Statistician Job

Vacancy No. SSA-12970418-RQ-DHA Department Social Security Administration
Salary $63,795.00 to $118,204.00 Grade 11 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 5/31/2026 Close Date 6/12/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Birmingham, ALLos Angeles, CAOakland, CAPasadena, CA
San Diego, CADenver, COWashington, DCAtlanta, GA
Chicago, ILBoston, MAWoodlawn, MDDetroit, MI
Kansas City, MONew York, NYQueens, NYPhiladelphia, PA
Dallas, TX


Summary

This position is being offered through OPM's Direct Hire Authority.

See more about Direct Hire under Conditions of Employment below.

Oversees SSA's Program Integrity Program with responsibility for analytic projects related to detecting and preventing fraud in the agency's programs, measuring and/or enhancing program performance and increasing operational efficiencies.

See QUALIFICATIONS and EDUCATION for more information about this position.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Clarification from the agency

Vacancy is open to All US Citizens. One or more vacancies may be filled at any of the listed Official Duty Stations (ODS). SSA employees currently assigned to other geographic locations may be approved to remain in their current official duty station, if selected. Relocation costs will not be paid. To participate in telework, you must reside within a 2-hour commute to the assigned ODS by the time of your appointment.

Duties

  • Develops, implements and refines projects and statistical studies of SSA programs; develops models to correct deficiencies or improve the efficiency of SSA's processes, operations and systems related to administering the Program Integrity Program.
  • Determines if problems are amenable to statistical inquiry; assesses sources of data needed; explores methods for obtaining data, estimated cost and limitations; and determines the most appropriate methods for analyzing and interpreting data.
  • Analyzes findings, evaluates the statistical limitations of available data and specifies the range of logically possible explanations of the findings.
  • Provides technical guidance to lower-graded analyst(s), including consultative advice and technical direction to specialists in the use of computer and statistical methodology applicable to individual projects.
  • The GS-11 is an Advanced Developmental position leading to the GS-12 full performance level. At this level, assignments are not as broad and/or inclusive as assignments at the full performance level.
  • The supervisor or higher-graded analyst provide general instructions on new assignments, furnish advice and guidance and are available to answer questions and assist in solving problems that may arise.
  • Work is reviewed upon completion for adequacy and compliance with policies, guidelines and procedures. The extent of guidance and review gradually decreases as the employee develops.
  • Consideration for promotion is at the discretion of management and is based on the existence of higher-level work, your ability to perform that work, administrative requirements and current agency and/or organizational restrictions.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • This announcement serves as public notice. Applications will be placed into a pool and will remain on file for selection as positions become available.
  • Vacancies may be filled for up to 6 months after the closing date of this announcement. Applicants may not receive notifications of referral status until the full 6-month eligibility period has elapsed.
  • STEM position(s) are being filled through the Office of Personnel Management's delegated Direct Hire Authority and are open to all U.S. citizens.
  • Selections made under this bulletin will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees selected under this bulletin will be processed as new appointments to the civil service.
  • Under the provisions of the Direct Hire Authority, Veterans Preference and the "Rule of Many" do not apply.
  • U.S. Citizenship is required. Selective Service Registration is required, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
  • Fingerprinting and background and/or security investigation may be required. Job offers are contingent on fingerprinting and background / security investigation results.
  • See QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED and REQUIRED DOCUMENTS for other important information.
  • You must submit a resume (2 page maximum) that shows your name and contact information and includes full TO and FROM dates (month/day/year) for each position you describe. Include your grade if your position is federal.

Qualifications

To qualify for this Statistician position you must demonstrate:
(1) the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) for the federal 1530 series AND
(2) at least 52 weeks of Specialized Experience

For GS-11 ONLY: a Ph.D. (or equivalent doctoral degree) OR at least 3 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. (or equivalent doctoral degree) in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related competencies for this position may be substituted for Specialized Experience.

(1) INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT (IOR) (All Applicants)

A. Successful completion of a course of study in an accredited college or university resulting in a bachelor's or higher degree that includes at least 15 semester hours in statistics (or in mathematics and statistics, with at least 6 semester hours in statistics) and 9 additional semester hours in one or more of the following:

-- physical or biological sciences
-- medicine,
-- education or
-- engineering OR
-- in social sciences, including
-- demography
-- history,
-- economics
-- social welfare
-- geography,
-- international relations
-- social or cultural anthropology,
-- health sociology,
-- political science
-- public administration
-- psychology

B. In lieu of a degree, successful completion of courses as shown in A above plus appropriate experience or additional education. Experience must include a full range of professional statistical work, such as:

(1) sampling,
(2) collecting, computing and analyzing statistical data and
(3) applying statistical techniques such as
-- measurement of central tendency
-- dispersion
-- skewness
-- sampling error
-- simple and multiple correction
-- analysis of variance and
-- tests of significance

SEE EDUCATION BELOW -- Applicants who don't demonstrate these requirements will not be considered.

(2) SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE

FOR GS-11: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE must have been gained in a federal position at or above GS-09 OR (if your position is on another federal pay scale OR outside of federal service) by performing duties at a level of responsibility and difficulty equivalent to GS-09 or above.

Specialized Experience for GS-11 is work that primarily consists of :
(1) participating as a data analyst/statistician in studies involving statistical techniques and processes;
(2) transforming data into a form suitable for analysis using R, Python, SAS, or SQL; and
(3) summarizing projects in writing for a project leader or supervisor.

**If you have this experience, your resume must describe, in your own words, the specific duties you perform that demonstrate it.**

In lieu of Specialized Experience, you may qualify with a Ph.D. in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related competencies necessary for this position. This education must be in addition to the education used to meet the IOR.

In lieu of Specialized Experience or a Ph.D. you may qualify with at least 3 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. (or equivalent degree) in a course of study that directly reflects the job-related for this position. This education must be in addition to the education used to meet the IOR.

In lieu of the full amount of Specialized Experience or the full amount of Optional Education, you may qualify with a portion of each that can be combined to meet the full requirement. Only education beyond the second year of graduate education can be used for this option and it must be in addition to the education used to meet the IOR. Experience used in combination with education must also be in addition to the experience used in IOR Option B. (HR will determine if the combination of experience and education is sufficient to meet the requirements.)

*************
FOR GS-12: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE must have been gained in a federal position at or above GS-11 OR (if your position is on another federal pay scale OR outside of federal service) by performing duties at a level of responsibility and difficulty equivalent to GS-11 or above.

Specialized Experience for GS-12 is work that primarily consists of:
(1) performing studies involving large datasets comprised of messy data and statistical or machine learning analytical techniques and processes;
(2) transforming data into a form suitable for analysis using R, Python, SAS, or SQL; and
(3) summarizing projects in writing for a project leader or supervisor.

**If you have this experience, your resume must describe, in your own words, the specific duties you perform that demonstrate it.**

*************
FOR GS-13: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE must have been gained in a federal position at or above GS-12 OR (if your position is on another federal pay scale OR outside of federal service) by performing duties at a level of responsibility and difficulty equivalent to GS-12 or above.

Specialized Experience for GS-13 is work that primarily consists of:
(1) overseeing studies involving large datasets comprised of messy data and statistical or machine learning analytical techniques and processes;
(2) transforming data into a form suitable for analysis using R, Python, SAS, or SQL;
(3) summarizing projects in writing for technical and non-technical audiences.

**If you have this experience, your resume must describe, in your own words, the specific duties you perform that demonstrate it.**

Reviewers cannot assume you perform duties you don't describe.

Since Specialized Experience also has a time component, it must be evident that the duties you describe are at the required level for at least 52 weeks.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (IOR and Specialized Experience for GS-12 and GS-13 or IOR and Specialized Experience and/or Optional Education for GS-11) must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Information on this job series can be found at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1500/statistics-series-1530/ .

Education

This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) that must be met and demonstrated by all applicants (see QUALIFICATIONS), even if you already hold a position in the federal 1530 series.

Submit a copy of your full transcript showing your name, the name of the school, the program in which you were enrolled and your degree AND/OR completion of *creditable course). If you attended more than one college or university, submit transcripts for all schools attended.

Transcripts that do not show that a Degree was conferred cannot be considered to have resulted in a Degree. Check your transcript to be sure this information is shown.

**Since course titles do not always indicate that a course pertains to a creditable curriculum you are advised to highlight qualifying courses on your transcript to ensure that consideration is given.**

APPLICATIONS WITHOUT ALL REQUIRED TRANSCRIPTS WILL CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONSIDERATION FOR THIS POSITION.

DO NOT SUBMIT A DIPLOMA IN LIEU OF A FULL TRANSCRIPT THAT SHOWS THE REQUIRED INFORMATION.

TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE LEGIBLE or you may not receive credit for your degree or completed courses.

APPLICANTS FOR GS-11: Note that education used in lieu of Specialized Experience must be separate from and in addition to education used to support the IOR.

Unofficial transcripts or screenshots of electronic/web transcripts with the required information will be accepted at the time of application. CHECK YOUR UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT TO CONFIRM IT SHOWS THE REQUIRED INFORMATION. You must upload your transcripts as part of your application. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail.

One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours the school has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered an academic year of graduate study.

Foreign Education: If your transcripts show education completed in foreign colleges or universities, you must also provide documentation that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in a conventional/accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

If selected, you may be required to provide your official college transcripts prior to the effective date of your appointment.

Additional information

STEM position(s) are being filled through the Office of Personnel Management's delegated Direct Hire Authority and are open to all U.S. citizens. Selections made under this Direct Hire Authority will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current federal employees will be given a new appointment to the civil service, if selected. Under the provisions of the Direct Hire Authority, Veterans Preference and the "Rule of Many" do not apply.

Additional selections may be made for this vacancy six months from the closing date of this announcement.

If you are a male born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov .

If you are a federal contractor, do not identify yourself as a federal employee.

OTHER NOTES:

See QUALIFICATIONS and EDUCATION for information on qualifying for this position.

See REQUIRED DOCUMENTS and HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED for information on applying for this position.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

This position is not authorized to be filled virtually or through outstationing. One or more vacancies may be filled at any of the listed Official Duty Stations (ODS).

SSA employees currently assigned to other geographic locations may be approved to remain in their current official duty station if selected.

This position is on a full-time, flex-time schedule; Alternate Work Schedules (AWS) may be authorized.

Telework may be approved after all conditions for telework have been met. To participate in telework, you must reside within a 2-hour commute to the assigned ODS by the time of your appointment.

Relocation expenses will not be paid; salary will be set in accordance with locality pay provisions.

Successful performance of work in this position and adherence to conditions of this position will be assessed during the 1-year probationary period that may be served by new appointees (e.g., new to SSA and/or new to this series).

This is a moderate-risk public trust position. You may be required to complete SF-85P, Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions to have the appropriate investigation conducted.

Location of position:
Risk and Quality
Program Integrity, Risk and Fraud Prevention (PIRFP)

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.

*You will be evaluated on the experience you describe in your resume* as well as the education supported by the transcripts you submit.

Do not simply list projects on which you worked or list experience in terms of accomplishments or achievements. You must describe duties you perform that pertain to the requirements for this position.

If your resume doesn't clearly describe the duties you perform that demonstrate the required Specialized Experience, you will lose consideration for this position.

Information not specifically stated in your resume cannot be assumed, even if you hold (or held) a position in this series.

The experience you claim is subject to verification by the selecting official.

SEE QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION AND REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR RESUME AND TRANSCRIPT MUST DEMONSTRATE.

Preview questions here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12970418

Information not specifically stated in your resume cannot be assumed. Information copied or restated from the announcement will not be considered. If this occurs, you may be found ineligible.

Applicants who demonstrate the IOR and Specialized Experience will be referred to the hiring manager following *Priority Selection procedures and applicable documents will be forwarded for further review.

Your claimed knowledge, skills and abilities are subject to verification by the selecting official. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation or to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed experience.


PRIORITY SELECTION:
Well-Qualified ICTAP eligibles will receive first consideration IF appropriate supporting documents are provided (see Career Transition Guide AND Required Documents below).

Veterans' Preference is not considered under Direct Hire.

See Required Documents for information on how to support these claims.

Required Documents

Resume -- all applicants
Transcript -- all applicants (may need to submit more than one)
SF-50 -- recommended for all current and former federal employees
ICTAP documents -- if claimed (read the information below)

DOCUMENTS PREVIOUSLY UPLOADED TO YOUR USAJOBS ACCOUNT MAY BE OUTDATED AND CAN CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONSIDERATION.

RESUME -- you must submit a resume (2 page maximum) that shows:
-- your name and contact information
-- relevant education
-- employer name and position held
-- full start and stop dates (month/day/year) for each position
-- full-time or part-time hours worked per week
-- your grade and pay scale (for federal positions) and
- a clear description of the duties you perform that relate to the experience required for this position.

If you no longer hold a position, it must show an ending date.

Since Specialized Experience has a time component, it must be evident that the duties you describe are at the required level for at least 52 weeks.

Do not simply list projects on which you worked or list experience in terms of accomplishments or achievements. You must describe, in your own words, the duties you perform that pertain to the requirements for this position.

Information not specifically stated in your resume cannot be assumed. Information copied or restated from the announcement or rating criteria will not be considered. If this occurs, you may be found ineligible.

If your qualifying experience is part of a federal career-ladder, separate your grade-relevant experience from duties performed at lower grades. Career-ladders described as a single position may not satisfy the requirement to demonstrate 52 weeks performing specific work at the required level.

TRANSCRIPT -- see QUALIFICATIONS and EDUCATION sections for information on what you must demonstrate. **Since course titles do not always indicate that a course pertains to a creditable curriculum you are advised to highlight qualifying courses on your transcript to ensure that consideration is given.**

SF-50 - recommended for all current or former federal employees

ICTAP (Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan) -- only applies to competitive service employees who have been displaced (RIF'd) from another federal agency. The duty station from which you were RIF'd must be in the local commuting area (i.e., 30-mile radius) of the duty station to which you are applying.

To demonstrate eligibility, ICTAP-applicants must provide:
-- a copy of the separation SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action) AND
-- a copy of the RIF Notice*

*If the RIF Notice doesn't provide verification of your most recent Performance Appraisal, you must also provide a copy of that document to demonstrate that your final rating was at least 'fully successful.'

For more information see Career Transition (opm.gov)

Preference will be granted based on the documents received.

How to Apply

(1) Click APPLY to create a USAJobs Account or log into your existing account
(2) Confirm that your USAJobs Biographic Information is correct
(3) Follow prompts to complete the questionnaire and upload required documents
(4) Click Submit My Answers at the end of the process
(5) "View/Print My Answers" to confirm you have answered every question as intended AND
(6) Print a copy of the announcement for your reference if you are called for an interview (optional).

READ "NEXT STEPS" FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

Applications must be received by 11:59 pm (EST) June 5, 2026 and must include:
(1) responses to online questionnaire
(2) uploaded resume*
(3) uploaded transcript
(4) uploaded SF-50 and/or ICTAP documents, if applicable


*To meet qualification requirements, your resume must explicitly demonstrate the Specialized Experience requirements.

SEE QUALIFICATIONS

The questionnaire takes about 5 minutes. Answer all questions and follow instructions. Errors or omissions may affect your overall evaluation.

We cannot accept documents submitted via email, fax or standard mail, but you may email inquiries about the position or How to Apply PRIOR TO the closing of the announcement.

Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may use the listed email or 7-1-1 for TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Services to call the listed phone number. Additional Telecommunications Relay Services options are available in each state: https://www.fcc.gov/general/trs-state-and-territories

Notice Concerning Materially False, Fictitious or Fraudulent Statements -- Anything you claim in the occupational questionnaire, or your resume is subject to verification. By submitting your application, you are certifying that any statements you make are true, complete, and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief and are made in good faith. Materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or representations are subject to disciplinary action.

If you experience difficulties while applying, use the links on the USAJobs website to seek help. If you're still unable to complete your application, submit a USAJobs Help Desk ticket to resolve the issue. You must also email Careers@ssa.gov with the SUBJECT LINE: "T-7 APPLICATION ISSUE 1297 0418" and provide details of the difficulties you're experiencing (with screenshots if applicable). This email must be received before the announcement closes. Technical difficulties reported after the announcement closes cannot be addressed.

Agency contact information

Careers at SSA
Email
Careers@ssa.gov
Address
Risk and Quality
6401 Security Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21207
US

Next steps

Incorrect information in your USAJobs Account means you may not receive important emails pertaining to this announcement. SSA/HR is not responsible if outdated information in your USAJobs Account causes you to miss emailed notifications or job offers.

No matter what information is provided on your resume, HR and USAStaffing can only contact you using the information in your USAJobs Account. Your Biographic Information for this vacancy cannot be changed once your application has been submitted.

If you applied correctly and provided a valid email address in your Biographic Information, you will receive an Acknowledgement of Occupational Questionnaire. This is not an indication that your application is complete. Follow the instructions in the "How to Apply" and "Required Documents" sections to ensure that you submit a complete application.

HR cannot provide copies of announcements or application documents to you.

You are responsible for verifying that your application is complete and your documents have been properly submitted.

After applications are screened by HR, eligible applicants will be referred to the hiring office for consideration.

INTERVIEWS may or may not be conducted, but if an interview is desired, it will be scheduled by the hiring office and a representative from that office will contact you directly.

HR will not have information pertaining to the scheduling of interviews and cannot provide feedback pertaining to completed interviews.

For a status of your application, go to your USAJobs account. Select Application Status then More Information to see if updates are available.

Updates will not be available during the interview/selection process, which may take up to 90 days.

After selections have been completed, final notices will be sent to applicants who were referred to the selecting official. Applicants who are not referred will not receive a final notice.

Additional locations

San Diego, CA
Denver, CO
Washington, DC
Atlanta, GA
Chicago, IL
Boston, MA
Woodlawn, MD
Detroit, MI
Kansas City, MO
New York, NY
Queens, NY
Philadelphia, PA
Dallas, TX

Social Security Administration

Do you have a desire to:

  • help SSA manage its Social Security programs?
  • analyze and solve problems?
  • help and advise millions of retired and disabled individuals?
  • work on a team to make a difference in people's lives and your own?
Join SSA, one of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government!

Agency contact information

Careers at SSA
Email
Careers@ssa.gov
Address
Risk and Quality
6401 Security Blvd
Baltimore, MD 21207
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Social Security Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.ssa.gov/careers