About This Position
This vacancy is for a GS-1515-13, Operations Research Analyst located in the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, CG R and D CENTER TECHNICAL DIVISION in NEW LONDON, Connecticut.
Qualifications
Basic Requirements: This position has a positive Education Requirement
in addition to at least one year of Specialized Experience in order to be found minimally qualified. Transcripts must be submitted with your application package.
You MUST meet the following requirements: EDUCATION: 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. AND
In addition to the above basic education requirement to qualify at the GS-13 grade level, your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the federal or private sector. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. Examples of specialized experience include performing the following types of tasks on a regular and recurring basis: Planning and executing research projects involving scientific, technological, or operational issues; evaluating the feasibility, effectiveness, risks, and benefits of alternative technologies or approaches; analyzing research findings; and preparing technical reports, briefings, or recommendations for leadership and stakeholders.
NOTE: All experience statements (i.e., duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire) copied from this announcement and pasted into your resume will not be considered as a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.
NOTE: Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level. National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.
Major Duties
You will serve as an Operations Research Analyst and be responsible for performing a wide range of comprehensive operations research studies and technical review for substantive program initiatives. Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include: Establishing goals, conceiving, organizing, directing, and defending integrated science and technology programs that respond to existing and evolving Coast Guard mission needs.
Analyzing and establishing the probable value of new technologies and identifying approaches for understanding costly and high-risk developmental efforts. Developing technology and resource alternatives that address operational problems and resource limitations. Initiating, formulating, planning, executing, and applying analytical methods and techniques to analyze complex operational problems and meet study objectives.
Interpreting and reporting analytical findings, study methodologies, and recommendations to leadership and stakeholders. Translating complex scientific, engineering, and analytical concepts for senior officials and decision-makers. Partnering with colleagues, scientists, engineers, government agencies, laboratories, academia, and industry to develop and evaluate science and technology concepts.
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. Reasonable Accommodation Information
Conditions of Employment
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. Do NOT include the following types of information in your resume: Social Security Number (SSN) Date of Birth (DOB) Photos of yourself (if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position) Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. Key Requirements: Must be a U.S.
Citizen. Must be registered or exempt from the Selective Service. See www.sss.gov A one-year probationary period may be required. To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy.
To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation.
This position requires a Secret clearance. This is not a Bargaining Unit position. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit. The Office of Personnel management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule, C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
Education
This position has a positive education requirement. If you are including education on your resume, report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
See Required Documents section for detail. Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution. Once selected & prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript.
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. (see FOREIGN EDUCATION below). College Transcript: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide all unofficial transcripts (undergraduate, graduate, etc.) by the closing date of this announcement or you will be disqualified from further consideration. Transcripts should be legible and detailed, showing course number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours, and grade earned.
If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application.
See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications click here Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. Under the provisions of direct hiring authority, rating, ranking and veterans' preference does not apply; therefore any responses to the questionnaire will not be used to determine a scored rating. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications in the job opportunity announcement, will be referred for selection consideration.
The necessary competencies to perform this job are: Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork To preview the announcement questionnaire, click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12873656 While veterans' preference does not apply in EHA, preference eligibles are encouraged to submit their supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.). Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation. CTAP and ICTAP Eligibles: CTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position.
If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. Individuals must be well-qualified. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website.
Additional Information
E-Verify DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities. Fair Chance Act The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Homeland Security and its Components from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment.
In accordance with 5 U.S. Code ยง 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R ยง 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 bre'[email protected].
Suitability Statement If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment. Shared Certificates Statement Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
Special Employment Consideration The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs.
To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement. Moving expenses will be paid in accordance with appropriate regulations. If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application and hiring process, please contact bre'[email protected].
Decisions on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Visit Reasonable Accommodation More than 1 selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 45 days from the date the certificate was issued.
How to Apply
Only resumes up to a total of 2 pages will be accepted. Font size should not be smaller than 10pts & margins no smaller than .5 inches. Applicants with resumes exceeding 2 pages will be removed from consideration. To begin your online application, click "Apply Online" to create a USAJOBS account & follow the prompts or log in to your existing account.
Your application packet must include a resume & any applicable &/or required supporting documentation. Please see the "Required Documents" section for additional information. We encourage you to apply online. Applications & supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only.
You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used.
You must submit your resume, any applicable assessments, & any supporting documents by 11:59 PM EST on 07/26/2026. USA Hire Assessment - If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen & via email.
The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system & the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link.
Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments.
You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hrs to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments & assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.
It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received & is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility & qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration.
If a document is not legible, we will not be able to consider it as part of your application. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov),all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated.
For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If claiming eligibility under the VOW Act: The VOW Act requires Federal agencies to treat active-duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, & preference eligibles, when they submit, at the time they apply for a Federal job, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD214. In order to be considered under the VOW Act, the certification must specify that the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted with your application package for this job announcement.
The certification must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch & include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, character of service, military rank, type of discharge, & date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by, or by direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders or higher headquarters. Agencies are required to verify a qualifying separation from military service prior to appointment, through the DD214 or other appropriate documentation.
Your preference &/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment. The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. This provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager & agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question.
You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words & did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.
Required Documents
Limit your resume to no more than two pages. The USAJOBS database will not allow an applicant to submit an application that includes a resume over two pages.
You will not be considered for this vacancy if your resume is illegible/unreadable. Resume showing relevant work/volunteer experience, education, and training. Include start and end dates (mm/yy to mm/yy) and number of hours per week worked/volunteered. For additional information on your resume, see How to Apply.
Your responses to any applicable assessments. Are you a current or former federal employee? Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement.
Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions. Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution.
Once selected and prior to appointment, applicants must provide an official college transcript. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet Federal qualification requirements if you can show that your foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States. In order to receive this credit, you must submit evidence of equivalency as provided by a credentialling evaluation service.
It is your responsibility to provide such evidence with your application. See Recognition of Foreign Qualifications Political Appointees: OPM must authorize employment offers for former or current Political Appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information.
Submit proof of your former or current status, such as your SF-50. Please see here. CTAP & ICTAP applicants MUST submit documentation verifying your eligibility. This includes a copy of your agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, most recent SF-50-Notification of Personnel Action noting your current position, grade level and duty location, and documentation from your agency showing your current promotion potential.
View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.
NOTE: Failure to provide required documents could result in elimination of consideration.