Operations Research Analyst CDSG - Careers At CAPE -- Department of Defense (2023)

Duties:

Summary

This position is in the Office of the Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE). The Director, CAPE is the principal staff advisor and assistant to the Secretary of Defense for planning, analysis, and evaluation of the Defense Program, including formulating the force planning, fiscal, and policy guidance upon which DoD force and program projections are based; analyzing and evaluating planned and proposed military forces, weapons systems and major programs; preparing independent cost analyses of major DoD programs and weapon system acquisitions; evaluating U.S. and foreign force capabilities; developing and evaluating alternative forces and programs; and identifying the key issues and developing information and analyses for use by the Secretary of Defense in decision-making.

Responsibility May Include:

• Serving as a team or project leader over work projects involving management of the CSDR data collection system, cost estimating analytical products, or special studies.

• Developing, recommending, and executing improvements in the CDSG’s ability to securely provide data to the DoD cost estimating community in the most cost-effective manner.

• Developing, recommending, and executing process improvements for DoD’s cost data collection system to improve efficiency and data usability.

• Developing analytical products to aid the DoD cost estimating community in efficiently utilizing CSDR data in analyses delivered to DoD senior leadership.

• Presenting the findings of data collection processes, tools and products, verbally or in writing, to senior leaders and non-technical audiences, clearly and concisely.

• Directing/reviewing and recommending approval of cost data reporting plans and ensuring compliance of reporting with those plans.

• Prescribing or reviewing policies and procedures for the reporting and collection of actual cost data.

• Developing and disseminating data analytics tools and methods using CSDR data to inform major cost estimates.

• Performing independently and/or acting as a senior analyst in a team setting.

• Representing CAPE CA at meetings with industry, government, and the cost community.

Travel Required: Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status: No

Requirements:

Conditions of Employment

U.S. Citizenship is required.

Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov. May be required to successfully complete a trial period.

Required to participate in the direct deposit program. Position is subject to random drug testing.

Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret or a Top Secret/SCI clearance.

Employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, to include evenings, weekends and/or holidays.

This position may require travel away from your normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft.

Employee may be required to submit an annual financial interest statement. Recruitment incentives may or may not be authorized.

Per National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of fiscal year (FY) 2017. Section 1111 modifies 5 United States Code (U.S.C.) 3326; Veterans who are retiring within 180 days of the appointment effective date may require a 180-day waiver package.

Qualifications:

Basic Requirements:

A degree in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.

Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Click here on the following link to view education and/or experience requirements for this position.

Click here to view occupational requirements for this position.

Specialized Experience:

GS-13: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to GS-12) experience that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of the position listed above. Your experience includes conducting quantitative analytics, developing research plans, and reporting results to management and non- technical audiences.

NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-13 level.

GS-14: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to GS-13) experience that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of the position listed above. Your experience includes formulating and conducting independent research programs; defining and selecting basic problems for investigation; interacting with individuals across organizational boundaries to reach a common understanding of issues and data; and reporting results to management and non-technical audiences.

NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-14 level.

To qualify for the GS-15 you MUST have at least a year demonstrating accomplishment of the duties and competencies described below. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Specialized experience includes: Leading teams in a teaming environment, performing complex statistical analyses; evaluating large and complex military programs using quantitative analytic techniques; performing complex analyses in the absence of defined goals and outcomes, providing expert consultation and technical expertise to agency senior leaders on studies and analysis, and effectively communicating with senior officials, internal and external colleagues, scientific organizations, and industry stakeholders.

NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-15 level.

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 Experiences: 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.

• Cost Estimating: Knowledge of cost estimating methodologies and techniques for development, production, and operating and support cost estimates for MDAPs. An understanding of cost estimating law and policy including Congressional requirements for cost analysis, CAPE estimating guidance and procedures, and source selection procedures. Knowledge of contractor and government cost reporting artifacts, Earned Value Management, and contractor pricing systems and rates. Experience evaluating the technical and program characteristics that drive cost estimates for military weapon systems or other important national security systems.

• CSDR Cost Reporting: Demonstrated experience with Cost and Software Data Reporting (CSDR) data collection policies and procedures. Knowledge of the CSDR planning process and the role of all stakeholders in determining the appropriate CSDR reporting requirements. Experience in reviewing, normalizing, and utilizing data derived from CSDR deliverables in cost estimating analyses.

• Communication: Ability to translate complex concepts, findings, and limitations into concise, plain language through varied types of written communication to include emails, memos, PowerPoint briefs, white papers, and full reports. Oral communications may include formal presentations or briefings in front of large groups of senior officials and could occur with little to no forewarning and may require communicating on matters with opposing views. Must be able to explain, advocate, and express facts and ideas in a convincing manner, and to negotiate with individuals and groups internally and externally.

Background Checks and Security Clearance

You will be required to obtain and maintain a Top Secret or Top Secret/SCI. For more information regarding security clearances click here.

Additional information

Washington Headquarters Services is currently operating under an approved reengineered Priority Placement Program (PPP) pilot for all positions in its serviced workforce. This pilot is application based and current PPP registrants who are registered for activity codes 293A and 295A (regardless of the location) are required to apply to the job announcement to exercise their priority placement status. This pilot permits priority applicants to be assessed with other competitive applicants. Anyone claiming priority status must provide a copy of their PPP registration and supporting documentation (e.g., RIF notice, Sponsor's PCS orders, Certification of Expected Separation) at the time of application to verify priority placement and eligibility.

This is a Schedule B Excepted Service Public Notice, under these recruitment procedure applications will be accepted, and selections are made for vacancies as they occur.

A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre- employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.

This position is eligible for telework, at the time of hire you may request to telework one or more days a pay period depending upon the terms of CAPE’s telework policy and your division’s mission.

NOTE REGARDING MANDATORY VACCINATION (Executive Order (EO) 14043): “Toensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.”

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

The qualifications for this position will be evaluated by Subject Matter Experts prior to a referral. If you meet the minimum qualifications for this position, your application will be evaluated under a multi-hurdle assessment approach, culminating in a ranking and referral.

Resume Review (First Hurdle): Subject matter experts will review your resume to determine qualifications based on the required competencies identified above.

Qualifying Structured Interviews (Second Hurdle): If the subject matter experts determine that your resume reflects the required competencies, you will have a panel interview (virtual or phone) to further assess whether your experience meets the required competencies. This panel interview may include in-depth questions; detailed review of writing sample and, or exercise/case study to measure your depth of knowledge in relation to the required competencies.

Ranking and Preference: Preference will be applied to applicants who move forward after the qualifying Interviews.

Selection Process: Hiring Managers will receive a certificate listing of qualified candidates who are eligible for selection. If you are not selected for this position, you may be considered for similar positions for up to 6 months (from the certificate date). This certificate may also be shared with other CAPE Hiring Managers. If you are selected for an interview, you may be asked to give a presentation and/or analyze a case study. You may also be asked to participate in several rounds of interviews.

Qualified candidates will be assigned a score between 70 and 100 not including points that may be assigned for veterans’ preference. Your answers will be verified against information provided in your application and/or by reference checks. If your resume does not support the responses in your application, or if you fail to submit required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.

To be considered for this position, you must submit your completed application no later than 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement. Requests for extensions will not be granted, so please begin the application process allowing yourself enough time to finish before the deadline. Submit a completed application package to CAPE via website @ https://www.cape.osd.mil/).

Required Documents: The following documents are required and must be provided with your application for this announcement:

1. Resume:

a.IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR, SPECIFIC AND DETAILED. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

b.You must include name, address, personal email/telephone number, months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies". 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 your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position.

c.If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, you will not be considered for this vacancy. Do not include any Personally Identifiable Information (i.e., Social Security Number, Birthdate).

2.Assessment Questionnaire - You must select an answer to each question.

3.Transcripts: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for it to be credited towards qualifications requirements. Therefore, provide only proof of attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Copies of a diploma alone are not sufficient. 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 conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

4.Veterans Preference: veteran eligibility documentation (DD-214 Member #4 Copy, VA Letter, Standard Form (SF) 15 as applicable). Please note: If you are a veteran who has not yet been discharged, you may provide a statement of intent to discharge from your agency to receive Veterans Preference under the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.

5.SF 50: Your latest SF-50 (if applicable) showing your tenure, grade and step, and type of position occupied (e.g., Excepted or Competitive Service). Remove all Personally Identifiable Information (Social Security Number and Birthdate). If you receive an updated SF-50 after initially applying, please provide the updated document to CAPE to be added to your application.

NOTE: Ensure all submitted documents contain your full name. Failure to provide all the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Benefits:

A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career extremely rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full- time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Agency Contact Information:

Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation

Email: osd.pentagon.cape.mbx.esd-support@mail.mil

Fair & Transparent

The federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants

Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits.