Interdisciplinary Statistician (Economics )/Economist/Operations Research Analyst (Data Scientist)

Defense Human Resources Activity • Alexandria, VA

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

This position is part of the Defense Human Resources Activity (Personnel Readiness Management Agency). The incumbent serves in a developmental training interdisciplinary position as a Statistician (Economics), Economist, or Operations Research Analyst (Data Scientist) assisting in developing housing and cost-of-living allowances and providing support with managing certain aspects of the BAH, OHA, Overseas COLA, and CONUS COLA programs.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service: Applying advanced statistical, economic, or operations-research principles to analyze and evaluate allowance-program issues and provide technical expertise on allowance programs.
• Leading complex analytical projects involving the development or substantial revision of data-collection approaches, analytical techniques, or program-evaluation criteria.
• Developing, presenting, and defending recommendations and analytical methodologies for complex allowance-program issues before senior officials, stakeholders, oversight bodies, or other public-facing audiences.
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service: Conducting comprehensive analyses of complex data using advanced statistical, economic, or data-science analytical and evaluative methods, and developing recommendations based on the results.
• Modifying or adapting standard data-science and statistical techniques to address a range of analytical challenges, program issues, or policy questions.
• Planning and carrying out complex studies, documenting and justifying findings, and presenting results to technical and nontechnical audiences, including senior officials.
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service: Applying established statistical, economic, or data-science methods to analyze and evaluate data for routine projects or assignments.
• Independently using automated analytical tools, such as SQL, R, Python, or similar software, to extract, organize, and analyze information from complex data sources.
• Resolving conventional problems in data collection and analysis by applying established program methodologies, procedures, and regulations.
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service: Assisting with developmental assignments by applying statistical, economic, or data-science principles, methods, and techniques under guidance.
• Using automated systems and software, such as SQL, R, Python, or similar tools, to access, retrieve, organize, and review data from multiple sources.
• Assisting with research, interpretation, and evaluation of data using qualitative and quantitative analytical techniques for well-precedented assignments.
• Degree: economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.
• Combination of education and experience courses equivalent to a major in economics, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
• Degree: in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics, Engineering (usually Industrial Engineering), Science, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, or Management Science, optimization; mathematical modeling; queueing theory; engineering; physics (except descriptive or survey courses); econometrics; psychometrics; biometrics; experimental psychology; physical chemistry; industrial process analysis; managerial economics; computer science; measurement for management; mathematical models in social phenomena; and courses that involved application of operations research techniques and methodologies to problems of management, marketing, systems design, and other specialized fields; or other comparable quantitative analysis courses.
• At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.
• 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.
• Credit toward meeting statistical course requirements should be given for courses in which 50 percent of the course content appears to be statistical methods, e.g., courses that included studies in research methods in psychology or economics such as tests and measurements or business cycles, or courses in methods of processing mass statistical data such as tabulating methods or electronic data processing.
• Combination of education and experience courses as shown in A 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.
• Transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims must be provided.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service

Nice To Haves

• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.
• Master's or equivalent graduate degree.
• 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.
• Possess some specialized experience as described, but less than one year; and have more than one year of graduate level education as described, but less than two. When added, the percentage of the requirements that you meet must total at least 100%.
• Bachelor's degree w/Superior Academic Achievement or 1 year of graduate level education.
• Have some specialized experience as described, but less than one year; and I have some but less than one year of graduate level education as described. When added, the percentage of the requirements that you meet must total at least 100%.

Responsibilities

• Serves in a developmental capacity, assisting senior analysts in developing housing and cost-of-living allowances (BAH, OHA, COLA).
• With close supervision, analyzes housing and cost-of-living data to help produce rate recommendations.
• Assists in researching economic issues and reviewing data reports and statistical summaries to support rate suggestions.
• Helps prepare reports, memorandums, and allowance materials for publication and dissemination.
• Assists the team in responding to inquiries regarding allowance programs and survey results.
• Independently carries out recurring assignments to develop and analyze military housing and cost-of-living surveys.
• Analyzes statistical and economic data to produce allowance rate recommendations in conformance with accepted policies.
• Conducts in-depth reviews of data reports and statistical summaries, identifying and researching economic issues and facts for allowance determinations.
• Prepares recommendations, reports, and responses to customer inquiries on allowance programs with limited supervisory review.
• Designs and builds user-focused analytics to extract actionable information from diverse data sources to inform decision-makers.
• Plans and conducts a variety of complex studies on housing and cost-of-living programs, resolving difficult issues and interpreting policy.
• Independently analyzes and defends rate-setting methodologies and makes recommendations that have a significant impact on service members.
• Develops and refines analytical methods and procedures for data collection, validation, and the accomplishment of surveys.
• Serves as a technical resource, providing professional assistance and advice to the Department on allowance programs.
• Prepares and presents detailed briefings, complex analyses, and justifications for multiple audiences to defend findings and program recommendations.
• Serves as a senior analyst and subject matter expert responsible for the full lifecycle of developing, analyzing, and managing allowance programs.
• Leads the most complex and critical analyses of economic and statistical data, formulating and defending final rate recommendations for senior leadership approval.
• Presents and defends allowance programs and rate-setting methodologies against challenges and public scrutiny, representing the agency in high-level meetings.
• Develops and implements new analytical techniques and criteria to improve program effectiveness and advises management on long-range plans and objectives.
• Provides authoritative guidance and mentorship to junior analysts and coordinates with high-ranking officials across DoD, government agencies, and private sources.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level