Data Scientist
What you'd do
This is a Data Scientist, GS-1560-11 working in Homestead, Florida in the Everglades National Park. Experience Your America and build a fulfilling career by joining the National Park Service (NPS). Join our mission to connect with our past and create important connections to the future by building a rich and lasting legacy for the next generation of park visitors, supporters and advocates. To find out more about the National Park Service visit: https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/index.htm
Major duties
This position is located within the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Everglades National Park, South Florida Natural Resources Center - SFNRC in Homestead, Florida. The major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following: 1. Administers and manages a relational database and oversees the use of the South Florida Natural Resources Center (SFNRC) database system and leads efforts to streamline data access and efficiency 2. Develops data management protocols that preserve data integrity for a variety of purpose built databases under the SFNRC database system framework and works with a relational database to develop routine automatic methods of data collection analysis or illustration. 3. Uses analytical and geo-statistical tools to examine spatial trends of a wide range of environmental, biological, and ecological data to solve many natural resources problems within the Everglades National Park. 4. Routinely and productively interacts with SFNRC scientists including biologists, ecologists, hydrologists, modelers and water quality specialists to analyze large scale data, interpret findings, and present results while providing feedback to SFNRC staff on the appropriateness of the proposed or employed data collection methods. 5. Designs and coordinates protocols and procedures necessary for data management, data integration, publication of data and metadata, and preserving and providing public access to scientific data. The National Park Service has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework only during an emergency or natural disaster. Salary Information GS-11 Step 1 $79,533 per annum to Step 10 $103,399 per annum. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level. This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.
What you need to qualify
Only experience and education obtained by 07/31/2026 will be considered. To qualify for this position, you must meet the (1) Basic Education Requirements AND (2) Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying. (1) Basic Education Requirements 1560 series: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, applicants must meet the Education Requirements described below: A. 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 B. 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. AND (2) Minimum Qualification Requirements GS-1560-11: A. Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-11, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience in the following: 1) Administers and manages a relational database and oversees the use of a natural resource science in Windows and Linux environments (using SQL/MySQL, Python, R, shell scripting, and/or other data science tools); and leads efforts to streamline data access and efficiency. 2) Develops data management protocols that preserve data integrity for a variety of purpose-built scientific databases (such as SQL/MySQL, Oracle, MS Access, and/or other database tools) and works with a relational database to develop routine automatic methods of data collection analysis or illustration. 3) Uses analytical and geo-statistical tools to examine spatial trends of a wide range of environmental, biological, and ecological data to solve many natural resources problems. 4) Routinely collaborates with biologists, ecologists, hydrologists, modelers and water quality specialists to analyze large scale data, interpret findings, and present results while providing feedback to natural resource staff on the appropriateness of the proposed or employed data collection methods 5) Designs and coordinates protocols and procedures necessary for data management, data integration, publication of data and metadata, and preserving and providing public access to scientific data. OR B. Education: Successful completion of at least 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree related to the position being filled. You must include transcripts. OR C. Combination: Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. To combine education and experience, first take education experience percentage. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify Must meet all. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR 575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive. A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate. Physical Demands: The employee works primarily in an office setting that requires some physical activity. The work is often sedentary, but field work occasionally requires some physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking over rough, muddy, uneven swampy terrain; recurring periods of bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching or similar activities; and recurring lifting of moderately heavy items weighing up to 50 pounds. Computer work is sedentary, which entails the ability to concentrate and use computers for long periods of time. Occasionally, the employee will be asked to accompany the team of field technicians and scientists to monitoring sites to gain an understanding of sampling conditions as part of the monitoring. Travel is sometimes required and working long days to attend meetings in the South Florida region might occur. The incumbent must possess a valid US driver's license. Working Conditions: The employee works in an office setting at the South Florida Natural Resources Center in Homestead Miami. There are occasional field visits, field trips, and sampling trips associated with work performed by Center scientists and/or agency partners in the Everglades National Park. These site visits result in environmental conditions that can be hot and humid and subject to biting insects. Driving and/or traveling in four-wheel drive vehicles over unimproved roads is possible, as is travel in boats and airboats. Flights in small fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters are also possible.
Before you apply
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