USFA Job Opportunity: Statistician



Job Title:
Statistician, GS-1530-12/13
Department: Department Of Homeland Security
Agency: Federal Emergency Management Agency
Job Announcement Number: MG-2011-91040-KJD-491169D/M
 
SALARY RANGE:
$74,872.00 – $136,771.00 /year
OPEN PERIOD:
Friday, June 24, 2011 to Thursday, July 07, 2011
SERIES & GRADE:
GS-1530-12/13
POSITION INFORMATION:
Full Time Career/Career Conditional
PROMOTION POTENTIAL:
13
DUTY LOCATIONS:
1 vacancy – Emmitsburg, MD
WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED:
US Citizens and Status Candidates


JOB SUMMARY:

When disaster strikes, America looks to FEMA. Now FEMA looks to you. Join our team and use your talent to support Americans in their times of greatest need. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) prepares the nation for all hazards and manages Federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. We foster innovation, reward performance and creativity, and provide challenges on a routine basis with a well-skilled, knowledgeable, high performance workforce.

You will serve in the National Fire Data Center, National Fire Programs Division, United States Fire Administration (USFA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Emmitsburg, MD.  In this position, you will be responsible for providing technical statistical and analytical support to USFA. You will initiate, formulate, plan and execute statistical studies.

PROMOTION POTENTIAL:  

Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval. 

EMERGENCY ASSIGNMENT: 

FEMA employees are subject to 24 hour on-call in the event of any emergency. This service may require irregular work hours, work at locations other than the official duty station, and may include duties other than those specified in the employee’s official position description. Travel requirements in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature (weeks to months), with little advance notice, and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites that require functioning under intense physical and mental stress.
Relocation expenses are not authorized for this position.
 
KEY REQUIREMENTS:

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to be considered for this position.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period of 1 year.
  • This position requires a Public Trust background check.
  • Occasional travel may be required.
  • Direct Deposit is mandatory.
  • Males born after 12/31/59 – Selective Service Registration required.
 
Specific Duties:

Reviews and analyzes fire incident information, organizing and presenting the data; Writes summary reports based on completed analysis for management and public; Designs and/or applies standard and customized computer techniques to data collection and statistical analysis; Serves as a technical consultant to fire programs specialists working on a broad range of studies and programs; Develops and maintains contacts with individuals responsible for related statistical services in federal, state and local governments.


QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Basic Requirements: You must meet either A or B to be qualified for this position at either grade level.

A.
Possess a degree that includes 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.

OR

B. Have a combination of education and experience — courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The experience includes 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.

Specialized Experience: 

In addition to meeting one of the above Basic Requirements, to qualify for this position at the GS-12 level you must possess one full year of specialized experience in a position performing statistical studies and providing written reports based on those studies.

To qualify for this position at the GS-13 level you must possess one full year of specialized experience in a position initiating, formulating, planning and executing statistical studies and providing written reports based on those studies to management and the public. 

Time-in-Grade Requirements:  

Status applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the Federal service.  

To be creditable, one (1) year is required at the GS-11 level for the GS-12 and at the GS-12 level for the GS-13.

All qualifications and grade equivalency requirements must be met within 30 calendar days of the closing date of this announcement.


SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS: 

This is a Public Trust position.  You will be required to pass a background and fingerprint check.
 
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
 
U.S. Citizens (DEU): We will review your resume and transcript{s), to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications based on the information provided and evaluate your relevant personal, educational, and work experiences as it relates to the specialized experience and KSAS required for the job for which you are applying.  Based on the results of this evaluation, you will be placed in one of three quality categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified and Qualified. Names of candidates in the Best Qualified Category will be sent to the hiring manager for employment consideration.
 
Status Candidates (Merit Promotion): To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire.  If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be given the minimum earned rating of 70 points and a maximum of 30 points may be awarded based on your responses to the questionnaire.  If you are found to be highly qualified based on your responses and a review of your resume, you will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.    
 
Veterans’ Preference: If you are entitled to veterans’ preference, you should indicate the type of veterans’ preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans’ preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. If you are entitled to veterans’ preference and qualified for the position, your name will be placed above qualified non-preference eligibles in your assigned category. Qualified veterans’ preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category depending on the position and grade level of the job. 

For information on entitlement see
http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx
  
INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ICTAP): Federal Career and Career-Conditional Displaced employees in the local commuting area who are rated well qualified, which is defined as one who meets the qualifications identified in this announcement and scores at least an 85 (prior to veteran’s preference being applied) on the application questions, will receive special selection priority.
 
SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR:  Experience writing reports based on statistical studies for management or the public. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA’s) measured in the questionnaire:

  1. Knowledge of and experience using, professional mathematical and statistical methodologies and techniques.
  2. Ability to conduct statistical studies and analyses.
  3. Knowledge of, and experience with, computer programs and software used in statistical analysis.
  4. Ability to effectively communicate in writing: including the ability to present technical information for use by lay audiences.
    To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click the following link:  View Assessment Questions
     
    BENEFITS:
    Our career opportunities feature the potential for performance-based increases, flexible hours, and the ability to achieve and maintain a balanced lifestyle.  Other benefits that may be available include a uniform allowance, health and wellness programs, fitness centers, and telework.  For more information on federal benefits, please visit www.usajobs.gov/jobextrainfo.asp#FEHB
     
    .
    OTHER INFORMATION:
    This announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies.
    VETERANS INFORMATION, EEO POLICY, AND REGISTRATION FOR SELECTIVE SERVICE can be obtained utilizing the links at the bottom of this announcement.
    CITIZENSHIP:  Agencies are permitted to hire non-citizens only in very limited circumstances where there are no qualified citizens available for the position.
    REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS:  For more information, please see the link at the bottom of this announcement and www.opm.gov/disability/reasonableaccommodation.asp.

     
    HOW TO APPLY:
    To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:
    1. Your Resume;
    2. A complete Occupational Questionnaire;
    3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section below).
    The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Thursday, July 07, 2011.
     
    To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Please ensure you click the Apply for this position now! button at the end of the process. You will be redirected to Application Manager, https://applicationmanager.gov/, to complete your application package. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. 
     
    Note: To check on the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.
     
    To fax supporting documents that you are unable to upload, complete this cover page, http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf using the following vacancy ID: 491169. Fax your documents to 1-478-757-3144.
     
    If you cannot apply online, you will need to:
    1. Click the following link to view and print the occupational questionnaire: View Occupational Questionnaire,
    2. Print the 1203FX form to provide your response to the occupational questionnaire: http://www.opm.gov./forms/pdf_fill/OPM1203fx.pdf, and
    3. Fax the completed 1203FX form (all 6 pages but do not include a Cover Page for this document) to: 1-478-757-3144.
    4. Print the fax cover page (http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf) and include with any supporting documents you fax (e.g. resume, transcripts, veterans documents, etc) to the same fax number in #3.
     
    Please do not complete steps 1 – 4 if you are applying on line. 
     
    If you upload your documents using Application Manager, DO NOT FAX the same documents. To verify uploaded documents have been processed, please wait one hour to ensure they have cleared the virus scan. You can verify that your uploaded documents are attached to your application by checking the Details tab of your Application Manager account (https://applicationmanager.gov/ for this vacancy announcement. You documents will be displayed under the Details tab in the Document area.
     
    Faxed documents will take 2-3 business days to process. To fax documents, you MUST use the special coverage page.  
    Print the pre-populated cover page on the uploaded documents screen of Application Manager or you may click this link: http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf to print a copy of the cover page. When faxing documents, follow the procedures outlined below.
    • Include the 8-character Vacancy Identification Number: 491169
    • Provide your Social Security Number and full name in the spaces provided or we will not be able to associate your document(s) with the rest of your application.
    • Fax your cover page and documents to 1-478-757-3144. 

    REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

    In addition to your Resume and complete Occupational Questionnaire: 
    Eligible veterans are encouraged to attach the latest report of Separation from Active Duty (DD-214) or other proof of honorable discharge or terminal leave status, when a DD-214 is not available.
    Applicants claiming 10-point preference based on a compensable disability, receipt of a purple heart, or preference for a spouse, widow/widower, or natural mother must complete and attach the SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference and the required proof as listed on the backside of the SF-15.  

    The SF-15 is available at: 
    http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf

    Current or former Federal civilian employees are encouraged to attach a copy of a non-award SF-50.

    Qualified handicapped individuals must submit proof of disability.

    If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal (at least “Meets or Exceeds,” or equivalent), proof of eligibility, and your most current non-award SF-50. 

    If you are qualifying based on education or a combination of education and experience or if the position has a positive education requirement, you are encouraged to provide a copy of your college transcript.

    Foreign Education:  to receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs.
     
    AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

    Kathy Delauter
    Phone: (800)879-6076
    TDD: (800)877-8339
    Email: KATHERINE.DELAUTER@FEMA.GOV
    Agency Information:
    DHS FEMA HCD Talent Acquisition and Processing
    16825 S Seton Ave
    Emmitsburg, MD 21727
     
    WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

    Once your complete application is received, you will receive correspondence indicating that your application has been received.  After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official.  If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. 
     

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