Summary

As a Senior Data Engineer in CPSC's Analytics Center of Excellence, you'll design, build, and maintain the data pipelines and infrastructure that allow CPSC to collect, process, and leverage high-quality data for analytics and operational needs. You will ensure data is reliable, accessible, and optimized for downstream use by data scientists, analysts, and AI/ML systems that drive policy, modernization, and safety decisions.

Duties

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This position is officially titled Data Scientist. The working title is Senior Data Engineer. The Senior Data Engineer serves as a technical authority within the Analytics Center of Excellence (COE), responsible for architecting, leading, and optimizing enterprise-scale data solutions that drive advanced analytics, machine learning, and AI initiatives across the agency. This position is pivotal in shaping CPSC's data strategy, ensuring robust, secure, and scalable data infrastructure to support mission-critical programs and inform policy decisions. The incumbent regularly interfaces with senior leadership, cross-functional teams, and external partners to advance the agency's evidence-based, data-driven culture.

The Senior Data Engineer:

• Directs the design and implementation of complex, scalable data pipelines and services, leveraging cloud-native and open-source technologies (e.g., Azure Data Lake, Azure SQL, Data Factory, Python frameworks) to support predictive modeling, real-time analytics, and operational dashboards.
• Initiates, plans, and executes major developmental projects, often representing an important segment of the agency's operating programs. Coordinates cross-functional teams, manages resources, and ensures timely delivery of high-impact data products.
• Develops and enforces schema, validation, and quality controls across diverse data sources. Implements robust ETL/ELT workflows, API integrations, and microservices for seamless data exchange and analytics.
• Architects secure, efficient, and reproducible data workflows in modern cloud environments, ensuring compliance with federal data governance and AI risk management frameworks. Designs and implements high-quality data pipelines for ingestion, transformation, validation, quality enforcement, and preprocessing of diverse datasets. Ensures data provenance, lineage, interoperability, schema consistency, and compliance with data governance requirements.
• Provides technical mentorship to junior engineers and data scientists. Facilitates knowledge sharing through working groups, communities of practice, and agency-wide forums.
• Establishes rapport with internal and external stakeholders to understand organizational goals and requirements, influencing adoption of findings and recommendations.
• Performs additional responsibilities as assigned, contributing to the agency's strategic objectives.

Requirements

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Qualifications

In addition to the mandatory education requirement, all applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

GS-14: 1) Experience translating a broad analytical or organizational vision into a technical data architecture, including designing scalable, cloud-based data environments and pipelines; 2) managing complex data architectures across cloud and on-premise environments; 3) developing and implementing enterprise data governance practices, such as data quality controls, lineage, security, and interoperability standards; 4) leading data engineering solutions that integrate diverse data sources through robust ETL/ELT workflows, APIs, and microservices supported by deep experience with distributed systems, modern data warehousing technologies, and the scripting and programming languages required for large-scale data integration; 5) applying advanced data engineering methods to solve complex technical challenges and enable agency-wide analytics; and 6) collaborating with technical experts and program stakeholders to design and deliver practical, data-driven solutions that support mission needs.

Evidence of the above specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to be clear and specific when describing your experience. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience or based on job titles alone. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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 experience.

Applicants must meet the qualifications for this position by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Mandatory Education Requirement. All applicants must meet one of the following requirements to qualify:

A. A bachelor's or higher degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science, data science or field directly related to the position. The degree must be in a major field of study (at least at the baccalaureate level) that is appropriate for the position.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major field of study (30 semester hours) as shown in paragraph A above, plus additional education or appropriate experience.

There is no substitution for specialized experience at this grade level.

You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable during the application process. Official transcripts will be required upon appointment.

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement.

All education claimed by applicants will be verified.

Additional information

CPSC provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed in this vacancy announcement.

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 CompetencyBased 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. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/[redacted]5-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information).

Payment of relocation expenses is NOT authorized.

All the information you provide will be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education as shown on your application, by checking references and through other means, such as the interview process. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempts to conceal information may be grounds for not hiring you or for firing you after you begin work.

Additional selections may be made through this vacancy announcement.

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

As a condition of employment, the selectee must reside in the local commuting area of the duty station listed in this announcement. Proof of residence may be required.

Must meet the criteria requirement for the pre-employment waiver and/or a favorable suitability determination within a reasonable period of time, otherwise the employment offer may be withdrawn.

CPSC headquarters employees (Bethesda, MD) will be relocating to 441 G Street NW, Washington, DC. This position will transition to the new location upon completion of the move. The transition is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Applicants should be aware that acceptance of this position includes the requirement to report to the new location once the relocation is finalized.

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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.

CPSC offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes: paid vacation, sick leave, 11 paid holidays per year, life and health insurance, Long Term Care insurance, dental and vision insurance, flexible spending account program, and retirement savings and investment plan similar to 401(k) (Thrift Savings Plan).

CPSC also offers a broad array of work-life flexibilities and services to employees such as, flexible work schedules, transit subsidies, fitness center, and employee assistance and wellness programs.

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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.