Data Scientist

Federal Aviation Administration •

Washington DC, District of Columbia, United States

Position Type: Contractor

Job Description:

This position serves as a Data Scientist providing complex data analysis to support programs and projects in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office (AUS). The employee understands how the technical area interacts with or is affected by other disciplines and considers the objectives of AUS and AVS when developing, integrating, and implementing solutions to diverse, complex problems.

Location negotiable with the position reporting to an approved FAA AVS facility.

Duties

The Data Scientist applies experience and advanced knowledge of computer science and mathematical and statistical theories, techniques, and methods to gather, analyze, design and construct new processes for modeling, interpreting, and/or reporting quantitative information, trends, relationships and correlations among or within data sets. Uses considerable discretion in selecting appropriate approaches or recommends new approaches to support data-driven policy and operational decisions. Performs multiple, varying, and complex assignments under the limited direction of a manager, project/program manager, team leader, or more experienced technical specialist.

Possesses an understanding of how the technical area interacts with or is affected by other disciplines and considers the objectives of the AUS, AVS when developing, integrating, and implementing solutions to diverse, complex problems. Serves as a contributing specialist on work activities to meet program and project goals, such as diverse and complex analysis of large amounts of information to discover trends and patterns, solve problems, optimize use of data, and provide insight and evidence for decision-makers.

Collaborates and coordinates with team members, subject matter experts, and stakeholders to identify business requirements, identify and select relevant and credible data sources to collect, integrate, mine data, and deliver expected outcomes. Assesses data source validity and reliability to meet project needs and ensure data sources are fit for their intended purpose through assessment of potential data quality issues, such as bias in data ingestion or transmission mechanisms. Conducts mathematical and statistical analysis using programming or statistical software (e.g. R, Python, SQL, Power BI, Visual Studio Code Integrated Environment, Posit Workbench/Posit Connect) to transform, combine, and clean data in preparation for analysis. Applies appropriate data wrangling techniques, such as probabilistic matching and imputation of missing values, to clean and prepare imperfect data sets. Works with teammates to develop suitable datasets for ad hoc and ongoing analytic uses, with an emphasis on long-term automation and replicability where appropriate.

Assists more experienced technical staff in building statistical or simulation models and summarizes and presents results using data visualization tools (e.g. Tableau, Power BI, and Alteryx). Supports the development of solutions that leverage artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on programming and SQL query writing. Designs and maintains machine learning (ML) feature pipelines. Researches and implements appropriate ML algorithms and tools. Trains and retrains ML systems.

Contacts are internal and external. May act as a key technical point of contact for assigned activities. Contributes to the preparation of management/technical reports or documents, and may communicate the overall results of a project or work activity to FAA management and employees, federal, state, and other local government organizations, the aviation and aerospace industries, and other external parties.

Provides guidance to lower-level technical staff on how to solve difficult technical issues. Resolves all but unique technical problems without the intervention of management or a more experienced technical specialist. Identifies and informs management of problems that require their attention. Often develops and recommends techniques to address problem situations.

The work is reviewed periodically, typically at major milestones and at completion, for technical compliance and alignment with the requirements of the project or other work activity. The work activities typically support and may be vital to the success of projects or activities of one or more organizational units, AUS, and AVS.

Job Requirements:
Requirements Conditions of Employment

US Citizenship is required.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.
Location negotiable with the position reporting to an approved FAA AVS facility.

Qualifications

To view the complete OPM qualification standard for the Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Data Science Series, 1560, please refer to:

Data Science Series 1560 (opm.gov)

Basic Requirements:

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.

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.

To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to FV-H, FG/GS 10-12. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Specialized experience is: Experience collecting, recording, and analyzing data/information using program and statistical software. Experience with Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) technology and project management.

Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

If the selecting official decides to interview any employee on the selection list for a vacancy, then all who remain under consideration for the position at that point in the process must be interviewed. If the selection list is shortened to a best qualified list through a comparative process, then the best qualified list shall be considered to be the selection list.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Required Documents

Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50).

Only supplemental documentation, e.g. transcripts or veteran's documentation will be accepted in combination with your on-line application. These documents must be uploaded or emailed to monique.heriegel@faa.gov on or before the closing date of this announcement. All submitted documents should reference the announcement number.

This position has a positive education requirement; college transcripts are required for ALL candidates newly appointed to the FAA in the 1560 series.

College transcripts must be submitted from current FAA employees applying for internal vacancies if they have never held a position in the 1560 series with the FAA.

College transcripts are not required from current FAA employees who are currently occupying a 1560 series.

If selected, official transcripts are required prior to employment.

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.

Salary Range: $75,305 - $116,712

Job Ident #: 811829100

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Data Scientist

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