Interdisciplinary (Transportation Research Analyst) Direct-Hire

Summary

This position is located in the Safety Research Division, Office of Research and Engineering, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The incumbent serves as an Interdisciplinary General Engineer / Data Scientist / Statistician who plans and conducts transportation safety studies and evaluations of the effectiveness of transportation safety programs and countermeasures.

Duties

As a Interdisciplinary (Transportation Research Analyst) Direct-Hire,GS-0801/1530/1560-11, you will perform the following major duties: Plans and conducts transportation safety studies, special studies, program evaluations, and analytical projects involving transportation safety programs, countermeasures, regulations, standards, policies, and technologies. Develops analytical products used by investigators and other agency staff to evaluate accident circumstances, contributing factors, safety issues, and emerging risks, using aggregate data and statistical analysis. Performs complex quantitative and qualitative analyses involving aggregate transportation safety data and research studies leveraging Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Prepares customized data and statistical analyses, and supporting documentation, for official agency responses, briefing materials, and analytical summaries of transportation safety data, Investigation data, and other technical information when requested by internal and external stakeholders. At the GS-12/13 grade levels, in addition to duties at the lower grade level, typical duties may include: Interprets study results, identifies safety risks and emerging issues within the assigned subject areas, and develops findings, conclusions, and supporting analyses that contribute to agency safety recommendations and transportation safety priorities such as improving accident prevention. Applies expert knowledge of specialized research designs and aggregate data analysis methods to support transportation accident investigations in three or more modes of transportation. Plans, conducts, and leads quantitative and qualitative analyses of aggregate data to identify safety risks and trends, evaluate safety interventions and countermeasures, and support the examination of systemic transportation safety issues. Provides expert advice and serves as a technical resource at the agency's public meetings, hearings, and forums. Represents the agency at transportation safety conferences, technical panels, working groups, task forces, and interagency discussions involving transportation safety data, statistical analysis, and research activities.

Qualifications

To be eligible for this position, applicants must meet the Basic Qualification Requirements outlined below, as well as the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) specified in the Education section of this announcement for the applicable occupational series for which they wish to be considered. GS-11 One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience assisting with research studies by performing literature searches and reviews in transportation safety, injury prevention, or a closely related safety field; experience collecting, organizing, cleaning, and validating datasets, and conducting statistical analyses using Python or R or SQL under the guidance of senior researchers, engineers, data scientists, or statisticians; and experience contributing to written reports, data summaries, or presentations that effectively communicate research findings and key insights to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. OR 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph. D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR a combination of Education and Experience. To be creditable, your education must be directly related to the position being filled. GS-12 One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal Service. Experience could have been obtained in the Private sector. Specialized experience is experience contributing to transportation safety research and statistical analyses by applying established study designs, research methodologies, and statistical techniques to defined components of larger research projects such as descriptive studies, systematic and evidence-based reviews, case control studies, or other types of research studies; experience collecting, organizing, and analyzing data using Python and/or R and SQL; and experience using oral and written communication skills to clearly communicate research findings and key insights in plain language to technical and non-technical stakeholders. GS-13 One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 in the Federal Service. Experience could have been obtained in the private sector. Specialized experience is experience conducting independent research and statistical work in transportation safety, applying research study designs, methods, and statistical techniques such as descriptive studies, meta-analyses, systematic or evidence-based reviews, case-control studies, or other types of research studies experience using data science methods and techniques to perform data and statistical analysis using Python and/or R and SQL; and experience using oral and written communication skills to clearly communicate research findings, key insights, and safety recommendations in plain language to technical and non-technical stakeholders. For more information see link: General Engineering Series 0801; Statistics Series 1530; Data Science Series 1560 NOTE: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your resume must clearly show the specialized experience and competencies related to this position. Failure to demonstrate how you possess the education, specialized experience and/or competencies will result in an "Ineligible" rating. GENERAL EDUCATION: All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at an institution that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for it to be credited towards qualifications. For a list of schools that meet these criteria, see https://www.ed.gov/accreditation?src=rn. Applications submitted without the required supporting documents will not be accepted. An unofficial transcript; statement from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official; or equivalent documentation is acceptable at the time of application. Education submitted must be appropriately accredited by an accredited body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. For additional information, refer to the U.S. Department of Education web site at: http://www.ed.gov FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Education

INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT GS-801 Job Series: A. 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in professional engineering. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: (1) be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) str