Operations Research Analyst
The Building Technologies Office's goals include improving U.S. competitiveness through enhanced energy performance, energy security and resilience while reducing the carbon emissions related to homes and buildings, through the development and application of innovative and cost-effective technologies, practices and codes.
Duties
As a Operations Research Analyst you may:
- Apply mathematical and statistical theories, techniques and methods to the full range of analytical studies, projects and programs relating to energy performance, energy security and resilience.
- Perform scientific work that involves assisting in the designing, developing and adapting mathematical, statistical, econometric and other scientific method and techniques.
- Oversee complex technical analysis, including assessments of codes energy savings, cost, and environmental impacts, as well as ancillary benefits (e.g., additional health, resilience and environmental benefits).
- Prepare comprehensive reports of study results and presents results to the scientific community at professional meetings and conferences.
- Analyze the development, implementation, or evaluation of projects relating to energy efficiency approaches and programs including building analysis, technology planning, research, development, demonstration, and code policy strategies.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
- Subject to satisfactory security and suitability requirements.
- May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
- This position to be filled under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act direct hire authority.
- This position is eligible for remote work. If selected, it is required to sign a remote work agreement detailing remote working conditions and expectations for position. Work may only be performed from a location in the U.S.
- A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work. Current Federal employees or other individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check.
- This position has been designated as PUBLIC TRUST. A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work. Current Federal employees or others with an existing investigation may not be required to undergo another check.
- Hiring incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate based on budget availability and in accordance with federal regulations.
- This position is included in a Bargaining Unit.
Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
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. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS GS-13: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
- Performs scientific work the involves designing, developing or adapting mathematical, statistical and scientific method techniques in the field of energy performance or energy security and resilience. AND
- Analyzes the development, implementation, or evaluation of projects relating to energy efficiency approaches and programs including building analysis, technology planning, research, development, demonstration, and code policy strategies. AND
- Oversees or directs assessments of codes energy savings, cost or environmental impacts.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS GS-12: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience for this position includes:
- Coordinates high profile projects to align with the goals for decarbonizing America's buildings, including initiatives and competitions to rapidly scale technology validation and demonstration, market enabling, and technical assistance. AND
- Coordinates work by contractors and national laboratories in support of the building code integration work and makes recommendations to keep programs on track. AND
- Provides technical recommendations to peers and senior managers within the organization on data requirements, analytical methods, tools and techniques.
"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.
OPM Qualification Standards for the GS-1515 series can be found at the following website: Operations Research Series 1515 (opm.gov)
CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.
Education
This vacancy has a positive education requirement. Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible". Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.
Evaluation of Education:
The primary requirement of operations research work is competence in the rigorous methods of scientific inquiry and analysis rather than in the subject matter of the problem. Therefore, applicants should have sufficient knowledge of applied mathematics to understand and use the fundamental concepts and techniques of operations research methods of analysis. In addition, some positions may require knowledge of a specific subject area.
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. Courses in theory of probability and statistics are highly desirable, but are not specified as minimum educational requirements because to do so would possibly exclude some applicants who would otherwise be well qualified.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
This position is announced under a government-wide Direct Hire Authority (DHA) for positions filled under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the GS- 1515 series. Under this Direct-Hire authority, applicants are required to meet minimum qualification requirements at the grade level(s) of interest. Veteran's Preference, Schedule A, Category Rating, and other methods of consideration DO NOT APPLY under Direct-Hire Authority regulations.
Appointments made under this authority will be processed as new appointments to the Civil Service. Current Civil Service employees would, therefore, be given new appointments to the Civil Service. Current Federal employees may be required to serve a new probationary period (5 CFR 315.802(b).
If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.
Successful candidates will possess the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
- Planning and Evaluating
- Project Management
- Research
- Strategic Thinking
To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, clickhttps://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12538028.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete application package which includes:
- Your RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
- Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume.
- Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement. Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.
- Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable, DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information.
- Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.
Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
The application process is as follows:
- You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: USAJOBS Help Center - How to create a login.gov account
- To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
- Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation and submit your application.
- Applications will not be accepted after 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.
If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/
If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.
Agency contact information
Jes Welsh
Address
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy - Headquarters
P.O. Box 5088
Oak Ridge, TN 37831
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.
You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.
You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.