Entry Level Operations Research Analyst Jobs in Washington, DC

Summary
This position is part of the Defense Human Resources Activity. The incumbent will collaborate with team members to plan and execute the full analytic lifecycle. Must also be able to help design and build user focused analytics. Must possess curiosity, creativity, flexibility, focus, and attention to detail while working with partners throughout the enterprise and Department.
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Duties
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As a Operations Research Analyst at the GS-1515-13 some of your typical work assignments may include:

• Perform advanced data analytics and modeling for assigned projects under the general direction of senior analysts or the supervisor, applying established analytical techniques to defined problems.
• Design, build, and maintain data pipelines and analytic tools, following established data engineering standards and reproducibility practices.
• Develop user-focused analytics and decision-support products to inform PRMA decision makers and policy analysts, with review by senior staff.
• Engage with stakeholders to clarify analytic requirements, prepare briefings, reports, and visualizations, and communicate results for assigned projects.
• Contribute to the management of a research portfolio-including cyber workforce and installation mapping analyses-by supporting project planning, tracking, and reporting, and assisting senior staff in evaluating new tools and methodologies.

Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• 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
• Work Schedule: Full Time
• Overtime: Occasionally
• Tour of Duty: Flexible
• Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
• Financial Disclosure: Required
• Telework Eligibility: This position is telework eligible

Qualifications
You may qualify at the GS-13, if you fulfill the following qualifications:
A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service:

• Experience applying advanced data analytics, statistical modeling, and machine learning techniques (e.g., regression, clustering, NLP) to support organizational decision-making, under the guidance of senior staff.
• Experience contributing to the analytic lifecycle, including data ingestion, preparation, feature engineering, modeling, validation, and delivery of results for assigned projects.
• Experience designing, building, and maintaining data pipelines and analytic tools, including the use of version control software (e.g., GitLab) to ensure reproducibility and documentation.
• Experience engaging with stakeholders to clarify analytic requirements and communicating results through briefings, written reports, and data visualizations (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
• Experience contributing to the management of analytic projects or research portfolios, including planning, tracking, and reporting on project progress.

B. A Bachelor's Degree or higher: 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. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.
NOTE: Courses acceptable for qualifying for operations research positions may have been taken in departments other than Operations Research, e.g., Engineering (usually Industrial Engineering), Science, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, or Management Science. The following are illustrative of acceptable courses: 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 for which college- level mathematics or statistics is a prerequisite.
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, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 1515 series.
*NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.
Education
ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims.
All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.
GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
Foreign education may be qualifying if a private organization specializing in interpreting foreign education programs has deemed the foreign education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program or a U.S. accredited college or university has given full credit for the foreign courses.
Unofficial transcripts from U.S. Department of Education accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions listing your name, the name of the school, the date and degree awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned are acceptable for the application process. If selected, official transcripts are required before a firm job offer is made. A photocopy of your degree/diploma is not acceptable.
When relying on foreign education, submit transcripts and a copy of the equivalency evaluation results letter with a course-by-course listing. Documents must be in English or include an English translation. The hiring employer for this position does not evaluate degrees from foreign colleges or universities. For further information, visit: Foreign Education
Additional information
Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs: This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; Well qualified is defined as possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds the positions minimum qualifications. and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility.
For more information: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements:
Persons with Disabilities - Schedule A
Special Hiring Authority for Veterans
Special Hiring Authority for Certain Military Spouses
Other Special Appointment Authorities - Subpart F
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/register/)
The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews, and once the selection is made, you will receive a notification of the decision.
NOTE: Declining to be interviewed or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a declination for further consideration for employment against this vacancy.
Selective Service Requirement: Please visit http://www.sss.gov for more information.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo%2012-1-2020.pdf?ver=ECNbdsHtGilTd3OENN4A0Q%3d%3d
Re-employed Annuitant: This position does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at:
https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf
Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).
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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.
Benefits
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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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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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.