Operations Research Analyst

Duties
IRS Recent Graduates Program affords developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs. Selected applicants are placed in a dynamic, developmental program with the potential to lead to a civil service career in the Federal Government. In addition, the IRS implemented the new IRS Forward Recent Graduate Program that includes an additional year of formal development, training, networking, project teams, and may include rotational assignments.
Following The Completion Of Program Requirements, Selectees May Be Considered For Non-competitive Conversion To a Career/career-conditional Or Term Appointment. All Conversion Requirements Will Be Identified In The Participant Agreement. Program Requirements Include But Are Not Limited To: Successful completion of at least 1 to 2 years of continuous service depending on the position; Completion of at least 40 hours of interactive training; Mentorship; Demonstration of successful job performance; and Meet the qualification position standards. Conversion to the competitive service is not implied or guaranteed.
If Selected, You Will Be Placed In a Developmental Position As a IRS Recent Graduate Operations Research Analyst, GS-1515-09/11 With Promotion Potential To GS-11 In The Division(s) Listed Below: TXO - Taxpayer Experience Office A description of the business units can be found at: Vacancies Will Be Filled In The Following Specialty Areas: TXO - Taxpayer Experience Office The following are the duties of this position at the full working level. Assists with designing, developing, and implementing operations research, mathematical, statistical and other scientific methods and techniques to analyze the efficiency and effectiveness of taxpayer experience programs. Participates in complex taxpayer experience studies that range from non-technical to technical and from the small to the very large. Assists operational research and analysis concerning taxpayer experience forecasting and management issues by utilizing mathematical techniques, statistical methods, analytical models, and scientific discipline recommending changes and improvements to existing analytical and modeling systems to increase taxpayer satisfaction. Develops formulas, testing, and evaluations using discriminate and other statistical analysis applied to taxpayer experience issues. Consults with leadership, customer experience strategists and a variety of other professionals to provide advice and direction on comprehensive taxpayer experience studies. Such guidance requires the proficient interpretation and translation of broad and specific technical problems and conditions. This position has career progression. If you are selected at a grade level lower than the full working level, you may be non-competitively promoted as your career progresses. For example, you may be hired as a GS-09, but if the position has career progression to GS-11, then you may move from a GS-09 to a GS-11 in as little as one year.
Help Requirements Conditions of Employment Telework Eligible Positions: Telework eligible positions do not guarantee telework. Employees must meet and sustain IRS telework eligibility requirements (e.g., reporting at least twice a pay period to your assigned Post of Duty (POD)) and supervisor's approval to participate in the IRS Telework Program. Employees must also be within a 200-mile radius of their official assigned post-of-duty (POD) while in a telework status. As a reminder - If you are selected for a position, you are responsible for reporting to your designated POD (location) on the negotiated start date or as directed by management. Must be a U.S. Citizen or National and provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. (Birth certificate showing birth in the U.S; Unexpired U.S. Passport; Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization; or Report of Birth Abroad of a U.S. Citizen (Form FS-240)) Undergo a review of prior performance/conduct and an income tax verification. Refer to "Get Your Tax Record" at to check the status of your account, balance owed, payment history, make a payment, or review answers to tax questions. If you are not in compliance, you will be determined unsuitable for employment with IRS. This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information regarding your rights refer to Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov). Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency. Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. These documents must be unexpired original or certified copies. Qualifications Federal experience is not required. The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-timework is considered on a prorated basis.
To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.
In order to qualify, you must first meet Pathways Recent Graduate Program eligibility:
You must have, within the previous 2 years, completed all educational requirements for a qualifying associate, bachelor, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying institution; or intended graduation is no more than 9 months from date of application.
OR
Veterans (as defined in 5 U.S.C. 2108) who, due to a military service obligation, were precluded from applying to a Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period may have their eligibility period extended so that they receive the full 2 years of eligibility. The remaining 2-year eligibility period will begin upon his or her release or discharge from active duty. The veteran's eligibility period may not extend beyond 6 years from the date of completion of all requirements of an academic course of study.
Secondly, you must meet any basic requirements of the position and the experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions. Basic Requirement Or Individual Occupational Requirement (all Grades): 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 and at least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.
Evaluation of Education: The primary requirement of operations research work is competence in the rigorous methods of scientific inquiry and analysis rather than in the subject matter of the problem. Therefore, applicants should have sufficient knowledge of applied mathematics to understand and use the fundamental concepts and techniques of operations research methods of analysis. In addition, some positions may require knowledge of a specific subject area.
Courses acceptable for qualifying for operations research positions may have been taken in departments other than Operations Research, e.g., Engineering (usually Industrial Engineering), Science, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, or Management Science.
The following are illustrative of acceptable courses: optimization; mathematical modeling; queueing theory; engineering; physics (except descriptive or survey courses); econometrics; psychometrics; biometrics; experimental psychology; physical chemistry; industrial process analysis; managerial economics; computer science; measurement for management; mathematical models in social phenomena; and courses that involved application of operations research techniques and methodologies to problems of management, marketing, systems design, and other specialized fields; or other comparable quantitative analysis courses for which college-level mathematics or statistics is a prerequisite. Courses in theory of probability and statistics are highly desirable but are not specified as minimum educational requirements because to do so would possibly exclude some applicants who would otherwise be well qualified.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-09 LEVEL: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-07, or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience includes: Experience with mathematical methods and scientific principles to assist other analysts with specific limited parts of studies and developing mathematical models and recommendations. Experience with multivariate techniques and mathematical, simulation economics, econometric and statistical operations research techniques. Experience in research skills to obtain pertinent data from a wide variety of sources to analyze more difficult parts of projects. Experience with the Internal Revenue Code applicable to assigned subject matter projects and of the meaning of the data secured from tax returns. Experience with user-oriented computer programming languages and statistical software packages. OR EDUCATION: You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: A master's or equivalent graduate degree in operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, management science, economics, mathematical logic, science, engineering, or related field. or Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree in operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, management science, economics, mathematical logic, science, engineering, or related field. OR COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: you may qualify with a combination of qualifying education and experience equivalent to the amount required.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-11 LEVEL: In addition to the program requirements and the basic requirements, to be eligible for this position at this grade level you must have one (1) year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience with mathematical methods and scientific principles in order to accomplish research studies, develop a variety of mathematical models and provide management with viable solutions or recommendations. Experience with multivariate techniques and pertinent mathematical, simulation economics, econometric and statistical operations research techniques to use in the context of government policy decisions. Experience with research skills to obtain pertinent data from a wide variety of sources for complex and highly technical projects and programs. Experience with the Internal Revenue Code applicable to assigned subject matter projects and of the meaning of the data secured from tax returns. Experience with user-oriented computer programming languages and statistical software packages. OR EDUCATION: You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, management science, economics, mathematical logic, science, engineering, or related field. orThree (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, management science, economics, mathematical logic, science, engineering, or related field. OR COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: you may qualify with a combination of qualifying education and experience equivalent to the amount required.
For more information on qualifications please refer to OPM's Qualifications Standards.
Education
This position has an education requirement. You MUST submit dated documentation showing completion or intended completion (if graduation is no more than 9 months from the date of application) of all educational requirements (e.g. letter from the registrar, unofficial transcripts). An official transcript will be required if you are selected. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click here for Foreign Education Credentialing instructions.
CERTIFICATE: If you are qualifying based on a certificate program, please refer to Treasury's Pathways Program for more information on qualifying certificate programs. A Certificate Program is a post-secondary educational program in a qualifying educational institution, equivalent to at least one full-time academic year of study, that is part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational or business school curriculum. For study at a business or technical school, 36 weeks of study (20+ classroom hours per week) is comparable to 1 academic year of full-time study. IF you are applying with a completed IT or Business Professional Certification you must submit a dated transcript or letter issued by the Academic Institution detailing your completed coursework and credit hours completed. If your Academic institution calculates a full-year of academic studies with fewer hours, or academic credits are expressed in contract months, units, or other terms that differ from the conventional hours, please have your academic advisor provide a letter certifying the Certificate program meets the regulatory definition.
For more information on education requirements go to Treasury's Pathways Program.
Additional information Pathways in an Excepted Service Appointment, Schedule D, 5 CFR Part 362. Selected applicants who occupy positions in the Competitive Service must acknowledge the outcome of voluntarily leaving the Competitive Service prior to accepting an Excepted Service Appointment in a Pathways Program. See 5 CFR 302.102(b)(2). All selectees must sign a Participant Agreement. An official transcript must be provided to confirm degree completion prior to appointment to the position. Subject to a 1-year trial period (unless already completed). If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Additional jobs may be filled. The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the minimum locality pay up to maximum locality pay for all duty locations listed. The range will be adjusted for selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages. This is a bargaining unit position. Tour of Duty: Day Shift - Start and stop times between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Alternative work schedule, staggered work hours or telework may be available. In the event that a building is closed due to rent management, new hires may be placed in a local commuting location. This is an excepted service appointment and will be made for a specified period of time as identified in this job announcement. If you currently hold a Federal position in the competitive service and accept this appointment, you will voluntarily relinquish your competitive position. Upon completion of this appointment, you will not be returned to your previous position. Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel. Sign a mobility agreement. If this position is designated as hard to fill and you were referred by an IRS employee, the employee may be eligible to receive a bonus for referring you under The Employee Referral Bonus Program (ERBP), recruiting strategy. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Treasury and its bureaus from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Treasury by email at, . To learn more, please visit our page at: Treasury.gov/fairchanceact. Read more