Social Science Analyst

Duties

This position is located in the Office of Safety and Security, Crime Response and Analysis sub-office (OSS/CRA), and reports to the Chief, CRA. This position is responsible for planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research design, statistical analysis procedures and products, and management of the Peace Corps Incident Reporting and Management System (IRMS). The incumbent manages the Incident Reporting and Management System (IRMS) database and data collection instruments for crimes against Volunteers, analyzes trends, and publishes results. Coordinates activities with the crime victimization Survey Specialist to produce and presents data-informed reports and products related to crime and threat trends, recommending strategies to enhance Volunteer safety and security. The incumbent works closely with Safety and Security staff to provide accurate, timely, and relevant data on crime patterns, crime and threat profiles, and trends to aid agency leadership in developing effective and appropriate safety and security policies.

The Social Science Analyst performs the following major duties:

• Serves as senior analyst and works with the Survey Specialist and Data Analysts in developing goals, objectives, and timelines for unit activities and products, formulates, and develops ideas, concepts, and methodology for new or revised policies, procedures, and systems for designing, implementing and evaluating programs.
• Serves as the system owner of the Incident Reporting and Management System (IRMS). Produces, reviews and revises all documentation and training material related to the use and maintenance of the IRMS and provides training to both domestic and overseas staff as needed.
• Identifies training opportunities that contribute to and enhance the effectiveness and performance of the unit.
• Collects, analyzes and reports data to determine the nature, magnitude, and interrelationships of social phenomena and processes with security incidents and develops the principles, criteria, methods, and database for use in determining crime and security threat trends and patterns, and to support development and implementation of strategies to enhance volunteer safety and security.
• Expert advisor and subject matter expert in statistical data collection and analysis, participates in intra- and inter-organizational workgroups for the purpose of planning and conducting special studies and comprehensive assessments related to Volunteer crime and security incidents.
• Prepares regular and special reports for the Office of Safety and Security and Peace Corps leadership regarding the observed crime trends and risk factors. Observes timelines and responds timely on data requests related to crime and/or the prosecution of crime.
• Plans and prepares reports, and other working documents such as crime bulletins, technical resources, research briefs, fact sheets, newsletters, PowerPoints or other briefing materials related to the collection, synthesis and analysis of data from IRMS, the SIQ and/or other relevant security and crime data sources.
• Other duties as assigned from the PD.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Please read this announcement in its entirety prior to submitting your application.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You must be at least 18 years of age.
• All Federal employees are required to have federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• 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. For additional information, see www.sss.gov.
• You must complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
• You must 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 originalor certified copies.
• You must successfully complete a background security investigation with favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet this requirement will be grounds for employment termination.
• Prior to employment, and in compliance with statutes 5 USC 3322 and 22 USC 2507b, Peace Corps will conduct a check of Peace Corps records for both Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and former Peace Corps employees.
• All new employees are required to certify and submit a state of understanding acknowledging adherence to the Peace Corps condition of employment prior to day 1 of employment with the Peace Corps.
• This position requires a public trust background investigation.
• This is NOT a bargaining unit position.
• A one-year probationary period is required.
• This position is eligible for unlimited reappointments, per 22 USC §2506 (a)(8). The initial appointment and subsequent reappointments are in five-year increments.

Qualifications

All qualification requirements must be met by 04/23/2024 (the closing date of the announcement). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. To ensure full credit for your experience, please indicate the start and end dates (month, day, and year) of employment, the number of hours worked per week, and the location of employment in your resume. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

Specialized Experience:

This vacancy is being announced at one grade level: FP-03

Specialized Experience at the FP-03 (GS-13): To be minimally qualified for this position at the FP-03 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-04 or GS-12 level which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience includes: 1. Conducting thorough quantitative analyses of program planning and management and statistical data collection; and 2. Interpreting and analyzing data to be included in comparative studies and the development and implementation of strategies to enhance volunteer safety and security; and 3. Summarizing key policy-relevant data findings and communicating them in writing and/or verbally. 4. Advanced user of spreadsheet software (e.g. MS Excel), statistical tools (e.g. R, Python), and data visualization tools (e.g. Tableau, Power BI) to create data visualizations (charts, tables, infographics, presentations, and other visual productions) that help audiences understand results.

AND

Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION

~OR~

Combination of education and experience: that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION)

~OR~

Four years of appropriate experience: that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

TRANSCRIPTS are required to verify satisfactory completion of the educational requirement listed above.

~AND~

Time-in-Grade (TIG) Requirements:

Current or Formal Federal employees, including current Peace Corps employees, must meet applicable TIG requirements to be considered eligible. To meet TIG for positions above the FP-09 (GS-05) grade level, you must have served at least one year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade (or equivalent) in the normal line of progression for the position to which you are applying.

All current or former Federal employees (including internal employees) must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).

Please note:

• Past experience that satisfies the Specialized Experience MUST be well documented within your resume. Failure to provide this information in your resume with corresponding start and end dates (month, day, and year) of employment, the number of hours worked per week, and location of employment may result in disqualification from further consideration.
• Specialized Experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector, or through volunteer work done with National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) or other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).
• One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis.
• Additional information on qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site.
• Peace Corps employees are employed using the Foreign Personnel (FP) pay scale. The FP pay plan does not follow the same structure as the GS pay plan. In the FP pay plan, as the grade-level numbers decrease the level/pay for the position increases. The FP-09 is the lowest entry-level grade and the FP-01 is the highest senior-level grade.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts can be official or unofficial.

Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. The full provision for SAA is described in the OPM General Schedule Operating Manual.

1. Class standing--Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.)--Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9.
3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society--Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed below. These honor societies are listed in the Association of College Honor Societies: Booklet of Information (1992-95) and/or Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (1991). Agencies considering eligibility based on any society not included in the following list must ensure that the honor society meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision.

Education must be accredited by an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be used towards qualifications. Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by recognized institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at this website.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html