DATA SCIENTIST

Summary

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, San Diego Sector, Mission Readiness Operations Division, located in Chula Vista, CA. Additional selections may be made for other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.

Salary: The position starts at a salary of $85,307.00 (GS-11, Step 1) to $132,923.00 (GS-12, Step 10). Salary details are available via locality pay tables and special pay rate charts.

Duties

• Apply advanced data science techniques, including data extraction, transformation, cleaning, feature engineering, statistical modeling, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide actionable insights from complex datasets.
• Lead the development and optimization of data pipelines, workflows, and ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes to enable efficient data processing and integration across various systems.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to understand their data needs and translate complex datasets into actionable insights that drive informed decision‑making.
• Partner with leadership and stakeholders to identify opportunities for leveraging data to drive organizational improvements and achieve strategic goals.
• Coordinate the integration of data science initiatives into existing workflows, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and seamless integration with existing systems.

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen. 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 is required. All pre‑employment processes will be conducted in English. You may be required to pass a background investigation. CBP follows the DHS Drug‑Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures. As an employee, you will be subject to executive‑branch ethics rules and federal conflict‑of‑interest statutes. You must obtain approval for outside employment or business activity to ensure no conflict with official duties. DHS uses E‑Verify to confirm eligibility. Bargaining unit: This position is not covered.

Qualifications

Basic Education Requirement: Degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Data Science, or a directly related field at the baccalaureate level.

Education Substitution: For GS‑11, a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or three full years of progressively higher‑level graduate education may substitute experience. No substitution for GS‑12.

Experience:

• GS‑11: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:
  • Implementing data quality control measures.
  • Automating repetitive tasks using scripting languages (Python or Excel VBA).
  • Conducting exploratory data analysis (EDA).
  • Researching emerging data science tools and techniques.
• GS‑12: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:
  • Preparing and presenting comprehensive analytical reports and data‑driven recommendations to leadership.
  • Designing and maintaining data storage solutions.
  • Providing data‑driven recommendations for policy development, resource allocation, and service improvements.
  • Preparing and delivering briefings, presentations, and technical reports to executive management.

Note: Resumes must explicitly indicate how the applicant meets these requirements. The resume must not exceed two pages; only resumes up to two pages will be accepted.

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements, including education, experience, and time‑in‑grade requirements, and must be authorized for employment per OPM regulations. A background investigation and residency requirement apply. If you are a current or former political appointee, you must disclose. The CTAP eligibility requirements may apply.

Additional Hiring Authorities

Veterans, military spouses, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and people with disabilities are given non‑competitive appointment priority. Documentation supporting eligibility must be provided before the closing date.

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