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Summary

CDC is establishing the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics (CFA). The functions of CFA are (1) Predict: Generating forecasts and analyses to support outbreak preparedness and response efforts, (2) Inform: Sharing timely, actionable information with the Federal government; STLT leaders, and the public, and (3) Innovate: Supporting research and development to improve outbreak forecasts and analyses. This position is located in the Predict Division.

Duties

This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date.

As a Data Scientist, you will:
  • Collaborate with staff to develop, implement, and interpret output from advanced analytic, computational, transmission-dynamic and/or predictive modeling tools
  • Apply advanced quantitative, computer science, mathematical, and/or statistical skills to collect, organize, analyze and/or interpret large and/or complex data sets
  • Collaborate with staff to define and develop statistical and advanced analytic methods and solutions for a variety of high-profile data science and modeling projects
  • Contribute to creating new analytic methods and/or modeling approaches or modify current methods and use state-of-the-art technology to achieve the desired results while ensuring the scientific integrity, reproducibility and validity of the outputs
  • Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Background Investigation is required.
  • E-Verify: If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System. Federal law requires DHS to use the E-Verify System to verify employment eligibility of all new hires, and as a condition of continued employment obligates the new hire to take affirmative steps to resolve any discrepancies identified by the system. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is an E-Verify Participant.
  • Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
  • One-year probationary period may be required.
  • Travel, transportation, and moving expenses may be paid: May be paid
  • Bargaining Unit Position: No
  • Drug Screening Required: No
  • Annual Leave for non-federal service may be authorized.
  • Promotion potential: Yes, If yes add: This position has promotion potential to GS-12. Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your meeting qualifications and time-in-grade requirements, demonstrated ability to perform the higher level duties, the continuing need for the higher level duties, and administrative approval. Promotion to the next grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied.
  • Supervisory position: No.
  • Public Trust/Moderate Background Investigation (5) is required

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:
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.

Minimum Qualifications for GS-09:
Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-07 in the Federal service as defined in the next paragraph.

Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the position which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of the position to include experience supporting a variety of scientific activities related to advanced modeling, computational, and/or statistical analyses.

Applicants must have experience conducting analyses using software and/or programming languages such as R, Python, MATLAB, Mathematica, C/C++ and/or Java.

Minimum Qualifications for GS-11:
Applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-09 in the Federal service as defined in the next paragraph.

Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the position which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of the position to include experience building and implementing analytic products using a variety of tools and a basic understanding of statistical analysis and programming techniques (e.g., R, SAS) and basic knowledge of statistical concepts to analyze data and provide insights.

Applicants must have experience conducting analyses using software and/or programming languages such as R, Python, MATLAB, Mathematica, C/C++ and/or Java.

Education Substitution:
GS-09: A Master's degree, two full years of graduate education, a J.D. or an LL.B. degree from an accredited college or university may substitute for experience required at this level.

GS-11: A Ph.D. or an equivalent doctoral degree, three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.M. degree may substitute for experience required at this level.

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.


Education

Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the education requirements. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications.

Additional information

Positions may be available in multiple locations across the United States, along with telework and remote opportunities, based on the hiring agency and the agency's remote/telework/virtual work policy.

The salary listed is Rest of U.S. (RUS); Locality pay will be adjusted to reflect location negotiated after selection. If selected, you will be required to sign a Statement of Understanding (SOU) for negotiable location requirements. For more information on locality and pay scales, please visit here.

Additional selections may be made within the same geographical location CDC-wide.

The utilization of shared certificates within multiple Centers of the Center of Disease Control and Prevention may be used from this vacancy announcement for specialties to include but not limited to: Applied Epidemiology, Behavioral Epidemiology, Chronic Diseases, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Environmental Health, HIV/AIDS, Immunization, Infectious Diseases (e.g. Viral, Parasitic, etc.), Influenza, Malaria, Non-communicable Diseases, Outbreak Investigations, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), Surveillance, Tropical Medicine, Tuberculosis (TB), Viral Hepatitis, and/or Zoonotic Diseases.

Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.

Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov).

For information on "People with Disabilities" please see http://opm.gov/disability/PeopleWithDisabilities.asp

Former and present Peace Corps personnel may be considered to fill vacancies. Peace Corps personnel are eligible for consideration if you have completed at least 36 months of continuous service, without a break in service of 3 days or more. This requirement is consistent with section 7(a) of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2506), which pertains to the appointment of Peace Corps staff (not volunteers) and is applicable within 3 years after separation from qualifying service with the Peace Corps. A copy of your SF-50 is required to support your request.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service. Current or Former Political Appointees: Submit SF-50.

Peace Corps Volunteers may be considered to fill vacancies. Executive Order 11103 provides eligibility for appointment in the competitive service for any person who is certified by the Director of the Peace Corps as having served satisfactorily as a Volunteer or Volunteer Leader under the Peace Corps Act and who passes such examination as the Office of Personnel Management may prescribe.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the application process is complete, a review of the resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. Category rating procedures will be used to rate and rank candidates.

The category assignment is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Qualified candidates will be ranked into one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified or Qualified. The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher).

In accordance with Executive Order 12564 of September 14, 1986, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is A Drug-Free Federal Workplace. The Federal government, as the largest employer in the Nation, can and should show the way towards achieving drug-free workplaces through programs designed to offer drug users a helping hand, and at the same time demonstrating to drug users and potential drug users that drugs will not be tolerated in the Federal workplace. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by Federal employees is inconsistent not only with the law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, but also with the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public. Applicants tentatively selected for this position may be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment and be subject to reasonable suspicion and post-accident drug testing upon hiring. If required to submit to urinalysis, the appointment to the position will be contingent upon a negative applicant drug test result. In order to demonstrate commitment to the HHS goal of a drug-free workplace and to set an example for other Federal employees, employees not in a testing designated position may volunteer for unannounced random testing by notifying their Drug-free Federal Workplace Program Point of Contact upon hiring.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics).
  • Data Management
  • Data Visualization
  • Partnering
  • Statistical Methods & Techniques
  • Technology Application

Required Documents

Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your résumé showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
  • Do not include the following types of information in your profile or resume:Classified or government sensitive information
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Photos of yourself
  • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
  • Encrypted and digitally signed documents
2. Other supporting documents:

  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Veterans Preference Documentation, if applicable
  • Transcripts (required)*
  • Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal).
If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form.

For more information on veterans' preference see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.

  • For USPHS Commissioned Corps Call-To-Active Duty (CAD) Candidates:In lieu of PHS Personnel Order (PHS-7063), submit an official copy of your USPHS CAD Medical and Professional Boarding notifications stating you are physically qualified and recommended for appointment.
  • Consideration is subject to Armed Forces Veterans Preference.

*Note: You may submit an unofficial transcript or a list of college courses completed indicating course titles, credit hours, and grades received. An official transcript from an accredited educational institution is required if you are selected for the position.

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

For Résumé and Application Tips visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Tips.