Chief Data Scientist

Food Safety and Inspection Service•Washington, DC

About The Position

The Chief Data Scientist is in the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). OCIO has primary responsibility for FSIS information technology and information management. The role provides executive-level scientific and data-science leadership supporting food safety and public health programs. The Chief Data Scientist advises on scientific issues and leads or conducts comprehensive data-science lifecycle activities, statistical analyses, and integration studies across FSIS program areas. The position builds and maintains relationships with public health, food safety, data science and analytics, scientific communities, professional organizations, and academic institutions. It also serves as a liaison to nationally and internationally recognized authorities and organizations whose policies affect agency data infrastructure, analytics, and food safety and public health initiatives. The position supports coordination, evaluation, and improvement of data analytics and lifecycle processes used in policy development and scientific policy related to food safety and food defense. It reviews and scientifically evaluates proposed policies, procedures, regulations, and legislation affecting analytics integration and food safety and food defense programs, and collaborates with agency officials to ensure decisions and actions are supported by credible scientific data and address program and organizational needs.

Requirements

U.S. Citizen or National.
Meet the educational requirement: a baccalaureate-level major in mathematics, statistics, computer science, data science, or a directly related field; or 30 semester hours equivalent to such a major combined with additional education or appropriate experience.
Demonstrate executive, agency-wide leadership applying advanced analytics, statistical modeling, ML/AI, and scientific methodology.
Demonstrate executive-level expertise in architecting enterprise data platforms, leading cloud modernization initiatives, and directing large-scale data-engineering ecosystems supporting regulatory and scientific decision-making.
Submit a resume of no more than two pages, formatted with 0.8-inch margins and 11-point font, demonstrating applicable experience, education, accomplishments, and the mandatory technical qualifications.
Complete a one-year probationary period unless previously served.
Pass background investigation and/or fingerprint adjudication, E-Verify employment verification, and other applicable eligibility requirements.
Submit a financial disclosure report within 30 days of appointment and annually thereafter.
Meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements, including educational requirements, by the announcement closing date.

Responsibilities

Advise on scientific issues concerning the development, planning, coordination, and implementation of statistical analyses related to food safety and public health across FSIS program areas.
Conduct or direct the full data-science lifecycle, data analyses, and integration studies requiring detailed knowledge of food safety and public health.
Cultivate and maintain relationships with public health, food safety, data science and analytics, and scientific communities, as well as professional organizations and academic institutions.
Serve as liaison to nationally and internationally recognized authorities and organizations whose policies affect agency data infrastructure, analytics, and food safety and public health initiatives.
Support coordination, evaluation, and improvement of data analytics and lifecycle process models for policy development and scientific policies concerning food safety and food defense.
Review and scientifically evaluate new and proposed policies, procedures, regulations, and legislation affecting data analytics integration and food safety and food defense programs.
Collaborate with agency officials to ensure decisions and actions are supported by scientific, credible data and address the interests and needs of other programs and organizations.