Statistician

This position is in the Cybersecurity and Communications Reliability Division (CCR), Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) located in Washington, D.C.

RELOCATION EXPENSES WILL NOT BE PAID.  

THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL ADDITIONAL POSITIONS WITHIN 90 DAYS.

 

Qualifications:

Applicants must meet eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.  Current Federal employees asking to be considered under Merit Promotion procedures must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.  

Candidates must meet all of the specialized experience requirements outlined below in order to be deemed as qualified.

Basic Requirements:  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. 

In Addition to Basic Requirements:

Specialized Experience

GS-13 Specialized Experience:  Applicants must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service. For this position, specialized experience includes the following:   1) Experience applying traditional statistical techniques including sampling theory, survey design, regression analysis and data analysis.  2) Experience applying statistical methods used for analyzing the reliability of systems and networks (e.g., Markov modeling, Non-Homogeneous Poisson Process models, Poisson regression, censored data modeling and outage data analysis). 3) Experience in using new methods or adapting to alternative statistical methods used to collect security and reliability data, (e.g., utilizing software tools such as SAS, Mathematica, and SPSS to analyze communications data and make modifications to existing tools. 4) Experience performing data analytics on large datasets (e.g., 911 and communications networks used to improve communications security and reliability). 5) Experience communicating ideas, opinions, and technical information clearly, concisely and accurately both orally and in writing.

GS-14 Specialized Experience:  Applicants must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service. For this position, specialized experience includes the following:  1) Experience applying traditional statistical techniques including sampling theory, survey design, regression analysis and data analysis.  2) Experience applying statistical methods used for analyzing the reliability of systems and networks (e.g., Markov modeling, Non-Homogeneous Poisson Process models, Poisson regression, censored data modeling and outage data analysis). 3) Experience using new methods or recommending alternative statistical methods used to collect security and reliability data, (e.g., utilizing software tools such as SAS, Mathematica, and SPSS to analyze communications data and make modifications to existing tools. 4) Experience performing data analytics on large datasets (e.g., 911 and communications networks used to improve communications security and reliability). 5) Experience communicating ideas, opinions, and technical information clearly, concisely and accurately both orally and in writing.

GS-15 Specialized Experience:  Applicants must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service. For this position, specialized experience includes the following: 1) Experience applying traditional statistical techniques including sampling theory, survey design, regression analysis and data analysis.  2) Experience applying statistical methods used for analyzing the reliability of systems, networks, and correlated data (e.g., Markov modeling, Non-Homogeneous Poisson Process models, Poisson regression, censored data modeling and outage data analysis). 3) Experience developing new methods or altering existing statistical methods used to collect security and reliability data, (e.g., utilizing software tools such as SAS, Mathematica, and SPSS to analyze communications data and make modifications to existing tools.  4) Experience performing data analytics on large and diverse datasets (e.g., 911 and communications networks used to improve communications security and reliability).  5) Experience leading and mentoring junior statisticians through complex statistical reviews.  6) Experience reviewing, assessing, and advising on the effectiveness, technical adequacy, and suitability of the work and proposals performed by others to include resolving complicated and critical problems.

You will be evaluated for this position on the following Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other characteristics (KSAOs):

1.  Knowledge of principles, theories and techniques of applied statistical methods used to perform statistical studies of inferences related to reliability, resiliency, integrity and security of traditional and IP-based networks.

2.  Ability to apply statistical methods used for the analysis of hardware reliability, software reliability and network reliability, (e.g., Weibull analysis methods, Non-Homogeneous Poisson Process methods, Markov models for system reliability, analysis methods for censored data, Poisson regression models, and risk estimation methodologies.)

3.  Ability to communicate complex technical information in writing.

4.  Ability to communicate complex technical information orally.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: 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 can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Responsibilities:

Incumbent will serve as a statistical advisor and communications reliability subject matter expert, responsible for evaluating and analyzing communications network infrastructure and reliability data submitted under CCR’s information collection efforts, including but not limited to annual industry 911 certifications and reports submitted to both the Network Outage Reporting System (NORS) and Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS).

Applies a mastery knowledge of statistical theories, principles and techniques to a broad range of engineering disciplines, to include network architectures and internet design, optical networks and integrated voice/video/data networks as well as provides expert advice on statistical methods used for the analysis of hardware reliability, software reliability and network reliability, (e.g., Weibull analysis methods, Non-Homogeneous Poisson Process methods, Markov models for system reliability, analysis methods for censored data, Poisson regression models, and risk estimation methodologies).

Utilizes comprehensive knowledge and expertise in 911 systems and communications networks, particularly with a focus on the reliability and resiliency of technologies, methods and policies; provides expert skills in evaluating statistical data by applying mathematical or statistical tools, models, methods and techniques; functions as a technical consultant in the evaluation, redesign and data enhancements to databases and other relevant data activities.

Prepares recommendations, decision memoranda, notices of inquiry, notices of proposed rulemaking orders, correspondence, technical analysis, statistical reports, technical or engineering aspects of pending or future communications reliability issues; performs quantitative analysis and interpretation of results of data collected; oversees and directs the development, analysis, implementation and publishing of multiple studies; proposes, develops and implements projects to ensure communications networks are reliable, resilient and secure.

Serves on and/or leads interdisciplinary working groups directed to perform investigative analysis and original research with respect to critical communications policy issues that involve the evaluation of communications reliability, resiliency, integrity and security; recommends, establishes or modifies existing policies as it relates data trends and statistical analysis of network infrastructure and communications reliability.

Serves as a technical advisor; provides guidance to management and staff on the use of commercial computer software for conducting data analysis; performs ongoing evaluation of commercial computer software for its adequacy and applicability to CCR program application and recommends procurement as necessary; in the absence of commercial statistical programs, establishes his or her own statistical methodologies.

Makes presentations to technical and non-technical personnel which includes Agency senior managers, private industry and other federal government executives, data communication entities, as well as international organizations involved in communication reliability and related technology issues.