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Operations Research Analyst - SV-1515-I - Transportation Security Administration - Arlington, Virginia - EXPIRED


This is an archive of an expired job.

Job Information:

Company: Transportation Security Administration

Transportation Security Administration Logo

About the Agency

Securing Travel, Protecting People - At the Transportation Security Administration, you will serve in a high-stakes environment to safeguard the American way of life. In cities across the country, you would secure airports, seaports, railroads, highways, and/or public transit systems, thus protecting America\'s transportation infrastructure and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce. For additional information about our agency please: Click Here


KEY REQUIREMENTS

  • You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
  • You must complete a favorable Background Investigation (BI).
  • You must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.
  • You must have, or be able to obtain, a Cost Estimating Certification.
  • Selective Service registration is required.
  • See additional Conditions of Employment in Other Information section.

About the Agency

Securing Travel, Protecting People - At the Transportation Security Administration, you will serve in a high-stakes environment to safeguard the American way of life. In cities across the country, you would secure airports, seaports, railroads, highways, and/or public transit systems, thus protecting America\'s transportation infrastructure and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce. For additional information about our agency please: Click Here



DUTIES:

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This Operations Research Analyst position is located in the Acquisition Management Functional Division, within the Office of Acquisition (ACQ), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If selected for this position, you will report to the Director of the Acquisition Services and Analysis organization, and will be responsible for ensuring that managers achieve organizational objectives with credible, timely, and adequately-scoped acquisition documentation, resolutions to issues, effective implementation strategies, and viable recommendations. This position is a matrix support position, being co-located with TSA Program Management Offices for periods of 6 months to 2 years as required. Typical assignments include but are not limited to:

  • Performing cost analysis of major systems and their associated subsystems; conducting independent cost estimates for key program decision points; defining, maintaining, and performing cost analysis core competencies; conducting reviews of TSA program cost estimates and analyses; and serving as a consultant to senior TSA and DHS management on the full range of matters pertaining to the cost of programs.
  • Performing cost studies of Level 1, 2, and 3 systems and providing counsel to program managers on the quality and adequacy of program cost estimates; conducting special studies of cost related issues (e.g., program, project, appropriation) that are characterized as having national importance or the potential for cost impact on projects individually or TSA-wide. These analyses involve assessments of the magnitude of engineering risks, manufacturing methods and risks, the business and financial aspects of alternative procurement approaches, and the interaction of all of these factors to assess the composite risk and quantify it in terms of cost and schedule.
  • Establishing databases of system historical costs, and technical and schedule parameters; developing cost models and cost estimating relationships; performing cost sensitivity and cost benefit analyses; determining whether analyses include all appropriate life cycle costs; and clearly communicate findings to top levels of management within TSA and DHS.
  • Maintaining close interaction with cost estimating and technical representatives of contractors, the organizational elements, field activities, and other TSA organizations for the purpose of providing advice and guidance on cost estimating and analysis activities.
  • Adapting mathematical, statistical, economic, and other scientific methods to TSA cost analysis applications (ACE-IT); and using these adaptations to formulate procedures that support the Component Acquisition Executive\'s efforts to improve cost estimating/analysis for level 1, 2, and 3 systems within TSA.


QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

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Basic Education Requirements: This position requires 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 semester hours of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.



For the SV-I Pay Band (equivalent to GS-13), you must have one year of specialized experience at the SV-H Band or GS-12 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such experience includes utilizing cost estimating software (e.g., ACE-IT) to perform cost sensitivity, cost benefit analysis, and cost estimates for program decisions; and applying knowledge of acquisition policies and procedures.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer 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.

NOTE: Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.


You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

You will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of the experience and/or related education as reflected in your resume and supporting documentation. You are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show possession of the competencies required for this position. We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If, after reviewing your resume and any supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your category placement may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

When completing the assessment questionnaire for this position, you will be prompted to elect if you wish for your application to be considered as External (where Veterans’ Preference applies), as Status (current or former Federal Employees), and/or Internal to TSA as a current permanent or competitive temporary employee. At that time, please select the answer(s) that apply to you and your application to this position.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Grouping procedures. Under Category Grouping, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;

Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceed the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job; and

Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
To preview questions please click here.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

HR Help Desk
Phone: 877-872-7990
Fax: 571-258-4052
TDD: 877-872-7992
Email: [email protected]
Agency Information:
DHS/Transportation Security Administration
Shared Service Center
2650 Park Tower Drive
Suite 201
Merrifield, VA
22180
US
Fax: 571-258-4052