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DATA SCIENTIST

#alert

Washington, DC

Employer:  U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Job Type:  Full Time

Description

Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations, TRAINING, SAFETY, AND STANDARDS DIRECTORATE - HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON DC.
Learn more about this agency

Overview

  • Accepting applications
  • Open & closing dates

    12/12/2024 to 12/18/2024
  • Salary

    $117,962 - $153,354 per year
  • Pay scale & grade

    GS 13
  • Location

    1 vacancy in the following location:

    • Washington, DC
  • Remote job

    No
  • Telework eligible

    Yes-as determined by the agency policy.
  • Travel Required

    25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
  • Relocation expenses reimbursed

    No
  • Appointment type

    Permanent
  • Work schedule

    Full-time
  • Service

    Competitive
  • Promotion potential

    13
  • Job family (Series)

    • 1560 Data Science Series
  • Supervisory status

    No
  • Security clearance

    Not Required
  • Drug test

    No
  • Position sensitivity and risk

    Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
  • Trust determination process

    • Suitability/Fitness
  • Financial disclosure

    No
  • Bargaining unit status

    Yes
  • Announcement number

    AMO-IMP-12637675-JF
  • Control number

    823140700


This job is open to

  • Internal to an agency

    Current federal employees of this agency.


Clarification from the agency

Current U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees who are currently working in a permanent competitive service position within the local commuting area.

Duties

This position starts at a salary of $117,962.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $153,354.00 (GS-13, Step 10). In this position, you will assist more senior analysts in advising senior management, with a primary function of providing objectively based information derived from the use of advanced scientific, mathematical, and statistical work to support data-driven decision making across AMO.

Major duties for this position include but are not limited to:
  • Developing and maintaining applications using advanced data science techniques involving multiple statistical models machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop innovative solutions to complex challenges.
  • Gathering, processing, and converting raw and unstructured data from a variety of systems and databases into clean organized information.
  • Performing quantitative and qualitative analysis and data quality assurance using statistical software and computer programs such as R and Python to extract information and build models machine learning and artificial intelligence.
  • Solving statistical problems that occur in data collection and summarization processes combing analyzing and interpreting complex data sets using machine learning and artificial intelligence to provide solutions.


Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service
  • Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below)
  • You may be required to pass a background investigation
  • CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures.
  • As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link.
  • DHS uses E-Verify, an internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities.
  • Bargaining Unit: This is a bargaining unit covered position, represented under the National Treasury Employees Unions - NTEU. For local chapter contact information see Chapter Websites - National Treasury Employees Union - NTEU

This vacancy has a local commuting area requirement, as defined below:
  • The area surrounding the duty station by which people reasonably travel back and forth from home to work; Or
  • The employee's permanent duty station is located within the reasonable travel area surrounding the duty station of this vacancy; Or if applicable
  • For employees who are detailed or temporarily promoted for more than 1 year to another duty location, the detailed or temporary duty location is considered to be the duty location of record for commuting area purposes. For employees detailed or temporarily promoted for less than one year, the permanent duty location is considered the duty location of record for commuting area purposes.


Qualifications

Basic Requirement: You must provide supporting documentation in your application to show you meet the basic requirement below:
  • 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
  • Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major field of study (30 semester hours) as shown above, plus additional education or appropriate experience.
In addition to the education requirement listed above, you must also meet the specialized experience below:

Experience: You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:
  • Utilizing advanced data science techniques including data extraction transformation cleaning modeling machine learning and artificial intelligence.
  • Processing data and extracting insights from structured and unstructured data to provide solutions to complex challenges.
  • Developing artificial intelligence services in risk assessment targeting and chatbot development for auditing.
  • Using advanced quantitative computer science and statistical skills to interpret data for target forecasting and augmenting data-driven audit decisions.
  • Using statistical software and computer programs such as R or Python.
NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume requirements.

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.

You must:
  • Meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process; and
  • Meet all applicable Time in Grade requirements (current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the federal service) by 12/18/2024.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information, review the following links: Background investigation and the e-QIP process.

Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions:
  • Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military
  • A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government
  • Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university
  • Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government
Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period.

Education

Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.

Additional information

Please see this video to learn more about CBP's Air and Marine Operations.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Read more

  • 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.

Applicants will only be considered for the Eligibilities for which they claim in the job questionnaire AND must provide the supporting documentation. Applicants will not be considered for Eligibilities for which they did not claim, regardless of the documentation submitted with the application. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12637675

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using an assessment questionnaire.

This self-assessment will be used to assess the following competencies or KSAs:
  • Knowledge of advanced concepts in data science covering data extraction, transformation, cleaning, modeling, and machine learning.
  • Skill in designing, managing, and maintaining database systems and tailoring operating models and data visualization tools.
  • Knowledge of and superior experience of exploratory data analysis techniques, regression analysis and other statistical analysis, modeling, machine learning, and natural language processing and auto coding.
  • Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing to prepare reports and briefs across a range of levels of scientific and statistical comprehension.
  • Knowledge of and expert skills to plan, organize and direct projects across organizational lines including monitoring progress and milestones while completing their own projects.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be contacted for an interview. As a part of the interview process, additional selection criteria may be administered by the hiring manager. Preview the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12637675

Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP eligible. View information about CTAP eligibilityon OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement. To be considered well qualified under CTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position.
  • Required Documents

    As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

    • Your resume: A resume describing your job-related qualifications is required and will be used for the purpose of reviewing your qualifications and determining what training, if any, would be required when placed. A resume in English is required. It must contain your full legal name, address, phone number, complete work history including a detailed description of your duties, the dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY), your hours worked per week, job title, as well as series, grade, and salary (if applicable). For additional required items, see the link. *Note- It is recommended that you upload your resume as a PDF instead of a Word document to ensure document quality. Ensure that your uploaded resume is not a password protected document, to include Office 365 passwords.
    • Your responses to the job questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12637675
    • Are you a current or former federal employee? ALL CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST SUBMIT THE MOST RECENT COPY OF THEIR SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing competitive status: Tenure 1 or 2 in Block 24 and Position Occupied 1 in Block 34. Additionally, applicants should also submit a SF-50 reflecting the highest grade held on a permanent basis in the competitive service or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher, AND an SF-50 to support having met the time-in-grade requirement of having served 52 weeks at the grade level (or equivalent) below the grade level(s) for this position. Current CBP Employees are encouraged, but not required, to submit an SF-50(s) for CBP experience; however, additional SF-50(s) are required when using federal experience outside of CBP to receive credit towards the requirements above. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.
    • Your transcripts: All applicants are required to submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable at this time; however, official copies will be required prior to entrance on duty) or a list of coursework with hours completed provided from the institution. If you are a current CBP employee within the position series announced, transcripts will not be required at the time of application; however, education will be verified if you are selected and you may be required to submit transcripts at that time. Education must be from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Education obtained from a foreign university or college is not creditable unless it has been evaluated by an organization that specializes in interpretation of education credentials. Note: If submitting documentation of an evaluation, transcripts are still required. For a listing of some accrediting agencies see NACES | Credentials Evaluations Provided by NACES Members. See https://www.accreditation.info/education-quality/usa-recognition.html for more information.
    • Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)? You must submit a separation notice; your most recent SF-50 (noting your current position, grade level and duty location); a copy of your most recent performance rating; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; or a Military Department of National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.
    • Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your initial and termination SF-50s.
    • You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.
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