Statistician

Summary This is a senior statistician position with MSPB's Office of Policy and Evaluation. OPE conducts studies of Federal Government merit systems and human resources policies and practices. You will work individually and in teams to design research studies, manage administrative and survey data, and conduct statistical analyses for merit system study publications. Visit our webpage for more information about OPE research. Responsibilities At MSPB you will contribute to the full research cycle for multiple federal workforce studies (i.e. identifying research topics, defining study objectives, organizing and conducting the research, interpreting the results, and presenting the findings in the form of reports, presentations and other appropriate dissemination activities). This research may involve problems that are difficult to define; areas previously investigated but under different conditions; or involve adapting previous studies to address changes in theory or improved techniques and instrumentation. As a Statistician, you will manage, lead, and perform scientific work or provide professional consultation in applying statistical theories, techniques, and methods to gather, analyze, interpret, and/or report quantified information. You will serve as the OPE technical expert on advanced statistical methods and consult with colleagues and senior leadership on appropriate applications of techniques. You will also serve as a bridge to the broader statistical community, keeping abreast of evolving issues and methods and their application to OPE research. OPE has a wide range of statistical skill needs and we encourage individuals to apply for this position even if you are not currently an expert in each specific method. We do not expect you to know everything; however, we do expect you to be willing to lead our efforts in each of the areas below. This may involve seeking outside expert advice and training on statistical techniques for which you are not yet familiar. You will also provide expert advice and documentation of methods used in OPE research with external parties, as appropriate. Key responsibilities include: Initiate, plan, execute, and disseminate statistical studies on federal workforce issues. Develop and maintain research databases. Develop and maintain quality and control processes to ensure data accuracy and availability. Lead development and implementation of sampling designs for surveys of federal personnel. Communicate the strengths and weaknesses of various sampling strategies, perform power, weighting, and sampling error calculations. Lead efforts to address non-response bias and missing values. Assess the adequacy and quality of data used in analysis (e.g., removing inconsistent or invariant data and imputation). Prepare documentation of research methodologies and results. Conduct statistical analyses, including inferential statistics, multivariate methods, regression analysis, nonparametric data analysis, general linear models, and mixed effects models. Use common statistical packages, such as SAS, R, SPSS and/or Minitab. Write syntax and interpret output. Retrieve data from one or more large data sources and integrate administrative and survey data. Serve as a technical expert with respect to all phases of statistical interpretation. Develop and disseminate research findings in collaboration with senior research analysts. Provide technical advice to peers within and outside of the organization on statistical methods and techniques. Engage with statistical communities within and outside the federal government. Manage data security policies and practices. Adhere to Privacy Act and MSPB requirements to protect sensitive information. Assesses and recognizes own strengths and weaknesses; pursues self development. Fosters a workplace where civil conduct, collaboration, and individual differences are valued. IS THIS JOB FOR ME? This job might be for you if: This job might NOT be for you if: You like working on longer-term projects that have a broad impact on Government operations. You thrive in an environment where you can see the results of your work on a daily basis. You enjoy working on multiple projects at a time that cover a variety of topics. You like to pursue a line of research on the same topic over a long period of time. You enjoy writing for and presenting data to non-technical audiences such as Federal policy-makers, managers, and HR Specialists. You prefer writing for and presenting statistical information to technical audiences and other researchers. You like collecting information and spending time looking for patterns and interpreting what they mean. You prefer shorter-term projects of limited scope. You enjoy working both as a member of a team or individually. You prefer to always work alone or always on a team. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR 1530 JOB SERIES: 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. OR Combination of education and experience -- courses as shown 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. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, applicants must demonstrate the below. FOR THE GS-14 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-13 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Applying advanced statistical, survey, sampling, forecasting, trend analysis, and other quantitative methods to evaluate complex workforce, organizational, or public policy issues, including adapting methods and sampling protocols for novel analytical challenges. Managing statistical studies using large datasets, including primary data collection, method documentation, data integration and validation, trend and policy impact analysis, and statistically sound interpretation of findings. Serving as a statistical methods and workforce/survey data expert by advising stakeholders, explaining data limits and results, developing clear visuals and reports, maintaining data quality, security and privacy controls, and presenting findings to support decision-making. Note: There is no education substitution for this grade level. TRANSCRIPTS are required: This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified. You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university Desirable Qualifications: Experience with Federal personnel databases (e.g. the Office of Personnel Management's Business Intelligence tool or Enterprise Human Resources Integration data (EHRI)). Experience with other large complex databases. Knowledge of personnel and human resources concepts, programs, policies, and practices. Project Management - Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring, and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance. Experience providing technical advice on behavioral data related to theoretical approaches, methodologies, and analyses of public policy options. Education Please see above for education qualification requirement information. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. 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. CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100 to receive selection priority. First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc) should contact: View phone number on click.appcast.io. MSPB IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER and employment decisions are based on merit factors only. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in an employment decision by this agency, you have the right to seek counseling to resolve your complaint. You must do so within 45 days of the alleged discrimination action. If you desire to seek counseling, call the MSPB Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at View phone number on click.appcast.io. 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 here. Worksite Information: This position may be eligible to telework and for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. Additional information regarding ad hoc, occasional, or reoccurring telework may be obtained at a later time from the hiring manager or program during the hiring process.