Data Scientist

Summary This is a Data Scientist, GS-1560-11 working in Homestead, Florida in the Everglades National Park. Experience Your America and build a fulfilling career by joining the National Park Service (NPS). Join our mission to connect with our past and create important connections to the future by building a rich and lasting legacy for the next generation of park visitors, supporters and advocates. To find out more about the National Park Service visit: Responsibilities This position is located within the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Everglades National Park, South Florida Natural Resources Center - SFNRC in Homestead, Florida. The major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: 1. Administers and manages a relational database and oversees the use of the South Florida Natural Resources Center (SFNRC) database system and leads efforts to streamline data access and efficiency 2. Develops data management protocols that preserve data integrity for a variety of purpose built databases under the SFNRC database system framework and works with a relational database to develop routine automatic methods of data collection analysis or illustration. 3. Uses analytical and geo-statistical tools to examine spatial trends of a wide range of environmental, biological, and ecological data to solve many natural resources problems within the Everglades National Park. 4. Routinely and productively interacts with SFNRC scientists including biologists, ecologists, hydrologists, modelers and water quality specialists to analyze large scale data, interpret findings, and present results while providing feedback to SFNRC staff on the appropriateness of the proposed or employed data collection methods. 5. Designs and coordinates protocols and procedures necessary for data management, data integration, publication of data and metadata, and preserving and providing public access to scientific data. The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster. Salary Information GS-11 Step 1 $79,533 per annum to Step 10 $103,399 per annum. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level. This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Only experience and education obtained by 07/31/2026 will be considered. To qualify for this position, you must meet the (1) Basic Education Requirements AND (2) Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying. (1) Basic Education Requirements 1560 series: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, applicants must meet the Education Requirements described below: 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. OR 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. AND (2) Minimum Qualification Requirements GS-1560-11: A. Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-11, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience in the following: 1) Administers and manages a relational database and oversees the use of a natural resource science in Windows and Linux environments (using SQL/MySQL, Python, R, shell scripting, and/or other data science tools); and leads efforts to streamline data access and efficiency. 2) Develops data management protocols that preserve data integrity for a variety of purpose-built scientific databases (such as SQL/MySQL, Oracle, MS Access, and/or other database tools) and works with a relational database to develop routine automatic methods of data collection analysis or illustration. 3) Uses analytical and geo-statistical tools to examine spatial trends of a wide range of environmental, biological, and ecological data to solve many natural resources problems. 4) Routinely collaborates with biologists, ecologists, hydrologists, modelers and water quality specialists to analyze large scale data, interpret findings, and present results while providing feedback to natural resource staff on the appropriateness of the proposed or employed data collection methods 5) Designs and coordinates protocols and procedures necessary for data management, data integration, publication of data and metadata, and preserving and providing public access to scientific data. OR B. Education: Successful completion of at least 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree related to the position being filled. You must include transcripts. OR C. Combination: Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take education experience percentage. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify Must meet all. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR 575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive. A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Physical Demands: The employee works primarily in an office setting that requires some physical activity. The work is often sedentary, but field work occasionally requires some physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking over rough, muddy, uneven swampy terrain; recurring periods of bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching or similar activities; and recurring lifting of moderately heavy items weighing up to 50 pounds. Computer work is sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and use computers for long periods of time. Occasionally, the employee will be asked to accompany the team of field technicians and scientists to monitoring sites to gain an understanding of sampling conditions as part of the monitoring. Travel is sometimes required and working long days to attend meetings in the South Florida region might occur. The incumbent must possess a valid US driver's license. Working Conditions: The employee works in an office setting at the South Florida Natural Resources Center in Homestead Miami. There are occasional field visits, field trips, and sampling trips associated with work performed by Center scientists and/or agency partners in the Everglades National Park. These site visits result in environmental conditions that can be hot and humid and subject to biting insects. Driving and/or traveling in four-wheel drive vehicles over unimproved roads is possible, as is travel in boats and airboats. Flights in small fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters are also possible. Education This position has a mandatory education requirement. PROOF OF EDUCATION: All applicants who are using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify must submit copies of official or unofficial transcripts which include grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, institution name, and student name. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts. PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society. GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study. FOREIGN EDUCATION: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. Additional Information Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period (as applicable) during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: - your performance and conduct; - the needs and interests of the agency; - whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and - whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. The application contains information subject to the Privacy Act (P.L. 93-579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment, and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361. The duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster. Notice of Financial Disclosure Report Requirement: The position to which you will be appointed is subject to a financial disclosure reporting requirement and you will be required to complete a new entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days of your appointment.