Supervisory Interdisciplinary (Branch Chief) Job in Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)

Vacancy No. FSIS-25-MDH-12559125-JM Department Food Safety and Inspection Service
Salary $122,198.00 to $158,860.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/1/2024 Close Date 10/7/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)


Job Description (Please follow all instructions carefully)

Summary

This position is located within the Office of Planning, Analysis, and Risk Management (OPARM).

OPARM is the FSIS centralized analytics group and tasked with integrating and analyzing relational data. The program also provides data visualization and analytics services to support FSIS decision-making, policy development, risk management, and strategic planning.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Open to Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) eligibles and the public. This position will be filled with either the statistics 1530 series or the data science 1560 series using the GW-007 Government-wide Direct Hire Authority for STEM positions. This announcement serves as public notice for the use of the direct hire authority. category rating, veteran's preference, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply.

Duties

  • Assign work to employees and hold them accountable for performance plan objectives.
  • Evaluate and provide guidance for employee deliverables.
  • Maintain awareness of the status of all individual staff assignments and communicate them to leadership.
  • Formulate and recommend solutions to mitigate issues and prevent delays to branch analytical deliverables.
  • Collaborate with OPARM Supervisory Statisticians, Directors, and other FSIS program area staff to plan and meet FSIS mission goals.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Satisfactory background investigation and/or fingerprint check required.
  • A one-year probationary period may be required.
  • You may have to complete a one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
  • If you are selected, you may need to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) prior to being appointed to determine suitability for federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.
  • False statements or responses on a resume or application can jeopardize employment and may be grounds for disciplinary action, including removal from federal service.
  • Your salary must be sent to the financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
  • If you are newly hired, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" system.
  • Federal law requires the use of E-VERIFY to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. Under this system, the new hire is required to resolve any identified discrepancies as a condition of continued employment.
  • Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. Failure to successfully meet these requirements could lead to adverse action proceedings including possible termination.
  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet both a basic requirement and the specialized experience requirement.

Basic Requirement

Statistics series 1530: You can meet the basic requirement with education or a combination of education and experience:

A. Education:
  • 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 requirement 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.
B. Combination of education and experience:
  • Combination of education and experience: coursework 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.
Click here for more information on this series: OPM Statistics Series 1530

Data Science series 1560: You can meet the requirement with education or a combination of education and experience:

A. Education:
  • 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.
B. Combination 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.
Click here for more information on this series: OPM Data Science Series 1560

Specialized experience: Your resume must show one year of experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade in the federal service. Your experience must be described in as much detail as possible to show that you meet all of the elements.
  • Experience using R, Python, or SQL to extract, manipulate, and integrate information from relational databases.
  • Experience leading, coaching, and/or developing team members performing basic data analytics duties such as data cleaning and manipulation, statistical analysis, and visualization development.
  • Developing oral and written presentations and communicating complex and technical analyses to inform, influence, and persuade a variety of audiences. Examples of complex and technical analysis include but are not limited to: stratified sampling design, survival analysis, policy effectiveness studies, machine learning techniques and outcomes, logistic regression, Bayesian statistical modeling, and randomized controlled trials.
  • Demonstrated experience gathering customer requirements, clarifying analytics-related objectives, and generating actionable recommendations for appropriate data analysis to answer business questions.
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). 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.

Education

Transcripts must be submitted to show that you meet the basic requirement. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application; however, it must include student name, school name, and enough information to validate qualifications such as course names, prefixes, grades, semester or quarter credit hours, date degree was awarded, etc. Official transcripts must be submitted prior to entering on duty.

Education must have been obtained from an accredited school, college, or university, Follow this link to verify your institution's credentialing: Department of Education accredited schools

If any education was completed at a foreign institution, you must submit evidence that the institution is accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. Follow these links to those credentialing organizations:


Additional information

This announcement may be used to fill additional like vacancies.

Confidential financial report: If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE-5450 within 30 days of your appointment date and annually thereafter. Selectee is subject to financial disclosure requirements in accordance with 5 CFR, Part 2635, Sub part E, regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers or business contacts who have or who are seeking business with this Agency.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL) applicants: To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applications must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Follow this link to the Office of Personnel Management's website for information on how to apply as a CTAP or RPL applicant: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf

It is the policy of the government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. See more information at this link: CHCO Council

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

For more information on the GW-007 Government-wide Direct Hire Authority for Scientific, Technical, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) positions click here

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.

Your application, including the assessment questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet the qualification requirements and to determine if your resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Analytical Programming
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Manages Human Resources
  • Oral Communication
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Problem Solving


To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the Apply button to the right.

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12559125

Required Documents

Resume with the following:

  • Personal information such as name, address, contact information
  • Detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties, including work schedule
  • Hours worked per week, dates of employment; and title, series, grade (if applicable)
  • Supervisor's phone number and whether or not the supervisor may be contacted for a reference check
  • Other qualifications
Do not include the following types of information in your resume:
  • Classified or government sensitive information
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Photos of yourself
  • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
  • Encrypted and digitally signed documents
Follow this link if you need assistance creating a federal resume USAJOBS - writing a federal resume.Transcripts: See the Education section above for information regarding transcripts.

Transcripts are required. See the Education section for more information.

CTAP/ICTAP/RPL applicants:
  1. Proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination).
  2. SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
  3. Most recently performance appraisal dated within 18 months showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or a statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. Do not submit a performance plan.
We cannot accept documents after the announcement has closed.

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 sections.

  1. If you do not already have one, create a USAJOBS account at www.usajobs.gov. We recommend you set up an automatic email notification to receive updates of your application's status, otherwise, you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status.
  2. Click the Apply Online button. Answer all required questions, verify the documents you selected from USAJOBS transferred into the Agency's staffing system, and attach any additional documents that may not have transferred or may be required. If qualifying based on education, you must submit a legible copy of your college transcript(s), with your application package, showing your conferred degree (if any) and/or applicable coursework as proof that you qualify based on education. If you have not yet graduated, submit your current transcript.
  3. Answer the application questions and attach all necessary supporting documents. You can select your stored USAJOBS resume, create a new resume or upload a resume. You will also be able to upload other relevant documents. All uploaded documents must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX). See "Required Documents" for details.
  4. Verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBS transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents once you are in the Agency's staffing system.
  5. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 p.m. (EDT) on the announcement closing date.
You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically. We are available to assist you during normal business hours. Applying online is highly encouraged. If applying online poses a hardship, please contact our office for an alternate method. All electronic and hardship application packages with supporting documents must be complete to be considered.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.

If you do not have access to the Internet, you are strongly encouraged to visit your library, state employment office, or another establishment that provides internet service to complete the online application and the assessment questionnaire. If this is not an option, refer to the Alternative Methods for Applying section below for specific instructions.

Alternative Methods for Applying: If you are unable to apply using the internet, please fax your request for an application package along with your name and mailing address to: HR (Branch 2) 1-833-840-9219.

Agency contact information

James Morrin
Address
Food Safety and Inspection Service
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log into your USAJOBS account to check your application status. We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications.

Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer. An applicant may submit a complaint or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance. To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to fsis.fca@usda.gov, subject line: Fair Chance Act.


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