Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
Basic Requirement for Data Scientist:
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.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position, you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: (1) Applying advanced data analysis techniques to perform complex quantitative, statistical, and predictive analyses to solve operational challenges and inform decision-making; (2) Conducting complex analytical, mathematical, and statistical research to develop models, algorithms, and methodologies that address critical operational requirements; (3) Designing and implementing data programs and projects to enhance analytical capabilities; and (4) Producing data analysis by leveraging data science methodologies such as machine learning, predictive modeling, prescriptive analysis, and optimization to identify trends, forecast outcomes, and provide actionable insights. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-12).
Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this position, at the GS-13 level, you must meet the basic qualification and Specialized experience requirement alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.