Data Scientist (Recent Graduate)

Summary

This vacancy is for a Data Scientist (Recent Graduate) position in the Human Resources Division located at the U.S. Census Bureau Headquarters in Suitland, Maryland. The Census Bureau is accessible from the Metro Rail Green Line - Suitland Station.

This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Data Scientist (Recent Graduate), 1560-7/9, FPL GS-13, positions within the Census Bureau in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

Duties

• Performs queries using database and analytical tools (e.g. SQL Server) and programming languages (e.g. Python, R, and Java) to analyze data and develop data-analytical visualizations.
• Participate in defining data requirements and integration of enabling technologies to collect, extract, engineer, and transform data from traditional and non-traditional sources.
• Analyzes data sources to provide data-driven insights on streamlining processes and evaluating the effectiveness of program operations.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You must successfully complete a background investigation.
• Recent Graduates serve a trial period for the duration of their excepted service appointment. If non-competitively converted, the time spent as a Recent Graduate will count towards the probationary period.
• This position is in the excepted service.
• This is a bargaining unit position. This position is covered by one or more of the following bargaining units: American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2782(HQ) or AFGE Local 1438(DN).
• You must sign a Pathways Agreement.
• This announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the date the first (200) applicants are receive or on November 6, 2026, whichever comes first.

Qualifications

Applicants who apply under this Job Opportunity Announcement may opt-in (at their request) to allow the sharing of their resume, cover letter, transcripts, certifications, and other associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Department of Commerce (DOC) Bureaus/Offices who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade and pay band (or its equivalent), and full performance level in the same duty location or commuting area of the duty location listed on the Job Opportunity Announcement. Applicants that apply for General Schedule (GS) positions can be considered for pay band positions under one of the DOC's alternative personnel systems (i.e., Commerce Alternative Personnel System (CAPS), or Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS)) that have the equivalent GS grade level and full performance level, and similarly, CAPS and APMS applicants may be considered for GS positions or one of DOC's alternative personnel systems. Upon acceptance of a position, the employee will be subject to the corresponding pay system (i.e., GS, CAPS or APMS). Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which they wish to receive consideration.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Basic Entry Requirements for All Grade Levels:

You must be a Recent College Graduates from qualifying institutions within two years of degree or certification (Veterans precluded by their military service obligation, will have up to six years to apply).

Students with a transcript with a degree confer date on or before (December 31, 2026), will be considered for the Recent Graduate Program. Graduation / expect graduation date MUST be indicated on your resume.

NOTE: To show proof of meeting the Basic Entry Requirements, all applicants MUST submit a copy of their college transcripts. See the Required Documents section for more information.

Minimum Education Requirement:

Individual Occupational Requirement for all grades:

1. Degree: Mathematics, statistics, computer science, data science or field directly related to the position. The degree must be in a major field of study (at least at the baccalaureate level) that is appropriate for the position. OR
2. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major field of study (30 semester hours) as shown in paragraph A above, plus additional education or appropriate experience.

In addition to meeting the minimum education requirement listed above, applicants must have specialized experience and/or directly related education in the amounts listed below for each grade level.

GS-07:
Specialized Experience: For the GS-07, you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-05 in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes:(1) analyzing data modeling concepts and reviewing data for trends from multiple systems, (2) assisting in research and statistical analysis on available data to improve program materials and documentation, and (3) perform basic queries using various types of database and analytical tools.

OR YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR THE GS-07 BASED ON EDUCATION: 1 full year of graduate-level education or superior academic achievement.

SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: Bachelor's degree with superior academic achievement is defined as:(1) Class standing -- You must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision based on completed courses, (2) Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- You must have 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum OR 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum, or (3) Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- You are a member of one of the national scholastic honor societies recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achshonor.org/)

GS-09:
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: For the GS-09, you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes:(1) providing support in planning, designing, and implementing data science applications, models, and guiding principles for data use and analysis; (2) participating in defining data requirements and the integration of enabling technologies to collect, extract, engineer, and transform data from traditional and non-traditional sources; and (3) evaluating advances in products and technologies related to data and information technology sciences (e.g., cloud-based data-analytical frameworks and platforms; compatibility among platforms, and new ontologies/vocabularies).

OR YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR THE GS-09 BASED ON EDUCATION: 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

NOTE: Education and experience may be combined for all grade levels for which both education and experience are acceptable.

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.

After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required. You will have 48 hours from the date you submit your application to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

Additional information

The Census Bureau is seeking bright, innovative, results-oriented individuals to join our Recent Graduates Program (RGP). The RGP is a one-year program that targets individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs. Successful applicants will be placed in a dynamic, one-year career development program. Throughout the program, you will participate in formal training, job assignments and receive a mentor to develop competencies applicable to the Census Bureau's mission and needs. These positions are at the grade 7/9 entry levels, with an opportunity for permanent or term appointment upon successful completion of the program.

To be eligible for conversion to a permanent or term position, Recent Graduates must:

• Successfully completed at least 1-year of continuous service in addition to all requirements of the RGP.
• Demonstrate successful job performance.
• Meet the Office of Personnel Management's qualifications for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted.

In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answer to these questions is not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a RA for Online Assessments.

Recent Graduates and their supervisors must sign Pathways Agreements setting forth expectations for the program. To find additional information regarding the Pathways RGP, please visit the following website: USAJOBS - Recent Grads

The Department of Commerce also provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. TTY users can contact the Human Resources Office via the Federal Relay Service, 1-800-877-8339.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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 very rewarding. .

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

Category Rating Procedures: If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement and scoring requirements for all applicable assessments, you will be placed in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are "gold," "silver," and "bronze." Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. Preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold), except for Professional and Scientific positions at the GS-9 grade level and above. For more information on category rating, please go to: OPM: Competitive Hiring - Category Rating

Online Assessment: Applicants must complete the online USA Hire Competency Based Assessments measuring critical general competencies required to perform the job. Examples used in the assessment may include general situations not directly related to this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Teamwork

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process. Do NOT include the following types of information in your application if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position:

• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Date of Birth (DOB)
• Photos of yourself
• Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13089271.

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 very rewarding. .

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.

Your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

Your application package should include the following documents:

• Resume: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. If your resume exceeds the two-page limit, you will be deemed disqualified and removed from consideration. Your resume must include your educational and relevant work experience for the position for which you are applying to include the title and dates (mm/yy) of employment along with the number of hours worked per week. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you will not receive consideration.
• Veterans' Preference Documentation: Please indicate on your resume the type of veterans' preference you are claiming and provide the appropriate supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.) to validate your claim. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please go to: Veteran's Resource Page.
• Education Documentation: If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. This also applies to Census Bureau employees. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to OPM's Qualification Policy for more information.

You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.

It is the applicant's responsibility to provide documentation or proof that he or she has met the applicable educational provisions described. If you earned your degree in a foreign country, you must provide an U.S. equivalency evaluation of your education by a private U.S. organization (credential evaluation service).

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course-by-course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration. For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, refer to the U.S. Department of Education's web site at Academic and Professional Mobility | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.

• Resume
• Transcript

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the date the first 200 applicants are received or on 11/06/2026 whichever comes first to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

1. Click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
7. Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USA JOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job status.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online; however, if you are unable to apply online, please email the agency contact.

Agency contact information Census Pathways Recent Graduate Phone 301-763-3705 Email [email protected] Address Human Resources Division
4600 Silver Hill Road
Washington, DC 20233
US Next steps

You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at https://usajobs.gov and clicking on "Applications." The status will be visible next to the corresponding positions. The four points of notification are:

1. Application Received or Application Incomplete;
2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
3. Referred or Not Referred; and
4. Selected or Not Selected.

By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.