Interdisciplinary (Transportation Research Analyst) Direct-Hire

National Transportation Safety Board • Washington, DC

21h • Onsite

About The Position

This position is in the Safety Research Division, Office of Research and Engineering, at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The incumbent serves as an interdisciplinary general engineer, data scientist, or statistician, planning and conducting transportation safety studies and evaluating the effectiveness of transportation safety programs and countermeasures.

At the GS-11 level, the analyst plans and conducts transportation safety studies, special studies, program evaluations, and analytical projects addressing safety programs, countermeasures, regulations, standards, policies, and technologies. The analyst develops analytical products to help investigators and agency staff assess accident circumstances, contributing factors, safety issues, and emerging risks, using aggregate data and statistical analysis. The role also involves complex quantitative and qualitative analysis of aggregate transportation safety data and research studies, including the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence, and preparing customized analyses and supporting documentation for agency responses, briefings, and stakeholder requests.

At the GS-12/13 levels, duties may also include interpreting results, identifying risks and emerging issues, and developing findings and conclusions that inform agency safety recommendations and priorities. The analyst may apply specialized research designs and aggregate-data methods to support investigations across three or more transportation modes; lead analyses of safety risks, trends, interventions, countermeasures, and systemic issues; provide technical advice at agency public meetings, hearings, and forums; and represent the agency at conferences, technical panels, working groups, task forces, and interagency discussions.

The position is not eligible for remote telework, though ad-hoc or situational telework may be available under agency policy. The position is eligible for alternate work schedules and flextime. A one-year probationary period may apply. The role requires a background security investigation and may require annual confidential financial disclosure. Permanent-change-of-station moving expenses are not authorized; a relocation or recruitment incentive may be offered to highly qualified candidates.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship.
• Meet the basic qualification requirements and the individual occupational requirements for the applicable occupational series.
• For GS-11, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9, three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or a qualifying combination of education and experience.
• GS-11 specialized experience includes assisting with research studies through literature searches and reviews in transportation safety, injury prevention, or a closely related safety field; collecting, organizing, cleaning, and validating datasets; conducting statistical analyses using Python, R, or SQL under guidance; and contributing to reports, data summaries, or presentations for technical and non-technical audiences.
• For GS-12, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11, including applying established study designs, research methodologies, and statistical techniques to components of research projects; collecting, organizing, and analyzing data using Python and/or R and SQL; and communicating findings clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• For GS-13, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12, including independent transportation safety research and statistical work; applying research designs, methods, and statistical techniques; using data science methods with Python and/or R and SQL; and communicating findings, insights, and safety recommendations clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• For GS-801, meet the professional engineering education requirement or a qualifying combination of education and experience, such as applicable engineering coursework, registration or licensure, passing the Fundamentals of Engineering examination, or qualifying related education and engineering experience.
• For GS-1530, meet the degree requirement including 15 semester hours in statistics (or mathematics and statistics, with at least 6 hours in statistics) and 9 additional semester hours in specified relevant fields, or a qualifying combination of education and professional statistical experience.
• For GS-1560, hold a degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science, data science, or a directly related field, or have equivalent major-field coursework combined with additional education or appropriate experience.
• Meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the announcement closing date and submit a resume and required supporting documents. The resume must be no more than two standard single-sided pages.
• If applicable, male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered under the Military Selective Service Act.
• Meet suitability requirements for Federal employment and successfully complete a background security investigation with favorable adjudication.
• Direct deposit is required. The position may require completion of a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-450) upon entry and annually.
• Financial interests in transportation enterprises will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• The appointee may be subject to a one-year probationary period unless they have previously met the applicable requirements.
• Education used to meet qualifications must be from an appropriately accredited institution. Foreign education must be evaluated as equivalent to education from an accredited U.S. institution or receive full credit at an accredited U.S. college or university.

Responsibilities

• Plan and conduct transportation safety studies, special studies, program evaluations, and analytical projects involving safety programs, countermeasures, regulations, standards, policies, and technologies.
• Develop analytical products using aggregate data and statistical analysis to help agency staff evaluate accident circumstances, contributing factors, safety issues, and emerging risks.
• Conduct complex quantitative and qualitative analyses of aggregate transportation safety data and research studies, including using machine learning and artificial intelligence.
• Prepare customized data and statistical analyses and supporting documentation for official agency responses, briefing materials, and analytical summaries requested by internal and external stakeholders.
• At GS-12/13, interpret study results, identify safety risks and emerging issues, and develop findings, conclusions, and analyses that contribute to safety recommendations and transportation safety priorities.
• Apply specialized research designs and aggregate-data analysis methods to support transportation accident investigations in three or more transportation modes.
• Plan, conduct, and lead analyses of aggregate data to identify safety risks and trends, evaluate interventions and countermeasures, and examine systemic transportation safety issues.
• Provide expert advice and serve as a technical resource at agency public meetings, hearings, and forums.
• Represent the agency at transportation safety conferences, technical panels, working groups, task forces, and interagency discussions involving safety data, statistical analysis, and research.

Benefits

• Paid vacation
• Sick leave
• Paid holidays
• Alternate work schedules
• Telework on an ad-hoc or situational basis, subject to agency policy
• Flextime
• Fitness benefits
• Transit benefits
• A relocation or recruitment incentive may be offered to highly qualified candidates

What This Job Offers

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