Office of Data Analytics

This position is for a Senior Statistician within the Office of Data Analytics (JD), Office of Inspector General (OIG), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The Office of Data Analytics serves as the OIG’s center for advanced analytical capabilities, providing data science, statistical analysis, and economic modeling expertise to support investigations, audits, and the OIG broadly, The Office of Data Analytics leverages cutting-edge analytical methods and technologies to detect and/or predict patterns of fraud, waste, and abuse, and evaluate program impact. The office maintains expertise in handling diverse transportation datasets-from financial and operational records to safety data, infrastructure metrics, and regulatory compliance information-transforming raw data into actionable insights that drive OIG’s oversight mission.

The incumbent serves as a senior statistician and recognized methodological authority responsible for defining and advancing the statistical standards, methods, and analytical strategies employed across OIG work products. The incumbent designs and directs statistically complex projects, resolves novel methodological questions across multiple projects, and makes authoritative determinations on analytical strategy at a level that establishes precedent for JD’s body of work. In collaboration with other senior JD staff, the incumbent serves as the OIG’s principal internal authority on statistical methodology, providing definitive consultation to audit teams, investigative staff, and analytical personnel across OIG headquarters and field offices, also representing JD’s statistical capabilities to external entities including DOT leadership, legal counsel, the Government Accountability Office, and congressional staff.

Duties are listed at the full performance level; if selected at a lower grade level, assignments will increase in complexity as you progress toward the target grade level., * Leading the design and validation of probability-based sampling frameworks for complex projects, including making and documenting trade-off decisions to ensure conclusions are statistically defensible.

• Developing and applying advanced statistical models (such as generalized linear models or predictive methods) to examine complex data, making independent judgments on model specification and validation.
• Designing reproducible analytical workflows in R or Python that ensure transparency and facilitate peer review for a project team.
• Serving as a statistical consultant on projects, independently advising teams on analytical strategy and interpreting results.
• Mentoring or providing technical direction to junior analysts on statistical methodology and programming best practices.
• Authoring and presenting detailed statistical findings and their limitations to diverse audiences, including senior leadership and external stakeholders., * Serving as the primary statistical authority for an organization’s complex projects, making final methodological decisions that set the standard for future work.
• Developing, reviewing, and approving statistical methodologies (such as sampling plans and predictive models) for other senior and junior analysts to ensure they meet office-wide quality and evidentiary standards.
• Directing the technical work of other statisticians, setting methodological expectations, and providing mentorship to develop the analytical capabilities of an office or team.
• Making authoritative, binding judgments on data quality and fitness-for-use that govern the evidentiary basis for findings.
• Developing novel statistical approaches to resolve difficult analytical challenges where standard methods are insufficient.
• Representing an organization as a statistical expert, defending analytical methods and findings to senior leadership, legal counsel, or external stakeholders., Competencies: Your resume and short answer responses will be evaluated on the following competencies in addition to the specialized experience as stated above:
• Statistical Design and Sampling Designs and implements probability-based sampling strategies and statistical analyses that produce defensible, well-documented results appropriate to the research question and data environment.
• Predictive Modeling and Inference Applies inferential and predictive statistical methods to draw sound conclusions from data, selecting approaches appropriate to the data structure and analytical objective.
• Technical Communication Clearly conveys statistical methods, results, and limitations in an approachable manner to non-statistical audiences through written products, visualizations, and briefings.
• Data Management and Security Ensures responsible handling of data throughout the analytical lifecycle, including quality assessment, documentation, and compliance with federal governance, privacy, and security requirements.
• Stakeholder Collaboration Partners across teams or organizations to align efforts and achieve shared strategic objectives.

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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment., Best qualified candidates will be responsible for arranging and paying for their own travel expenses in conjunction with any required interviews, unless they are already employed by the Office of Inspector General at the U. S. Department of Transportation.

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Transportation and its Operating Administrations from requesting an applicant’s criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Transportation by email at, careers@oig.dot.gov

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., All applicants: Your application will be reviewed in two phases to determine how you move forward in the hiring process., Resume (required) - Your resume must sufficiently describe how your experience fully meets the specialized experience requirements as stated in this announcement for each grade level(s) you are applying (see “Qualifications” section). **Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your qualifications. Your resume must also support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. Credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. We cannot assume you have performed the experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career. Resume must contain all of the following for each experience/position listed: job title, name of employer, beginning and ending dates of employment (month/year format), hours worked per week, detailed description of duties performed, and if a Federal position, series and grade or equivalent. We will not access web pages linked on your resume to determine your qualifications. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information.

For additional information see:

• USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?
• USAJOBS Help Center - Update your resume now so it meets new resume requirements

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL -Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation (documented within the last 18 months of employment) and 2) a list of any awards (e.g., superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last three years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is unavailable and indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at a satisfactory or above level.

CTAP/ICTAP - If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting minimum requirements for position and possesses a majority of competencies for the position (as listed in the Qualifications section), which is defined as 51% or more) and provide all the following documents:

• your most recent performance appraisal,
• the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and
• your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.

Displaced employees may be eligible for ICTAP or CTAP priority consideration. For more information, please review the OPM Employee’s Guide to Career Transition.

All required documentation must be provided by the closing date of the announcement.

For GS-12: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in Federal service performing (obtained in either the public or private sectors) listed below:

• Applying statistical methods, such as probability-based sampling, to support audits, evaluations, or investigations.
• Conducting inferential statistical analyses, such as hypothesis testing, regression analysis, or ANOVA, to identify trends and support findings.
• Managing the data lifecycle for analytical projects, including data cleaning, validation, and transformation, using reproducible workflows in R, Python, or Stata.
• Assessing the quality, validity, and reliability of datasets and documenting any limitations.
• Creating statistical visualizations, reports, and dashboards to communicate complex analytical results to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Serving as a statistical consultant to project teams, providing advice on analytical approaches and the interpretation of results.

OR Education to Qualify at the GS-12: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

-OR-

Combination of Education and Experience to Qualify at the GS-12: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above. Only a master’s or equivalent graduate degree may be used to qualify at this level. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation., Education: Education cannot be substituted for experience at the GS-13 grade level.

For GS-14: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service performing (obtained in either the public or private sectors) listed below, Education: Education cannot be substituted for experience at the GS-14 grade level., Mandatory Education Requirement:

• Degree: that included 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

Combination of education and experience

• • courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The experience should have included 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.

Transcripts Verifying Basic Education Requirement - You must submit unofficial or official transcripts verifying you meet the Basic Education Requirement. Ensure that the degree awarded and confer date are clearly stated on the transcript(s). You must provide documentation or proof that your degree(s) is from a school accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, or that your education meets the other provisions outlined in the OPM Operating Manual. If you completed your education outside of the U.S., you must provide proof its equivalent to accredited U.S. education programs.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration., Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.

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., Remote job No Telework eligible Yes-This position may be eligible for situational telework. Telework approval will be determined by your immediate supervisor or manager following the agency’s telework policy and guidance. If participating in the telework program, you will be required to sign a telework agreement detailing agency telework policy requirements, working conditions, and expectations for the position. Travel Required Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required. Relocation expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time Service Competitive Promotion potential 14 - The full performance level is GS-14. Job family (Series)

• 1530 Statistics

Supervisory status No Security clearance Not Required Drug test Yes Position sensitivity and risk Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk Trust determination process

• Suitability/Fitness
• National security