Office of the Secretary of the Interior Logo
Position Title
COMPUTER SCIENTIST
Agency
Office of the Secretary of the Interior
Announcement Number
IBC-19-MP-10467750LH Opens in new window
Open Period
Monday, April 8, 2019 to Friday, April 19, 2019
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. Current or Former Federal Employees:  Do you meet any of the following eligibilities?
  • I am currently serving on a permanent career OR career/conditional appointment in the Federal service.
  • I have previously served on a permanent career appointment.
  • I have previously served on a permanent career conditional appointment and have completed 3 year of continuous creditable service
  • I have held a permanent career or career conditional appointment and have veteran preference
  • I am a current or former Land Management Bureau employee who has served at least 24 months under a time-limited competitive appointment who is eligible for appointment under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act. Note: You must submit relevant supporting documentation (e.g. SF-50, documentation of satisfactory performance such as performance evaluations, memorandum of record where the supervisor documented an acceptable performance level, or reference by supervisors, etc.).
  • I am a current Pathways Intern within the 120 day conversion time frame.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
 
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3. Non-Competitive Current Federal Employees:  Do you meet any of the following eligibilities?
  • I am currently at a higher grade level than the full performance level of the position being announced.
  • I have competed for and am currently at the same grade level as the full performance level of the position being announced.
  • I am currently serving in a position with full performance level equivalent to or higher than the full performance level of the position being announced.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
 
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4. Non-Competitive Former Federal Employees: Do you meet any of the following eligibilities?
  • I am a former Federal civilian employee that served on a permanent competitive appointment AND have held the same grade level as this position or higher with the same or higher promotion potential.
  • I have obtained career-conditional status (within 3 years of the date of separation or am a preference eligible) AND have held the same grade level as this position or higher with the same or higher promotion potential.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
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5. Appointment of Certain Military Family Members:  Do you meet any of the following eligibilities?
  • I am the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who has been issued orders for a permanent change of station (PCS).  If yes, confirm that you are indicated on the PCS orders; and you
    • have been married to the military member on or prior to the date of your spouse's PCS orders AND
    • are relocating with your spouse to the new duty location AND
    • have not previously been appointed using this authority under these orders.
  • I am the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who retired with a disability rating at the time of retirement of 100 percent or the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who retired or separated from the Armed Forces and has a disability rating of 100 percent from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • I am the un-remarried widow or widower of a member of the Armed Forces killed while in active duty status.
  • I am the parent of a deceased or service-connected permanently and totally disabled veteran; and
    • your spouse is permanently and totally disabled; or
    • when preference is claimed, you are unmarried or legally separated from your spouse
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
 
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6. Foreign Service Employees:  Do you meet ALL of the following eligibilities?
  • I have served in the Foreign Service under an unlimited, career-type appointment.
  • I have completed at least one year of continuous service without a break of a workday under one or more non-temporary Foreign Service appointment.
  • I have service that began with a non-temporary Foreign Service appointment counting towards the 3-year service requirement for career tenure and have been separated within the past 30 days from the career-type appointment in the Foreign Service.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
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7. Career Transition Assistance Plan:  Do you meet ALL of the following eligibilities?
  • I am a current or former competitive federal employee displaced or surplused from the agency hiring for this position; and
  • I am located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; and
  • I am currently in a position at the same grade level or higher than the position being announced; and
  • My last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
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8. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan: Do you meet ALL of the following eligibilities?
  • I am a current or former competitive federal employee displaced from a position in a federal agency other than the agency hiring for this position; and
  • I am located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; and
  • I am currently in a position at the same grade level or higher than the position being announced; and
  • My last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
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9. Certain Former Overseas Employees:  Do you meet ALL of the following eligibilities?
  • I am a former overseas Appropriated Fund employee.
  • I have completed 52 weeks of creditable overseas service in an appropriated fund position(s) as a family member during the time you accompanied a sponsor officially assigned to an overseas area.
  • I have received a fully successful or better (or equivalent) performance rating.
  • I returned to the United States to resume residence less than 3 years ago.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
 
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10. Current and Former Peace Corps Personnel:  Do you meet ALL of the following eligibilities?
  • I am a current or former Peace Corps staff member who has completed no less than 36 months of continuous service without a break in service of three days or more under section 7(a) of the Peace Corps Act (22 USC 2506) as a Peace Corps staff member (not a volunteer).
  • I possess a document from the Director of the Peace Corps certifying that I satisfactorily served under an appointment as described in the first bullet.
  • I separated three years or less from a qualifying service appointment (described in first bullet) in the Peace Corps.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
 
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11. Volunteer:  Do you meet any of the following eligibilities?
  • I am a former Peace Corps volunteer or volunteer leader under the Peace Corps Act. I possess a document that states I served satisfactorily and this document is certified by the Director of ACTION
  • I am a former VISTA volunteer under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 or the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973. My volunteer service totaled at least 1 year.  I possess a document that states I served satisfactorily and this document is certified by the Director of ACTION
  • I am a former volunteer under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (Pub. L. 93-113)
  • I am a former full-time community volunteer (including criminal justice volunteer, volunteer in justice, and VET REACH volunteer) under part C of title I of Pub. L. 93-113.  My volunteer service totaled at least 1 year.  Note:  a community volunteer must have served prior to October 1, 1976.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
 
 
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12. Schedule A Appointments:  Do you meet the following eligibility?
  • I have a severe physical, psychiatric or intellectual disability that qualifies for a Schedule A Appointment.
If eligible, you must submit documentation of eligibility for employment under Schedule A.  Documentation must meet the following criteria:
  • Documentation must be obtained from a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist; or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits.
  • Documentation must verify that the individual is indeed a person with a severe physical, psychiatric or intellectual disability.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
 
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13. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA):  Do you meet any of the following eligibilities?
  • I am a veteran whose latest discharge was under honorable conditions and I meet one of the following criteria:
    • I have served three or more years of continuous active duty service in the military (NOTE: if released shortly before completing a 3-year tour, you are considered to meet the eligibility).
    • I am entitled to veterans' preference.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
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14. Veterans 30% Disabled Authority:  Do you meet the following eligibility?
  • I am a veteran who separated from active duty under honorable conditions and meets one of the following criteria:
    • I am a veteran who separated from active duty under honorable conditions and have been rated by the Department of Veterans Affairs as having a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.
    • I am a veteran who retired from active military service with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
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15. OPM Interchange Agreement and Other Miscellaneous Authorities - Do you meet any of the following eligibilities?
  • I am a current Excepted Service employee of a Federal Agency that has a valid interchange agreement with the Office of Personnel Management.
  • I am a current employee of a Federal Agency that is covered by a miscellaneous appointing authority not regulated by Office of Personnel Management.
In order to receive consideration, you must submit documentation showing proof of eligibility.
 
 
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Assessment 1
For items 1 and 2, please read the following statement and/or question carefully. Your response to the following statement and/or question will determine whether or not you will be eligible for this position. If you respond "No" to any question in this section, you will not be eligible for consideration for this position. (limit characters)
1. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information included in this questionnaire will be true, correct, and provided in good faith. I understand that if I make an intentional false statement, or commit deception or fraud in this application and its supporting materials, or in any document or interview associated with the examination process, I may be fined or imprisoned (18 U.S.C. 1001); my eligibilities may be cancelled, I may be denied an appointment, or I may be removed and debarred from Federal service (5 C.F.R. part 731). I understand that any information I provide may be investigated. I understand that responding "No" to this item will result in me not being considered for this position.
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2. Are you willing to submit to an initial and periodic background investigation, including a fingerprint check and a credit check?
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3. Select the one statement that best describes the experience and/or education level that demonstrates you meet the Basic Qualification requirements to perform the duties of Computer Scientist, GS-1550-13. (limit characters)
We will evaluate your resume and responses to this Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are among the best qualified for this position. Your responses are subject to verification and must be supported by your resume and supporting documents. (limit characters)
4. Do you possess at least one year of specialized experience that is equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the GS-12 level in the Federal service? Specialized experience is defined as experience that is in or directly related to the line of work of this position and has equipped you with the knowledge and competencies to successfully perform the duties of this position. Specialized experience for this position includes but is not limited to experience applying object-oriented programming, scripting, and markup languages to the development, implementation, and maintenance of data analytics systems; building complex models supporting multiple operating environments; applying analysis, design, development, and testing techniques to large automated data processing systems; and identifying and developing best practice concepts as they pertain to system improvements and security practices.
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For each task in the following group, choose the statement from the list below that best describes your experience and/or training. Select only one letter for each item. Failure to support your answer to this questionnaire in your resume may result in a lowered score or loss of consideration. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
5. Develop, modify, and test Database structures and components used for a major database environment.
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6. Load large data files into table structures for use by other computer programs.
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7. Troubleshoot problems dealing with the development of data structures.
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8. Incorporate security policies and best practices into design and development of data structures.
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9. Create complex queries from database structures.
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10. Develop and perform technical analysis on plans and processes used to support software, hardware quality control, and configuration management in a Linux Operating System environment.
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11. Provide technical support to functional staff and vendor points of contact in resolving production problems.
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12. Develop complex data models for use in a multifaceted database environment.
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13. Utilize Secure Socket Shell or Linux tools to validate and troubleshoot deployments and
upgrades of a web-based data analytics system.
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14. Develop backup routines to ensure daily backups of critical data are performed.
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15. Develop best practices and procedures to ensure that all data structures are in a standardized
format.
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16. Review and utilize data dictionary and apply new data structures being developed.
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17. Develop Procedural Language (PL) and Structured Query Language (SQL) procedures for
database administration.
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18. Develop software components that utilize a Relational Database Management System.
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19. Create objects using SQL.
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20. Manipulate objects using Data Manipulation Language (DML).
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21. Create Open Database and Java Database connectivity (ODBC/JDBC) connections needed for software components.
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22. Utilize tuning mechanisms to improve database performance.
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23. Provide recommendations on tools to support new organizational initiatives (e.g. support of
mobile applications, single sign-on, etc.).
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24. Assess new and existing business processes to identify potential operational weaknesses.
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25. Develop business intelligence solutions that involve multiple stakeholders.
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26. Document problems and problem resolutions in business intelligence data repositories.
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27. Develop contingency plans to address potential business intelligence system problems.
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28. Analyze operational problems to determine cause and resolution.
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29. Identify alternatives to solve unforeseen business intelligence system problems.
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30. Identify and solve problems of a technical nature to allow continued processing in a complex integrated system.
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31. Provide logging mechanisms to assist in troubleshooting issues discovered in testing.
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32. Assist in troubleshooting issues with the migration of software components across multiple
platforms (testing, training, and production).
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33. Provide mechanisms of discovery to determine source of failure.
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34. Lead staff by setting the vision and strategy to encourage the accomplishment of goals.
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35. Persuade staff to be creative and innovative by embracing new technology and products to
achieve organizational goals efficiently.
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36. Provide direction and guidance to staff in order to deliver quality and cost-effective technical
solutions.
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37. Provide staff with schedules, milestones, and expectations.
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38. Apply systems engineering and optimization concepts and methods to ensure the integration of IT programs and services.
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39. Develop solutions to address integration and interoperability issues.
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40. Establish and sustain overall systems architecture.
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41. Develop various complex algorithms to use in software design, system architecture development, system integration, and test methodologies.
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