Data Scientist (Direct Hire)

Summary

As a Data Scientist, you support mission and program needs by preparing and analyzing data, developing analytic methods, and assisting with model evaluation. You create summaries and visualizations to communicate findings. Higher-grade levels perform these tasks with increased independence, broader scope, and responsibility for coordinating technical work.

Duties

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• Duties described below are at the highest grade advertised. Duties assigned at lower grade levels will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity; duties will be commensurate with the grade of selected employee.
• Design and operate production grade data and machine learning pipelines with data quality checks and documented lineage.
• Develop and deploy analytic models to meet mission needs and configure monitoring and alerting for performance.
• Prepare, transform, and integrate datasets from multiple sources and maintain reproducible documentation.
• Plan and conduct model validation, testing, and performance evaluation and share results with stakeholders.
• Implement role based access controls and data protection requirements and document practices for audits.
• Maintain metadata workflows, including tagging, classification, and lifecycle documentation.
• Publish optimized analytical datasets or models and define key performance indicators and data representations.
• Coordinate with stakeholders to define technical requirements and provide guidance to junior team members.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• This position is open to U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
• This position may require a one-year probationary period. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11. See Additional Information section
• You must meet qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• Position subject to pre-employment background investigation or higher-level clearance. Investigation/Clearance may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
• Financial Disclosure, Drug Testing, and/or the Travel Requirements for this position may differ and be required based on the duty location/NASA Center requirements.
• This position may require a one-year probationary/trial period. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11. See Additional Information section
• To be considered for employment, you must submit your complete application by 11:59 PM ET on September 09, 2026.

Qualifications

Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work.

To qualify for GS-12, you must have:

• One year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level:
• Collecting, cleaning, transforming, and preparing structured and unstructured data for analytic projects.
• Assisting in building and maintaining data pipelines and supporting model testing by recording results and identifying issues.
• Writing, testing, and documenting code for data analysis or modeling and producing basic visualizations.

OR

• Completed all requirements for a doctoral degree (i.e., Ph.D. or equivalent) in an appropriate field

To qualify for GS-13, you must have one year of directly related specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level:

• Preparing, transforming, and integrating datasets from multiple sources and maintaining reproducible documentation.
• Designing and operating data and machine learning pipelines with defined data quality checks and lineage tracking.
• Conducting model validation, testing, and performance evaluation and presenting results to diverse audiences.

Your resume must include a clear and detailed narrative description, in your own words, of how you meet the required specialized experience. Experience statements copied from a position description, vacancy announcement or other reference material constitutes plagiarism and may result in disqualification and losing consideration for the job.

Please visit https://www.nasa.gov/careers/how-to-apply/#Artificial-Intelligence to review NASA's guidance on the use of artificial intelligent (AI) or AI-assisted tools during the application process.

Education

Basic Requirement:

You must have successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree with a major in mathematics, statistics, computer science, data science or field directly related to the position.

OR

Have a combination of education and experience equivalent to a major field of study (30 semester hours) equivalent to one of the majors shown above, plus additional education or appropriate experience.

U.S. degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

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. These education credentials must be deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

All degrees must have been received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation.

Additional information

In the Announcement Questionnaire, you will be prompted to select the lowest grade you wish to be considered for.

_By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA. CTAP/ICTAP will be cleared for any additional selection from this announcement.

_If you have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must:

• Indicate your eligibility when applying for a position. The questionnaire asks you to identify your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility.
• Meet the minimum qualifications requirements for the position
• Submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP as indicated in 'Required Documents.

For additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility, click here - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/#ictap.

Any applicant that received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) from the federal governmentwithin the last five years based of the closing date of this announcement, if selected, may be required to repay the full amount prior to establishing a start date. For additional information on the VSIP repayment requirement, click here - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/voluntary-separation-incentive-payments/.

_Per Executive Order 14343, this position is not part of a bargaining unit.

_Probationary Period

You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Other duty locations not specifically listed on this announcement may be considered at management's discretion.

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.

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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.

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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.