2022 Data Sci/Product Manager Supervisory Hires

USGS Water Mission Area 2022 Supervisory Cluster Hires

The U.S. Geological Survey Water Mission Area is hiring two supervisory Data Scientists and one supervisory Water Information Product Manager. All three positions are full-time, permanent federal positions. Apply online at USA Jobs, where the positions will open and applications will be accepted 09/12/2022 to 09/16/2022, but the position may close early if there are more than 80 applicants. In that case, the vacancy will close at 11:59 PM ET on the day when that threshold is passed (all applications received before that time will be considered). For all positions, an unofficial transcript and detailed resume summarizing job qualifications and relevant skills is needed. We will continue to update this page with information, including direct links to the vacancies as soon as they are available.

USAjobs Job link and announcement number:

• 3 Openings for GS-13: _USGS-SAC-22-11629131-DHA-VN Supervisory data-intensive team lead_ (remote job)

We will be hosting an informational webinar on Monday September 12th, 2022 at 4:30-5:30 pm CT. Join the Microsoft Teams Live Event at this link.

For additional information, please follow the USGS Data Science Twitter feed (@USGS_DataSci) or reach out to hiring managers jread@usgs.gov (Jordan Read he/him) or eread@usgs.gov (Emily Read she/her).

Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and Transparency

The federal hiring process is complex, but we don’t want that to be the reason you don’t apply. Research shows that women and people of color are less likely to apply for a position if they do not meet almost 100% of the desired skills and experience. Please note that this is not necessary! If you meet the minimum requirements and have the passion for the work, you are encouraged to apply. We can provide on-the-job training for the rest.

We are committed to inclusive hiring practices that build a healthy workplace where diversity is our strength and everyone has the support they need to succeed. That starts right now, with us lifting the veil on the confusing process of applying for federal jobs. We especially encourage you to apply if you are BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, have a disability, or are of any marginalized identity. Please read below for details on how the application process works.

Positions

Applicants will apply to a single position, which puts them in consideration for any of three of the supervisors we will be hiring. You can clarify your interest(s) in one or more of the positions in a cover letter but this is not required. These jobs will use the Biologist, Physical Scientist, and Mathematical Statistician job series, so applicants must be able to show they meet the educational requirements for these series to be considered for the position(s).

Supervisory Data Scientists

We are seeking two GS-13 supervisory data scientists to help us advance efforts in Data Visualization, Web Analytics, Reproducible Data Assembly, and Machine Learning. These positions will be in the Data Science Branch (hiring manager Jordan S Read; jread@usgs.gov). These four primary capabilities will be restructured to fit into two teams (two capabilities in each) which will be supervised by these two new positions. Read more about these capabilities in our recent data science branch blog post. Supervisors will oversee between 4 to 7 federal employees and will have responsibilities for future hiring and creating a forward-looking vision for their teams. Supervisors will also work on data science projects. The location of the duty station for the supervisor is negotiable and is compatable with remote work.

Supervisory Product Management and Communications Lead

We are seeking one GS-13 supervisor to help us advance water information product management and communications for the U.S. Geological Survey. Positions will be in the Web Communications Branch (hiring manager Emily K Read; eread@usgs.gov). This position will supervise a cross-functional team that includes product owners, technologists, and communications experts. The team sets the vision for products that make high quality water information discoverable, accessible, and usable for everyone through web applications and APIs; and communicates, educates and engages stakeholders and users of USGS information. The team is committed to government tech innovation, working in the open, user-centered design, and agile methodology. See 2021 blog post on how this team works. The location of the duty station for the supervisor is negotiable and is compatable with remote work.

In the coming months, a second supervisory position in the Web Communications Branch will be posted. This forthcoming role will oversee software development for water information delivery products, and will be complimentary to the Product Management and Communications Lead within the branch. Learn more about our tech stack and software development within the branch in this blog. Stay tuned for more information on this role.

Additional Information

The Process

Calculating the value of the job

General Schedule Grades – The pay and responsibilities of these Federal jobs are defined by general schedule (GS) Grades, which are roughly equivalent to the levels concept used elsewhere. The positions will be advertised at GS-13.

Pay – Salary bands are started at the Nation-wide GS Base Pay Scale and then adjusted for location. To find what salary band you’d be looking at, search “GS 2021 Salary Table + {{ Your location }}" and look at Grade 13. The “steps” in the grade are intermediate performance-based pay increases between grades. Typically, new hires into the federal government start at “Step 1”.

Benefits – These positions include health and life insurance, 5% retirement match, 11 federal holidays, 13 sick days + 13 vacation days per year, paid parental leave, and accrual of federal service to count towards a pension (typically an additive 1% of the average of your highest 3 years of salary for each year of service). See USGS human resources pay and benefits page for more details.

Intangibles - If the mission of public service towards advancing environmental science communication and data delivery resonates with you, there will be no shortage of energy and motivation available when working with great colleagues on these challenges. Likewise, a flexible schedule and emphasis on work life balance are important components to work at the USGS.

Applying for the job

Creating a USA Jobs account - These federal positions will be posted and filled using public vacancy announcements on usajobs.gov. If you are remotely interested in applying to any of the positions mentioned here or elsewhere, get ahead by creating an account as soon as you can. Having an active account will allow you to set up job filters and get a jump start on getting your application materials together.

Qualifying for the GS-13 grade - We recognize that individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and different experiences will be able to excel at these jobs. That said, federal pay grades have requirements that applicants must meet for the system to pass you on to the pool that we can then review. We CAN’T STRESS THIS ENOUGH: see USGS tips for combining graduate education and experience and spell out how you meet the grade and job series qualifications. I’ve seen people attach an additional document to the hiring package that makes this math clear to HR. We will be advertising a combination of Biologist, Physical Scientist, and Mathematical Statistician job series.

• GS-13 – One year of appropriate professional experience that is in or directly related to the duties of the position to be filled is qualifying if it is equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service, and if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Specialized experience - We’re using USGS’s direct hire authory (DHA) to post public positions and see a wide candidate pool. We expect a lot of applications and are planning on interviewing lots of people. By using DHA we will be able to consider any candidate who meets the minimum educational and work experience for the job series (see above) and the Specialized Experience that we’ve defined for the role.

• Required specialized experience for GS-13 Supervisory hires: Demonstrated experience analyzing and communicating findings from large and/or complex datasets. Experienced working with analysis, modeling, or software code development. Experience working on interdisciplinary teams. A demonstrated ability to organize the work of others and contribute to effective planning and execution of project deliverables.

Specialized Experience includes the demonstration of specific skills for a minimum of one year, so make sure to be explicit about how you’ve met these requirements in your resume.

Materials – You’ll need a resume and educational transcripts (unofficial are OK). Again, to make sure HR can see that you’re qualified, make sure your resume explicitly ties your experience to each of the qualifications listed for the grades you are applying for and also the Specialized Experience section.

Application Window – The application window will be open on USA Jobs from 09/12/2022 to 09/16/2022, but the positions may close early if there are more than 80 applicants. In that case, the job vacancy will close at 11:59 PM ET on the day when the 80 applicant threshold is passed (all applications recieved before that time will be considered). This window is really, really short, so don’t delay submitting an application if you are interested.

Timeline – After the application window closes, HR combs through applications and filters for candidates who meet the GS Grade qualification and specialized experience. Then they’ll pass on that entire list to the hiring managers – in this case, Jordan Read and Emily Read. The hiring managers will contact all the qualified candidates for additional information and will set up interviews, visits, or writing/code requests. From there, they will refer a selected candidate to HR, and HR will extend an offer. After HR makes an offer, that is your chance to negotiate the offer and ultimately accept or reject it. Once negotiations are done and you accept the offer, HR will perform a background check. Then you agree to a start date and at that time your employment at the USGS begins!

Common Questions

Q: Is this open to non-U.S. citizens?

A: You must be a U.S. citizen or national (residents of American Samoa and Swains Island) to work for the Federal Government, but there are some exceptions. More information here: https://usajobs.gov/help/working-in-government/non-citizens/

Q: Should I use my CV/resume or the USAjobs template?

A: Either is fine. Whichever format you choose, we recommend taking time to explicitly spell out how your experience meets the qualification requirements for the job series, GS level, and specialized experience.

USGS tips on combining education and experience

Job series qualifications for Biologist (job series 0401), Physical Scientist (job series 1301), and Mathematical Statistician (job series 1529)

Q: I am a student graduating after the application window closes, can I still apply?

A: Yes. As long as you will meet the educational requirements, or combined education and experience qualifications. For all positions, the earliest start date will be after October 1st.