Computer Scientist

Duties

GS-07

• Performs routine tasking, or assists others with more complex assignments.
• Performs a variety of specific duties to develop knowledge and skill in applying evaluation methods and techniques in support of system acquisition.
• Participates in conducting studies to identify computer system deficiencies.
• Carries out special projects and assignments in the development of software and solutions to be used by higher-level computer scientist, scientist, contractors and/or customers

GS-09

• Assists in applying methods and functions of program modeling/ simulating and algorithm techniques to segments of a study or project.
• Applies system evaluation methods and techniques to portions of a larger project/study.
• Assist senior specialists in developing research/development. testing/evaluating or implementation, and acquisition strategies.
• Carries out special projects and assignments in the development of software and solutions to be used by higher-level computer scientists, contractors and/or customers.

 Help

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration.
• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov
• Total salary varies depending on location of position
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS) expenses may or may not be authorized. PCS expenses if authorized will be paid IAW JTR and Air Force Regulations
• Recruitment incentives may be authorized
• Position may be subject to random drug testing
• A security clearance may be required
• Disclosure of Political Appointments
• Mobility-you may be required to relocate during or after completion of your training
• You will be required to serve a one year probationary period
• Successful completion of all training and regulatory requirements as identified in the applicable training plan
• Must meet suitability for Federal employment
• Employee must maintain current certifications
• Grade Point Average – 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in computer science or bachelor’s degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.

In addition to meeting the basic entry qualification requirements, applicants must have specialized experience and/or directly related education. All educational requirements must be met not later than 31 Aug 2023.You may qualify if you meet one of the following:

1. GS-7: You must have completed or will complete a 4 year course of study leading to a bachelor’s from an accredited institution no later than 31 Aug 2023 AND must have documented Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) at the undergraduate level in one of the following:

A) One full year (18 semester hours or equivalent) of graduate level study, or possess a master’s or higher degree, e.g., LL.B, J.D., LL.M, PH.D; in a field that provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work; or one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least a GS-5. (submit copy of your transcript, degree audits will not be accepted).
B) Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) at the undergraduate level in one of the following: a) Class standing-upper third of the graduating class based on completed courses in the college, university, or major subdivision; b) Grade Point Average 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript or as computed based on 4 years of education or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of curriculum; OR 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in your major field or the required courses in your major field completed during the final 2 years of your curriculum. c) Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society (note: freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this position). (Submit a copy of your transcript, a degree audit will not be accepted) If qualifying based on class standing or honor society membership, provide appropriate documentation.
C) A combination of graduation education and experience described in “A” that when combined meets 100% of the qualifications requirements of this position.

2. GS-9: You must have completed 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master’s degree or master’s or equivalent graduate degree or one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least a GS-07 at the graduate level in one of the following:
a) Class Standing – upper third of the graduating class based on completed courses in the college, university, or major subdivision;
b) Grade Point Average – 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript or as computed based on 4 years of education or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of curriculum; OR 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in your major field or the required courses in your major field completed during the final 2 years of your curriculum. If more than 10 percent of total undergraduate credit hours are non-graded, i.e. pass/fail, CLEP, CCAF, DANTES, military credit, etc, you cannot qualify based on GPA;
c) Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society (note: freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this position). (If qualifying based on class standing or honor society membership, provide appropriate documentation).OR, You have one full year (18 semester hours or the equivalent) of graduate level study, or possess a master’s or higher degree, e.g., LL.B., J.D., LL.M., Ph.D., in a field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work of this position. Such fields include business administration, industrial management, industrial engineering, industrial psychology, public administration, political science, or government.(Submit copy of transcripts).

OR
3. You have at least one year (12 months) of specialized experience, that provided knowledge of to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower qualifying pay band or equivalent grade under the General Schedule (GS) or other pay systems. Equivalent experience may be at the level of the lowest GS grade covered by the applicable pay band; however, the experience must demonstrate KSA’s to successfully perform the duties of the position being filled.

OR
4. You must have a combination of graduate education as described above and the type of specialized experience as described above, which when combined would equate to 100%. (To compute, first determine your total qualifying graduate level education as a percentage of the graduate education required; then determine your total qualifying experience as a percentage of experience described above; add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal to at least 100 %.) (Submit a copy of your transcript.)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas as a GS-07 or GS-09:

1. Professional knowledge of computer science, policies, theories, principles and concepts to apply to scientific methods and techniques to solve assigned problems.
2. Professional knowledge of theoretical foundations of computer science, including digital computer systems architecture and systems software organization.
3. Professional knowledge of computer science and related disciplines to design, develop and adapt scientific methods and techniques to recommend solutions for computer problems.
4. Ability to analyze, interpret and apply computer science procedures in a variety of situations and recommend effective solutions to senior scientist.
5. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

To view qualifying educational requirements and/or combination of education and specialized experience, click on the following link: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

This position has an education requirement. You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. Please submit copies of all transcripts to include transferred hours. Official copies are not required at the time of application, but if selected you will be required to provide official copies of all transcripts.

***NOTE*** Degree Audits are not accepted. If you qualify based on undergraduate education, but you have not graduated prior to applying for this position, you may be offered a position contingent upon your final grade point average or class ranking.

IF USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY: If the position has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications, you MUST submit a transcript with the application. Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if the position has a positive degree requirement, qualifying based on education alone or in combination with experience; transcripts must be verified before appointment. An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. Click here to check accreditation.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

Additional information

For Direct Hire (DHA) Positions:
This is a Direct Hire Public Notice, under this recruitment procedure applications will be accepted for each location/ installation identified in this Public Notice and selections are made for vacancies as they occur. There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time you submit your application.

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

Selective Service: Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service. For additional information, click here.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.

If you are unable to apply online, view the following link for information regarding Alternate Application. The Vacancy ID is 12109024

If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.

Tax Law Impact for PCS: On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 – the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017” suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. The law made taxable certain reimbursements and other payments, including driving mileage, airfare and lodging expenses, en-route travel to the new duty station, and temporary storage of those items. The Federal Travel Regulation Bulletin (FTR) 18-05 issued by General Services Administration (GSA) has authorized agencies to use the Withholding Tax Allowance (WTA) and Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) to pay for “substantially all” of the increased tax liability resulting from the “2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” for certain eligible individuals. For additional information on WTA/RITA allowances and eligibilities please click here. Subsequently, FTR Bulletin 20-04 issued by GSA, provides further information regarding NDAA FY2020, Public Law 116-92, and the expansion of eligibility beyond “transferred” for WTA/RITA allowances. For additional information, please click here.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your latest resume will be used to determine your qualifications.

Your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Your responses to the questionnaire may be compared to the documents you submit. The documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of “not qualified” or “insufficient information” and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be provided with your application for this Public Notice. Applicants who do not submit required documentation to determine eligibility and qualifications will be eliminated from consideration. Other documents may be required based on the eligibility/eligibilities you are claiming. Click here to view the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide and the required documents you must submit to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming.

1. Online Application – Questionnaire
2. Resume – For qualification determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week (if part-time) and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Current Federal Civilian Employees should list any relevant performance related rating (given within the last three years) and/or incentive awards in your resume. Do NOT include photographs (or links to social media such as LinkedIn), inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume.
3. Transcripts/Registration/License: If qualifying on education/position requires education, you must submit copies of your transcripts and if required for the position, submit an active, current registration/license.
4. Veterans: If claiming 30% Disabled Veteran or Veteran’s Preference – Submit VOW certification memo or copy of the official DD-Form 214, which must include the character of service (i.e., with an honorable or general discharge). This will be annotated in block 24 on member copy 2, 4, or 7 of the DD-Form 214. If claiming 30% Disabled Veteran, you must also submit a VA Letter or a disability determination from a branch of the Armed Forces. NOTE: All veterans claiming 10-point preference must also submit a SF-15.

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act requires federal agencies to treat an eligible active duty service member as a veteran, disabled veteran, and preference eligible (as applicable) when applying for civil service positions before the effective release or discharge date. Appointment of military members before the release or discharge date is permissible if the member is on terminal leave. At the time the active duty member applies for a civil position, he or she must submit a “certification” memo in lieu of a DD-Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Active duty members applying for a civil service position without submitting a valid certification memo or DD-Form 214 with their application will render the member ineligible for the position. The certification memo must originate from the member’s military service branch on official letterhead and contain the following:

• Name/Rank/Grade of Service Member
• Branch of Armed Forces
• Dates of Active Service (Start and End Date(s)
• Expected Date of Discharge/Release from Active Duty
• Terminal leave start date (if applicable)
• Expected character of service/discharge and type of separation (i.e. separation or retirement)
• Must be certified within 120 days of anticipated discharge
• Signature by, or by direction of the adjutant, personnel office, unit commander, or higher headquarters commander.

Note: The VOW Act provides tentative preference. If appointed, a DD Form-214 must be submitted upon receipt.