Data Scientist

Summary

The ideal candidate for this position will be a versatile Data Scientist skilled in Python, Esri/GIS tools, and complex data management/ETL. The candidate will apply advanced analytics, spatial analysis, and natural hazard risk modeling to drive FEMA Region 3 mitigation decisions and dashboards.

Duties

What will I do in this position if hired? In this position, you will serve as a Data Scientist. Typical assignments include: Advanced Data Science, Spatial Analysis, & Risk Modeling: Compiles and performs expert statistical, machine learning, and geospatial analysis across structured, unstructured, and spatial datasets to model and assess natural hazard risks, evaluate mitigation programs, and support disaster operations and leadership decision-making. Data Engineering, Automation, & Workflow Development: Designs, codes, and automates repeatable data pipelines, ETL workflows, and data wrangling processes using Python, SQL, R, and cloud data platforms (e.g., Databricks, FEMA Dex) to integrate, clean, and standardize complex multi-source datasets. GIS & Business Intelligence Tool Development: Develops, deploys, and maintains interactive dashboards, web applications, and geospatial data products using Esri/GIS tools (ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, Arcade) and business intelligence platforms (Power BI, Power Platform, Tableau) to track grant programs, flood compliance, and disaster recovery metrics. Data Management & Governance: Establishes and maintains regional data governance policies, quality control tests, metadata completeness, and spatial data standards across Mitigation Systems of Record, SharePoint, and GIS portals to improve consistency and reduce manual effort. Technical Advisory & Cross-Branch Collaboration: Serves as the Mitigation Division's technical advisor on emerging analytical technologies, AI-enabled systems, and data architecture; collaborates with branch stakeholders (HMA, FMI, CRAIG, EHP, Risk Analysis) to gather requirements and translate complex technical findings into actionable briefings for senior leadership. What else do I need to know? At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters, and every employee at FEMA has a role in emergency management. Every FEMA employee has regular and recurring emergency management responsibilities, though not every position requires routine deployment to disaster sites. All positions are subject to recall around the clock for emergency management operations, which 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 with physically austere and operationally challenging conditions.

Qualifications

Current Federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the Federal service. The qualification requirements listed below must be met by the closing date of this announcement. To qualify for this position at the GS-13 level, you must possess one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal government, which has equipped you with the skills needed to successfully perform the duties of the position. Experience may be obtained in the federal government, a state or local government, or private sector, and must demonstrate the following: Utilizing programming languages (such as Python, R, or SQL), Geographic Information Systems (such as Esri ArcGIS Pro or ArcGIS Online), and business intelligence platforms (such as Power BI, Tableau, or Databricks) to manage, clean, and integrate complex or large structured, unstructured, and spatial datasets; AND Developing automated data pipelines (ETL), interactive dashboards, and geospatial products; AND Applying advanced statistical, machine learning, or geospatial modeling techniques (such as natural hazard risk assessment or program evaluation) to provide data-driven recommendations to leadership. In addition to the minimum qualifications described above, you must meet the following requirement(s) to be considered qualified for the position (unofficial transcripts are required at the time of application): Degree: 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 Combination of education and experience: 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. Please read the following important information to ensure we have everything we need to consider your application: Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. Please limit your resume to two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages. Your resume serves as the basis for experience related qualification determinations, and you must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable), as it relates to this job opportunity. Please use your own words, be clear, and specific when describing your work history. We cannot make assumptions regarding your experience. Are you qualifying based on your work experience? Qualifications are based on your ability to demonstrate in your resume that you possess one year of the specialized experience for this announcement at a comparable scope and responsibility. To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, it must contain the following information organized by experience/position: (1) job title, (2) name of employer, (3) start and end dates of each period of employment (from MM/DD/YY to MM/DD/YY), (4) detailed description of duties performed, accomplishments, and related skills, and (5) hours worked per week (part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience). Federal experience/positions must also include the grade level, occupational series and dates in which you held each grade level. Are you a current or former FEMA Reservist/DAE employee? To accurately credit your experience from intermittent positions and Reservist Deployments, you must list the dates (from MM/DD/YY to MM/DD/YY) of deployments that are relevant to your qualifying experience, along with the job title and specific duties you were responsible for during each deployment. Determining length of General or Specialized Experience is dependent on the above information. Failure to provide the above information in your resume may result in your application being found "not qualified." 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 provides valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. For additional information on crediting experience and/or education, please reference the OPM General Schedule Qualification Standards

Education

Positive Education Requirement: This position has a positive education requirement, as outlined in the "requirements" section. You must submit a copy of your transcripts (unofficial are acceptable) with your online application. Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide official college transcripts. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. For example, specific courses accepted for college-level credit by an accredited U.S. college or university, or foreign education evaluated by an organization recognized for accreditation by the Department of Education as education equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. college or university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. Visit the Department of Education's Recognition of Foreign Qualifications for more information.

Requirements

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo, successfully pass, and maintain a background investigation for a Moderate Risk/Public Trust clearance as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check after initial job qualifications are determined, a review of financial issues, such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs (please visit: Mythbuster on Federal Hiring Policies for additional information). For more information on background investigations for Federal jobs please visit OPM Investigations. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Please ensure you meet the qualification requirements described below. Key Requirements: You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position. You must successfully pass a background investigation. Selective Service registration required. Current federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements. You must be able to obtain and maintain a Government credit card. You must be able to deploy with little or no advance notice to anywhere in the United States and its territories for an extended period of time. Please review the Additional Information section for additional key requirements.