Statistician (Social Science)

Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Summary

This position is located in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). OJP provides federal leadership, funding, and other critical resources to directly support law enforcement, combat violent crime, protect American children, provide services to American crime victims, and address public safety challenges, including human trafficking and the opioid crisis.

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

This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority. U. S. Citizenship required.

Duties

The duties and responsibilities for a GS- 1530-13/14 generally include, but are not limited to, the following:

Designs and manages one or more complex statistical data series or major components of a large-scale data series, including program development, project management, data collection and data
analysis.
Conducts statistical analysis and applies this to a wide variety of situations to solve novel problems related to the research area supported.
Analyzes a variety of data sets using appropriate statistical software such as SPSS, SAS, Stata and R; applies statistical software to develop program code.
Develops new statistical methods and/or modifies existing data analysis methods.
Performs statistical analyses of agency program data.
Develops forecasting models; formulates statistical projections and trends for agency programs.
Advises and assists on format design, data monitoring, and related aspects of statistical methods and study design.
Presents statistical findings to a wide range of audiences including professional associations, agency representatives, and criminal justice researchers.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

You must be a United States Citizen.
You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening.
Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file. Visit www.sss.gov.
You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
Security Requirements: Non-Sensitive/Moderate Risk
A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.
1-year probationary period may be required.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Statistician (Social Science), at GS-1530-13/14, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below.

Basic Entry Requirements:

A. Degree: that included 15 semester hours in statistics (or in mathematics and statistics, provided at least 6 semester hours were in statistics), and 9 additional semester hours in one or more of the following: physical or biological sciences, medicine, education, or engineering; or in the social sciences including demography, history, economics, social welfare, geography, international relations, social or cultural anthropology, health sociology, political science, public administration, psychology, etc. Credit toward meeting statistical course requirements should be given for courses in which 50 percent of the course content appears to be statistical methods, e.g., courses that included studies in research methods in psychology or economics such as tests and measurements or business cycles, or courses in methods of processing mass statistical data such as tabulating methods or electronic data processing.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience -- courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The experience should have included a full range of professional statistical work such as (a) sampling, (b) collecting, computing, and analyzing statistical data, and (c) applying statistical techniques such as measurement of central tendency, dispersion, skewness, sampling error, simple and multiple correlation, analysis of variance, and tests of significance.

GS-13: Specialized Experience:

Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level. Specialized experience is experience which is in or related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Examples of specialized experience include:

Planning data collection activities and preparing guidelines, standards, training manuals, and quality assurance plans related to the collection and analysis of statistical data.
Developing study methodologies to be followed, including study specifications, survey and data collection instruments, and approaches to be used.
Providing policy and procedural consultation, advice, and guidance on complex technical issues in a specialized statistical area related to a specialized statistical study or data collection.
Coding survey or administrative data collection instruments in a survey design software platform.
Cleaning, weighting, and evaluating the quality of data.
Presenting statistical findings to a wide range of audiences; authoring original and creative reports which require minimal edits and little or no substantive changes.

GS-14: Specialized Experience:

Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level. Specialized experience is experience which is in or related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Examples of specialized experience include:

Leading the development of significant collaborative studies; directing the technical and organizational components of statistical programs.
Producing statistical reports; reviewing statistical publications for accuracy and identifying areas where complementary datasets can be used to expand analysis and understanding.
Performing critical reviews of scientific or technical procedures, protocols, methodologies, inspections, and investigations for scientific and regulatory policy implications.
Reviewing mathematical models, sample surveys, statistical measurements, reports, and documentation to evaluate all potential impacts and prepare responses to requests.
Experience leading or reviewing data cleaning, weighting, and non-response bias analysis adjustments.

Online Assessment:
This position requires an online assessment. After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required of you. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement 07/21/2026 to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

You MUST meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade, by the closing date of this announcement, 07/21/2026.

Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement. Please see the Qualifications section for more information.

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone. No substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Additional information

Recruitment incentives may not be authorized.
OJP offers opportunities for flexible work schedules.
Additional selections may be made from this announcement.
Probationary Period: You may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether continued employment advances the public interest. We may consider: 1) performance and conduct; 2) agency needs and interests; 3) advancement of agency/Government organizational goals; and 4) Federal service efficiency. Upon completion, employment terminates unless you receive written certification that your continued employment advances the public interest.
EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.
DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy
Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to human.resources@usdoj.gov. Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.

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 for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the job opportunity announcement closes (at 11:59 p.m. ET on 07/21/2026), a review of your resume, supporting documentation and results of the required online assessments will be conducted. The information will be compared against your responses to the application questionnaire to determine your eligibility for Federal employment and whether you meet the qualifications for this position.

In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires completion of an online assessment administered through USAHire. Your complete application package (resume/supporting documentation, online questionnaire, and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment) will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement.

You will not be considered for the position if you fail to complete the assessment. Your USAHIRE assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments. If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12989370

Per Direct-Hire Authority requirements, all qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring office for consideration. The hiring office may select any qualified candidate without regard to special eligibility considerations. Veterans' preference does not apply to this vacancy.

For Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)/Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) applicants: If you have CTAP/ICTAP eligibility and are found well-qualified for this vacancy, you will receive selection priority over other candidates. Under merit promotion procedures, to be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria.

Technical Qualifications:
Applicants identified for interview, will be further evaluated on the following technical qualifications:

Statistical Principles and Theory, Data Collection, and Statistical Analysis
Written Communication
Communication, Leadership, and Presentation

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials, application questionnaire, or during an interview may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Required Documents

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Resume (Maximum 2 pages): Include for each job:

Official position title
Employer name and contact information
Start and end dates (month and year)
Full-time or part-time hours per week
Duties performed and accomplishments

See How do I write a resume for more information

CTAP/ICTAP (Career Transition Programs):

Separation notice, agency RIF letter, OR letter of intent to separate
Most recent performance appraisal
SF-50 showing current/former position details

See Career Transition Programs for more information

Unofficial transcripts (official transcripts will be required if selected)

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

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 07/21/2026 to receive consideration.

The application process is as follows:

Click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on07/21/2026.
After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments.
Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.

Essay Questions:
The following four narrative questions provide an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question (see the application questionnaire). You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.

How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.

Need Help?
If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help website which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc.

Reasonable Accommodation:
To request reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact the hiring agency contact directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Agency contact information

Abygail Sharrar-Armendariz

Email: abygail.sharrar-armendariz@usdoj.gov

Address: Bureau of Justice Statistics
DO NOT MAIL
Washington, DC 20531
US

Next steps

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

You will receive e-mail notifications as your application status is updated by DOJ. However, you can also see your application status any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account and looking on the "Applications" page. Click the position title to expand the display for each application in the list.

We strive to extend a final offer of employment within 90 days from the close of this announcement. Additional selections may be made from this announcement within 90 days.

Statistician (Social Science) Job in Washington, DC