Operations Research Analyst

Operations Research Analyst

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Acq Demo Business and Technical Management to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. The position is part of the Department of Defense (DoD), Missile Defense Agency (MDA). The incumbent will be responsible for leading and managing cost estimating and analysis activities to support the agency's mission of developing, testing, and deploying missile defense systems. This position ensures the delivery of accurate, comprehensive, credible, and documented cost estimates and analyses to inform decision-making, program planning, resource allocation, and acquisition/contract efforts for MDA programs and initiatives. This position provides technical expertise, guidance, and leadership to a team of cost analysts, ensuring compliance with Department of Defense (DoD) and MDA policies and standards.

As an Operations Research Analyst at the NH-1515-4 broadband level, some of your typical work assignments may include:

• Leadership and management: Serve as the principal cost estimating expert for the program/team, providing authoritative guidance and analysis to program/organization leadership.
• Cost policy and guidance: Ensure all cost estimates and analysis comply with DoD and MDA directives, standards, templates, and procedures for preparing, documenting, and presenting reliable cost estimates.
• Data collection, validation, and storage: Lead and ensure the uniform collection and reporting of cost, technical, and programmatic data across programs and contracts, consistent with statutory requirements.
• Cost research and methodology: Lead research efforts to advance cost and schedule estimating methodologies for the organization/program/team, addressing issues unique to complex missile defense technologies and rapid acquisition.
• Lead, develop, apply, and document appropriate cost estimating and analysis methodologies, utilizing techniques such as linear and non-linear regression to determine cost estimating relationships (CERs).
• Cost Estimates and Analyses: Lead, develop, document, update, and deliver life-cycle cost estimates (LCCEs) and cost trade analysis for MDA programs to inform decision-making, program planning, resource allocation, and acquisition/contract efforts for MDA programs and initiatives.
• Stakeholder engagement and collaboration: Lead, prepare, document, and present cost estimates, cost analysis, cost studies, excursions, and recommendations to customers and stakeholders.
• Lead, support, and review Congressional Request for Information (RFI) responses and statutory and oversight requirements including GAO audits.
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications:

You may qualify at the NH-04 Broadband Level, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the NH-03/GS-13 grade level in the Federal service as listed below and must meet three of the five specialized experience listed below to be qualified:

• Collecting, normalizing, and analyzing cost data.
• Developing and applying appropriate cost estimating and analysis methodologies, utilizing techniques such as linear and non-linear regression to determine cost estimating relationships (CERs).
• Developing, updating, and maintaining cost models capable of providing timely, reliable cost estimates.
• Developing credible, accurate, comprehensive, and documented Life Cycle Cost Estimates (LCCEs), Program Office Estimates (POEs), and/or Independent Government Cost Estimates (IGCEs).
• Preparing, presenting, and documenting cost estimates, cost analysis, cost studies, excursions, recommendations, and/or briefings to customers and stakeholders.

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.

In addition to meeting qualifications, your application package must reflect the applicable experience to meet the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 1515, series as listed below:

Individual Occupational Requirements Basic Requirements:

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. 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.

NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Education Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: 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 and such education has been 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://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional Information:

ACQUISITION POSITION: This is an acquisition position coded Advanced in Business, Cost Estimating. Incumbent must obtain mandatory Back-to-Basics (BtB) certification within 48 months of entry into position. Incumbent must acquire 80 Continuous Learning Points every 24 months.

RE-EMPLOYED ANNUITANT: This position DOES NOT meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf.

All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see Who Needs to Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov)).