Summary

This is a senior statistician position with MSPB's Office of Policy and Evaluation. OPE conducts studies of Federal Government merit systems and human resources policies and practices. You will work individually and in teams to design research studies, manage administrative and survey data, and conduct statistical analyses for merit system study publications. Visit our webpage for more information about OPE research.

Learn more about this agency

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

Duties

At MSPB you will contribute to the full research cycle for multiple federal workforce studies (i.e. identifying research topics, defining study objectives, organizing and conducting the research, interpreting the results, and presenting the findings in the form of reports, presentations and other appropriate dissemination activities). This research may involve problems that are difficult to define; areas previously investigated but under different conditions; or involve adapting previous studies to address changes in theory or improved techniques and instrumentation. As a Statistician, you will manage, lead, and perform scientific work or provide professional consultation in applying statistical theories, techniques, and methods to gather, analyze, interpret, and/or report quantified information. You will serve as the OPE technical expert on advanced statistical methods and consult with colleagues and senior leadership on appropriate applications of techniques. You will also serve as a bridge to the broader statistical community, keeping abreast of evolving issues and methods and their application to OPE research.

OPE has a wide range of statistical skill needs and we encourage individuals to apply for this position even if you are not currently an expert in each specific method. We do not expect you to know everything; however, we do expect you to be willing to lead our efforts in each of the areas below. This may involve seeking outside expert advice and training on statistical techniques for which you are not yet familiar. You will also provide expert advice and documentation of methods used in OPE research with external parties, as appropriate.

Key responsibilities include:

Initiate, plan, execute, and disseminate statistical studies on federal workforce issues.
Develop and maintain research databases.
Develop and maintain quality and control processes to ensure data accuracy and availability.
Lead development and implementation of sampling designs for surveys of federal personnel. Communicate the strengths and weaknesses of various sampling strategies, perform power, weighting, and sampling error calculations.
Lead efforts to address non-response bias and missing values.
Assess the adequacy and quality of data used in analysis (e.g., removing inconsistent or invariant data and imputation).
Prepare documentation of research methodologies and results.
Conduct statistical analyses, including inferential statistics, multivariate methods, regression analysis, nonparametric data analysis, general linear models, and mixed effects models.
Use common statistical packages, such as SAS, R, SPSS and/or Minitab. Write syntax and interpret output.
Retrieve data from one or more large data sources and integrate administrative and survey data.
Serve as a technical expert with respect to all phases of statistical interpretation.
Develop and disseminate research findings in collaboration with senior research analysts.
Provide technical advice to peers within and outside of the organization on statistical methods and techniques.
Engage with statistical communities within and outside the federal government.
Manage data security policies and practices.
Adhere to Privacy Act and MSPB requirements to protect sensitive information.
Assesses and recognizes own strengths and weaknesses; pursues self development.
Fosters a workplace where civil conduct, collaboration, and individual differences are valued.

IS THIS JOB FOR ME?

This job might be for you if:

This job might NOT be for you if:

You like working on longer-term projects that have a broad impact on Government operations.

You thrive in an environment where you can see the results of your work on a daily basis.

You enjoy working on multiple projects at a time that cover a variety of topics.

You like to pursue a line of research on the same topic over a long period of time.

You enjoy writing for and presenting data to non-technical audiences such as Federal policy-makers, managers, and HR Specialists.

You prefer writing for and presenting statistical information to technical audiences and other researchers.

You like collecting information and spending time looking for patterns and interpreting what they mean.

You prefer shorter-term projects of limited scope.

You enjoy working both as a member of a team or individually.

You prefer to always work alone or always on a team.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

You must be a US Citizen or US National
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt
Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check
Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR 1530 JOB SERIES:
Degree: that included 15 semester hours in statistics (or in mathematics and statistics, provided at least 6 semester hours were in statistics), and 9 additional semester hours in one or more of the following: physical or biological sciences, medicine, education, or engineering; or in the social sciences including demography, history, economics, social welfare, geography, international relations, social or cultural anthropology, health sociology, political science, public administration, psychology, etc.
OR
Combination of education and experience - courses as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The experience should have included a full range of professional statistical work such as (a) sampling, (b) collecting, computing, and analyzing statistical data, and (c) applying statistical techniques such as measurement of central tendency, dispersion, skewness, sampling error, simple and multiple correlation, analysis of variance, and tests of significance.

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, applicants must demonstrate the below.

FOR THE GS-14 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-13 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

Applying advanced statistical, survey, sampling, forecasting, trend analysis, and other quantitative methods to evaluate complex workforce, organizational, or public policy issues, including adapting methods and sampling protocols for novel analytical challenges.
Managing statistical studies using large datasets, including primary data collection, method documentation, data integration and validation, trend and policy impact analysis, and statistically sound interpretation of findings.
Serving as a statistical methods and workforce/survey data expert by advising stakeholders, explaining data limits and results, developing clear visuals and reports, maintaining data quality, security and privacy controls, and presenting findings to support decision-making.

Note: There is no education substitution for this grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS are required:

This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified.
You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education.
This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university

Desirable Qualifications:

Experience with Federal personnel databases (e.g. the Office of Personnel Management's Business Intelligence tool or Enterprise Human Resources Integration data (EHRI)).
Experience with other large complex databases.
Knowledge of personnel and human resources concepts, programs, policies, and practices.
Project Management - Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring, and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance.
Experience providing technical advice on behavioral data related to theoretical approaches, methodologies, and analyses of public policy options.

Education

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

Additional information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100 to receive selection priority.
First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected.
Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc) should contact: 1-800-877-8339.
MSPB IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER and employment decisions are based on merit factors only. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in an employment decision by this agency, you have the right to seek counseling to resolve your complaint. You must do so within 45 days of the alleged discrimination action. If you desire to seek counseling, call the MSPB Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at 202 653-6772, Ext 4405.
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 Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.
Worksite Information: This position may be eligible to telework and for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. Additional information regarding ad hoc, occasional, or reoccurring telework may be obtained at a later time from the hiring manager or program during the hiring process.

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.

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 very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn 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.

How you will be evaluated

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

This is a Direct-Hire Authority position, all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, to include any specialized experience and/or selective placement factor(s), if applicable, will be referred to the selecting official. Before a certificate is issued to the selecting official, your application is reviewed to ensure that you meet all the qualification requirements. A rating will not be used; veteran's preference does not apply due to the existence of the Direct Hire authority for this position.

Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Decision Making
Flexibility
Influencing/Negotiating
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Reasoning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
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.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13011632

Additional Information - USA Hire Online Assessment All applicants are required to complete the online USA Hire assessment to be considered for the position for this vacancy. Applicants will not be given the opportunity to complete the online USA Hire assessment outside of the assigned assessment window for this vacancy.

The assessment window closes 48 hours after the posted closing date and time of the announcement.

Required Documents

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) other qualifications; and 5) supervisors name and phone number for each work period listed and whether or not they may be contacted for reference checks. Resume cannot exceed two pages. Only one resume will be reviewed.
Cover Letter: A cover letter explaining your interest and qualifications is preferred, but not required.
If education is required or you are using education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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. For further information, visit the following: Foreign Education Evaluation. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.
If claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a DD214, Certificate of Release from Active Duty, which shows dates of service and discharge under honorable conditions. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions within 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. The certification must be on the letterhead of the appropriate military branch and include the dates of military service. Veterans' preference must be verified prior to appointment. Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference and your application will be evaluated based on the material(s) submitted.
If claiming 10-point veterans' preference you must provide the DD214 or certification requirements (see above bullet), plus the proof of entitlement of this preference as listed on the SF-15 Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference. The SF-15 should be included but is not required. Failure to submit these documents could result in the determination that there is insufficient documentation to support your claim for 10-point preference. For more information on veterans' preference visit FEDSHIREVETS
Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), last performance appraisal that is at least fully successful or its equivalent, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.
Worker's Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50.
Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held. Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.

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.

How to Apply

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 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 closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. Resume cannot exceed two pages.

The application process is as follows:

1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.

2: Create a Resume with USAJOBS or upload a Resume into your USAJOBS account. You may want to customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. In addition, your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement).

3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required. You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Simply log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue.

4:If you are required to take the USA Hire Competency Based 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.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.

6: Set aside at least 1-2 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.7: 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 at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS 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: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

NOTE: Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable. Only one resume will be reviewed. Applicants who submit a resume that exceeds two pages will be removed from consideration.

Agency contact information

Thomas Schoessler

Phone

612-336-3591

Email

thomas.j.schoessler@usda.gov

Address

MSPB Human Resources
250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 410
Minneapolis, MN 55401
US

Next steps

If you set up your USAJOBS account to send automatic email notifications, your will receive an email acknowledging: 1) the submission of your online Occupational Questionnaire and resume was successful, 2) if you were referred to the selecting official for consideration, and 3) if you were selected or not selected. Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log in to your USAJOBS account to check your application status. We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications.

Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.

Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer. An applicant may submit a complaint or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance. To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to pervis.lee@mspb.gov, subject line: Fair Chance Act.

Overview

Accepting applications

Posted this week · Apply by 08/10/26

Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 10, 2026

Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

Washington, DC

No matching locations found.

Work site options

Telework eligible

Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Remote job

No

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Salary

$143,913 - $187,093 per year

First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected.

Pay scale & grade

GS 14

Promotion potential

14

Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule

Full-time

Travel Required

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

Appointment type

Permanent

Occupations and job series

1530 Statistics

Supervisory status

No

Federal service type

This job is in the Competitive Service

Represented by a union

No

Drug test

No

Security clearance

Not Required

Position sensitivity and risk

High Risk (HR)

Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.

Background check type

Credentialing
Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure required

No

Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number

DH-13011632-26-OPE

Control number

877609300

US Merit Systems Protection Board

About Company

Statistician