Summary

This vacancy is for a Computer Scientist position in the Associate Director for Decennial Census Programs 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, 1550-7/9/11/12, FPL GG-12 positions within the Census Bureau in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

Duties

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• Plan, design, and provide technical solutions for the development of complex software from inception through completion.
• Analyze and apply specific needs and product requirements to create code for software programs following rules, standards and/or policies.
• Independently apply software development life cycle (SDLC) and project management best practices for software development.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• U.S. Citizen.
• Suitable for Federal employment.
• Registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
• This is a term appointment not to exceed 4 years. At management discretion, this appointment may be extended up to a maximum of 10 years from the original appointment date.
• This is a BARGAINING unit position.
• This position may be covered by one or more of the following bargaining units: American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2782(HQ) or AFGE Local 1438(DN). If you have specific questions, please contact the HR Specialist.
• A trial period may be required.
• A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.
• This announcement will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the date the first (150) applicants are received or on July 23, 2026 whichever comes first.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Computer Scientist, at GG-1550-7/9/11/12, you must meet the minimum and/or basic qualification requirements listed below.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

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. All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.

AND

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

FOR THE GS-07:

Specialized Experience: 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: assisting in 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

Education: 1 year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement 3.0 or higher GPA

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of specialized experience (less than one year, matching experience as described above) AND directly related graduate education (less than one year of graduate education), that when combined equals 100% of the qualification requirement.

FOR THE GS-09:

Specialized Experience: 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: providing routine maintenance and design of software development and software testing throughout the software development life cycle; analyzing needs and product requirements to create codes; AND conducting routine program testing to ensure quality control.

OR

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

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of specialized experience (less than one year, matching experience as described above) AND directly related graduate education (less than two years of graduate education), that when combined equals 100% of the qualification requirement.

• Note: Only graduate education in excess of one year (generally 18 semester hours) may be used in this calculation.

FOR THE GS-11:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes: assisting in the overall planning, design, and implementation of large and more complex programs; preparing and testing systems to ensure quality and efficiency; modifying software code to correct errors and improve performance; AND providing assistance and guidance to customers on software related issues.

OR

Education: 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of specialized experience (less than one year, matching experience as described above) AND directly related graduate education (less than three years of graduate education), that when combined equals 100% of the qualification requirement.

• Note: Only graduate education in excess of two years (generally 36 semester hours) may be used in this calculation.

FOR THE GS-12:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes: overseeing complex software and system developments through various techniques such as data structures, software engineering, and computer communication; Participating in the planning, development, and implementation of large more complex programs within time and budget constraints; Developing and implementing major testing strategies to ensure quality and efficiency; Providing assistance and guidance to customers on software related issues.

OR

Education: Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level.

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 closing date of this announcement, 07/23/2026, to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

Additional information

Applicants who apply under this Job Opportunity Announcement may opt-in (at their request) to allow the sharing of their resume, and other associated documents with other Federal Agencies 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.

Individuals who have received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment, otherwise known as a buyout, must repay that incentive if they are reemployed by the Federal Government within five years of separation.

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.

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, [redacted].

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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

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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.

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.