project goals, such as diverse and complex analysis of large amounts of information to discover trends and patterns, solve problems, optimize use of data, and provide insight and evidence for decision-makers.

Collaborates and coordinates with team members, subject matter experts, and stakeholders to identify business requirements, identify and select relevant and credible data sources to collect, integrate, mine data, and deliver expected outcomes. Assesses data source validity and reliability to meet project needs and ensure data sources are fit for their intended purpose through assessment of potential data quality issues, such as bias in data ingestion or transmission mechanisms. Conducts mathematical and statistical analysis using programming or statistical software (e.g. R, Python, SQL, Power BI, Visual Studio Code Integrated Environment, Posit Workbench/Posit Connect) to transform, combine, and clean data in preparation for analysis. Applies appropriate data wrangling techniques, such as probabilistic matching and imputation of missing values, to clean and prepare imperfect data sets. Works with teammates to develop suitable datasets for ad hoc and ongoing analytic uses, with an emphasis on long-term automation and replicability where appropriate.

Assists more experienced technical staff in building statistical or simulation models and summarizes and presents results using data visualization tools (e.g. Tableau, Power BI, and Alteryx). Supports the development of solutions that leverage artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on programming and SQL query writing. Designs and maintains machine learning (ML) feature pipelines. Researches and implements appropriate ML algorithms and tools. Trains and retrains ML systems.

Contacts are internal and external. May act as a key technical point of contact for assigned activities. Contributes to the preparation of management/technical reports or documents, and may communicate the overall results of a project or work activity to FAA management and employees, federal, state, and other local government organizations, the aviation and aerospace industries, and other external parties.

Provides guidance to lower-level technical staff on how to solve difficult technical issues. Resolves all but unique technical problems without the intervention of management or a more experienced technical specialist. Identifies and informs management of problems that require their attention. Often develops and recommends techniques to address problem situations.

The work is reviewed periodically, typically at major milestones and at completion, for technical compliance and alignment with the requirements of the project or other work activity. The work activities typically support and may be vital to the success of projects or activities of one or more organizational units, AUS, and AVS.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.
  • Location negotiable with the position reporting to an approved FAA AVS facility.

Qualifications

To view the complete OPM qualification standard for the Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Data Science Series, 1560, please refer to:

Data Science Series 1560 (opm.gov)

Basic Requirements:

A. Degree: 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

B. 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.

To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to FV-H, FG/GS 10-12. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Specialized experience is: Experience collecting, recording, and analyzing data/information using program and statistical software. Experience with Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) technology and project management.

Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

If the selecting official decides to interview any employee on the selection list for a vacancy, then all who remain under consideration for the position at that point in the process must be interviewed. If the selection list is shortened to a best qualified list through a comparative process, then the best qualified list shall be considered to be the selection list.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

Preview Job Questionnaire

Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.
Position may be subject to a background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.

The U.S. Department of Transportation strives to ensure that equity, transparency, accountability, collaboration, and communication permeate all that we do for the betterment of the Department, the traveling public, and our nation. As such, DOT values a highly diverse workforce of persons who promote a culture of belonging by respecting the personal dignity and worth of each individual and fostering a positive environment where all feel safe and welcome. If these commitments coincide with your personal ideals and professional aspirations, please consider joining the DOT family.

Leave Enhancement: FAA organizations may offer enhanced annual leave accrual to newly appointed or reappointed employees. In order to receive consideration for such a benefit, applicants' prior non-Federal service or active duty uniformed service must directly relate to the duties of the position to which appointed. Granting enhanced annual leave is at the sole discretion of the hiring organization, and granting such benefit is not an entitlement nor guaranteed to any newly hired employee.

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. On-the-Spot will be used to fill this position. The 'Rule of Three', Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

You may also be considered for this vacancy based on eligibility under the 30% or More Disabled Veteran Program, Veterans' Recruitment Appointment, and Persons with Disabilities/Persons with Targeted Disabilities. To be considered for one of these special hiring authorities, you must identify your eligibility in your questionnaire in the Applicant-Preferred Conditions of Employment section. In addition, you must submit documentation that provides evidence of eligibility as indicated in the Required Documents section of the announcement.

As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA)'s listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: score order, category grouping, or priority grouping and referred to the selecting official for consideration

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA

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.

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.



IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Required Documents

Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50).

Only supplemental documentation, e.g. transcripts or veteran's documentation will be accepted in combination with your on-line application. These documents must be uploaded or emailed to monique.heriegel@faa.gov on or before the closing date of this announcement. All submitted documents should reference the announcement number.



This position has a positive education requirement; college transcripts are required for ALL candidates newly appointed to the FAA in the 1560 series.

College transcripts must be submitted from current FAA employees applying for internal vacancies if they have never held a position in the 1560 series with the FAA.

College transcripts are not required from current FAA employees who are currently occupying a 1560 series.

If selected, official transcripts are required prior to employment.

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

You must apply online to receive consideration. Your application must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the Close Date for it to be accepted. If you are applying for positions associated with FAA registers, your application must be submitted at the time a referral list is created in order to receive consideration for positions associated with a register.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE AND/OR EDUCATION, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE OR EDUCATION.

We strongly encourage applicants to utilize the USAJOBS resume builder in the creation of resumes.

Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information:

  • Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job)

  • Duties (be specific in describing your duties)

  • Employer's name and address

  • Supervisor name and phone number

  • Start and end dates including month and year (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)

  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)

  • Salary (optional)


Determining length of General or Specialized Experience is dependent on the above information and failure to provide ALL of this information may result in a finding of ineligible.

You may upload completed documents to your USAJOBS Account. This will provide you the opportunity to utilize the uploaded information again when applying for future vacancies. Please see this guide, Document Upload Guide, for more information on uploading and re-using the documents in your applications.

Agency contact information

Monique Heriegel
Phone
1 (609) 485-6754
Fax
1 (609) 485-8995
Email
monique.heriegel@faa.gov
Address
Federal Aviation Administration
ACT Regional HR Services Branch
Atlantic City International Airport, Bldg. 300
AHF-N710
Atlantic City, NJ 08405
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once we receive your complete application, the Human Resources Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications. Eligible and qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration. You will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

For instructions on how to check the status of your application, please go to: USAJOBS Help Guide.

Important - If you make any changes to your application, you must resubmit it. If you make changes to your application and do not resubmit it, your changes will not be considered part of your application package, and only your previously submitted application will be evaluated.

All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or other non-merit factors. DOT provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency contact listed in the Agency Contact Information section of this announcement or the hiring manager. An employee with a disability must notify the decision-maker of the accommodation request. Job applicants and employees are required to follow up oral requests in writing. Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Additional information on reasonable accommodations procedures or on EEO Programs is available on Office of Civil Rights (ACR) or by contacting the local FAA Civil Rights Office.


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