This position serves as a Data Scientist providing complex data analysis to support programs and projects in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office (AUS). The employee understands how the technical area interacts with or is affected by other disciplines and considers the objectives of AUS and AVS when developing, integrating, and implementing solutions to diverse, complex problems.
Location negotiable with the position reporting to an approved FAA AVS facility.
Duties
The Data Scientist applies experience and advanced knowledge of computer science and mathematical and statistical theories, techniques, and methods to gather, analyze, design and construct new processes for modeling, interpreting, and/or reporting quantitative information, trends, relationships and correlations among or within data sets. Uses considerable discretion in selecting appropriate approaches or recommends new approaches to support data-driven policy and operational decisions. Performs multiple, varying, and complex assignments under the limited direction of a manager, project/program manager, team leader, or more experienced technical specialist.
Possesses an understanding of how the technical area interacts with or is affected by other disciplines and considers the objectives of the AUS, AVS when developing, integrating, and implementing solutions to diverse, complex problems. Serves as a contributing specialist on work activities to meet program and project goals, such as diverse and complex analysis of large amounts of information to discover trends and patterns, solve problems, optimize use of data, and provide insight and evidence for decision-makers.
Collaborates and coordinates with team members, subject matter experts, and stakeholders to identify business requirements, identify and select relevant and credible data sources to collect, integrate, mine data, and deliver expected outcomes. Assesses data source validity and reliability to meet project needs and ensure data sources are fit for their intended purpose through assessment of potential data quality issues, such as bias in data ingestion or transmission mechanisms. Conducts mathematical and statistical analysis using programming or statistical software (e.g. R, Python, SQL, Power BI, Visual Studio Code Integrated Environment, Posit Workbench/Posit Connect) to transform, combine, and clean data in preparation for analysis. Applies appropriate data wrangling techniques, such as probabilistic matching and imputation of missing values, to clean and prepare imperfect data sets. Works with teammates to develop suitable datasets for ad hoc and ongoing analytic uses, with an emphasis on long-term automation and replicability where appropriate.
Assists more experienced technical staff in building statistical or simulation models and summarizes and presents results using data visualization tools (e.g. Tableau, Power BI, and Alteryx). Supports the development of solutions that leverage artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on programming and SQL query writing. Designs and maintains machine learning (ML) feature pipelines. Researches and implements appropriate ML algorithms and tools. Trains and retrains ML systems.
Contacts are internal and external. May act as a key technical point of contact for assigned activities. Contributes to the preparation of management/technical reports or documents, and may communicate the overall results of a project or work activity to FAA management and employees, federal, state, and other local government organizations, the aviation and aerospace industries, and other external parties.
Provides guidance to lower-level technical staff on how to solve difficult technical issues. Resolves all but unique technical problems without the intervention of management or a more experienced technical specialist. Identifies and informs management of problems that require their attention. Often develops and recommends techniques to address problem situations.
The work is reviewed periodically, typically at major milestones and at completion, for technical compliance and alignment with the requirements of the project or other work activity. The work activities typically support and may be vital to the success of projects or activities of one or more organizational units, AUS, and AVS.