Summary

This vacancy is for a Computer Scientist (Recent Graduate) position in the Demographic System 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 Computer Scientist (Recent Graduate), 1550-7/9, FPL GS-9, positions within the Census Bureau in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

This job is open to

• Recent graduates
  
  Individuals who have graduated from an accredited educational institute or certificate program within the last 2 years or 6 years for Veterans.

Clarification from the agency

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).

Duties

• Routine maintenance and design of regular, recurring software development and software testing of a limited scope in the area of data processing and application development.
• Analyze specific needs and product requirements to create code for software programs based on a specified set of rules, standards and/or policies.
• Follow software development life cycle and project management best practices for software development.
• Participate in such things as system documentation, configurations management, stakeholder engagement, risk identification and quality management as determined by senior staff.

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.
• This position is in the Excepted Service.
• This is a bargaining unit position.
• You must sign a Pathways Agreement.
• This position is eligible for telework; additional criteria will be required (e.g., supervisory approval).

Qualifications

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 June 17, 2024, will be considered for the Recent Graduate Program. Graduation / expect graduation date MUST be indicated on your resume. A letter from the registrar's office with the confer date of June 17, 2024, or before will be considered as well.

Minimum Education Requirement:

Bachelor's degree in computer science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus.

AND

Specialized Experience: For the GS-7, you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-5 in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes:

supporting software and system development in a professional and/or academic environment; Assisting in the development of software through various techniques such as data structures, software engineering, and computer communication.

OR

One (1) full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement.

AND

Specialized Experience: For the GS-9, you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-7 in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes: providing routine maintenance and design of software development and software testing throughout the software development life cycle; Analyzing needs and product requirements to create code; Conducting routine program testing to ensure quality control.

OR

2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

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.

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.

Additional information

The Census Bureau is seeking bright, innovative, results-oriented individuals to join our Recent Graduates Program (RGP). The Recent Graduate Program 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 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 Program.
• Demonstrate successful job performance.
• Meet the Office of Personnel Management's qualifications for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted.

The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.

• VRA (GS-11 or below)
• VEOA (permanent positions)
• 30% or more disabled
• Persons with Disabilities
• CTAP
• ICTAP

Recent Graduates and their supervisors must sign Pathways Agreements setting forth expectations for the program.

To find additional information regarding the Pathways Recent Graduate Program, please visit the following website: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/students/.

The Department of Commerce 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.

If hired for this position with the Census Bureau, at its headquarters office located in Suitland, Maryland, you will be expected to temporarily telework to maximum extent while the headquarters building is being renovated. Once renovations are completed for your area, you will be notified when to return to the office. At that time, you will be expected to work from your duty station, and you may be eligible to telework, up to 8 days a pay period depending on your respective work schedule, with approval from your supervisor.

• Benefits
  
  Review our benefits

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions). Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best qualified candidates 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.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

• Customer Service
• Software Development
• Technology Awareness

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:

• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Date of Birth (DOB)
• Photos of yourself (if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position)
• Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.

You may view the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12414301 for this vacancy.

• Benefits
  
  Review our benefits
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  A complete application consists of the following:
  
  
  • Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume must list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.
  • 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: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.
  • 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 http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp 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.
• How to Apply
  
  Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 06/17/2024.
  
  To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at https://www.usajobs.gov.
  
  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
  
  USAJOBS Help Center | How to see your application and job status
  
  To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application."
  
  Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online; however, if you are unable to apply online, please contact:
  
  TaNay Powell at tanay.powell@census.gov.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Census Pathways Recent Graduate
  
  Phone
  
  301-763-3705
  
  Email
  
  census.pathways.rg@census.gov
  
  Address
  
  Demographic System 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.).
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

A complete application consists of the following:

• Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume must list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should also indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.
• 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: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.
• 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 http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp 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.

How to Apply

Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 06/17/2024.

To apply on-line, you must complete and submit an application by accessing the USAJOBS website at https://www.usajobs.gov.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

USAJOBS Help Center | How to see your application and job status

To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application."

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online; however, if you are unable to apply online, please contact:

TaNay Powell at tanay.powell@census.gov.

Agency contact information

Census Pathways Recent Graduate

Phone

301-763-3705

Email

census.pathways.rg@census.gov

Address

Demographic System 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.).

Fair & Transparent

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

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social security number request