CHIEF DATA SCIENTIST.

Food Safety and Inspection Service; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Food Safety and Inspection Service is seeking a data science professional to advise on statistical analyses across FSIS programs, lead end-to-end data analyses, and support policy development with credible data.

The role requires collaboration with national and international authorities, development of data platforms, and evaluation of new regulations. Strong background in advanced analytics and public health data is preferred.

Qualifications

• Degree in math, statistics, CS, or data science at least bachelor’s level.
• Experience applying analytics and data science to policy or public health contexts is preferred.
• Ability to work in a government setting with emphasis on ethics and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Advises on statistical analyses for FSIS program areas across food safety and public health.
• Conducts data science lifecycle analyses and integration studies.
• Cultivates contacts in public health, data science, and academic communities to expand FSIS programs.
• Liaisons with national/international authorities affecting data infrastructure and analytics for food safety.

Skills

Advanced analytics

Statistical modeling

Data science lifecycle

Public health data

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Data Science or related field

Tools

AWS

Azure

Hadoop / Spark

Job description

Duties

• Advises on scientific issues pertaining to the development, planning, coordination, and implementation of statistical analyses of food safety and public health related to the full range of FSIS program areas.
• Conducts or directs full and comprehensive data science lifecycle, data analyses and performs integration studies that require detailed knowledge of food safety and public health issues.
• Cultivates and maintains contacts in the public health, food safety, data science/analytics, and scientific community, and with professional organizations and academic institutions, in an effort to complement and expand FSIS programs.
• Serves as the liaison with nationally and internationally recognized authorities and organizations whose policies impact the agency’s data infrastructure, analytics, and activities in support of food safety and public health initiatives.
• Supports in coordinating, evaluating, and improving the development and implementation of data analytics and the life cycle process model to support policy development and scientific policies as it relates to food safety and food defense.
• Reviews and scientifically evaluates new and proposed policies, procedures, regulations, and legislation that impact data analytics integration and food defense and safety programs.
• Collaborates with other Agency officials to ensure that decisions made and actions taken are fully supported by scientific and credible data and respond to the interests and needs of other programs and organizations.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• In accordance with Office of Government Ethics regulations concerning conflict of interest, the incumbent will be required to submit a financial disclosure report within 30 days of their effective date of appointment and annually thereafter.

Qualifications

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION (TQs)

Please give examples and explain the complexity of the knowledge possessed and the sensitivity of the issue you handled. The Mandatory Technical Qualifications are listed below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-14/15 grade level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector. Applicants must clearly demonstrate in their resume that they meet the following technical qualification(s). Failure to meet basic qualification requirements and to submit narratives for the Mandatory Technical Qualification factors will automatically disqualify an applicant.

TQ 1: Demonstrated ability to apply techniques in advanced analytics, statistical modeling, ML/AI, and scientific methodology at an executive, agency-wide leadership level.

TQ 2: Demonstrated executive-level expertise in architecting enterprise data platforms, leading cloud modernization initiatives, and directing large-scale data-engineering ecosystems that enable and strengthen regulatory and scientific decision-making across the organization.

Time in grade requirements does not apply to SL positions.

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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility (including educational) requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Education

• 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

• 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.

Additional information

Consideration for competitive selection for this position is open to all persons within the area of consideration who meet the basic qualifications. Race, color, age, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, political beliefs, religion, marital or family status, disability, and other non-merit factors will not be considered.

• This position is covered under the post-employment restriction of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). This law also requires the selectee to file an Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (Standard Form 278), within 30 days of appointment.
• Applications sent in U.S. Government postage-paid envelope and submitted through Federal Agency courier services will not be considered.
• The 1993 Hatch Act Reform Amendments prohibit oral and written political recommendations for Federal jobs.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with the Selective Service System before they can be employed by an executive agency of the Federal government. This requirement does not apply to Agency employees appointed before November 8, 1985.
• All application forms are subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act and become the property of USDA. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication or program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

Reasonable Accommodation

This agency provides reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency at 202-260-8128. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.

Effective January 1, 2010 …

Effective January 1, 2010, OPM must authorize any employment offers we make to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. 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.

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.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.