Data Scientist

Come be a part of something big! Smart Minds, Cool Jobs and Awesome Rewards! Fueled by innovation, talent and ambition, the Air Force Civilian Service (AFCS) is seeking civilian professionals prepared to deploy war-winning capabilities on behalf of the United States Air Force.

OPENS: 22 OCTOBER 2026 CLOSES: 5 NOVEMBER 2026

• IMPORTANT**
• AFNWC requires the 2-page resume format for our job announcements. Please access this link to learn more about what to include in your resume: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include
• Your resume may NOT exceed two pages, and the font size should not be smaller than 10 pts. The two-page resume ensures the most relevant experience, education, and professional development is reviewed and considered, which is *a common practice in both the public and private sectors.
• The hiring manager will reject any illegible/unreadable resumes or resumes that do not comply with the 2-page limitation.
• Provide all academic degrees, professional military education and any other professional certifications on your 2-page resume.
  
  

Air Force Civilian Service is currently seeking a full-time Data Scientist to work in the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC), ICBM Futures Division, Digital Futures Branch, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

This position (010035341M) is an NH-1560-03 which has a typical 2026 salary range of $89,508 - $124,291 based on Value of Position (78), which does include Hill AFB (17.06%) locality pay.

• Recruitment, Relocation, Retention, and Student Loan Incentives may be authorized
  
  

The AFNWC ICBM Digital Futures Branch is responsible for the discovery, maturation, and insertion of cutting-edge digital solutions that enhance ICBM digital systems, ensuring continued & future dominance.

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a Data Scientist with responsibility for the digital capabilities life cycle in assigned area(s). Recognized as a technical authority for the organization in complex data science assignments supporting Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) acquisition activities, operational analysis, and weapon-system sustainment decision support; leads the design and execution of advanced statistical/ML forecasting, digital threading, life-cycle and sustainment engineering and cost models, optimization/simulation, and decision tools that inform resource allocation across program offices and higher headquarters. Conducts data-driven business case analyses to evaluate acquisition and sustainment alternatives, quantifies uncertainty and risk, and recommends viable strategies to senior decision makers. Plans and oversees enterprise impact analyses and readiness metrics, turning raw data into decision-quality insights and executive visualizations. Provides policy and process guidance on data strategy, governance, and model validation; consolidates inputs and prepares authoritative responses to leadership and higher-headquarters inquiries. Translates mission needs into analytic designs, features, and metrics; architects data pipelines and experimentation; evaluates alternative approaches; and issues analytic specifications. Directs end-to-end analytics and MLOps activities: ingestion, curation, feature engineering, modeling, validation, deployment, monitoring, and continuous improvement in operational environments. Mentors journeyman and developmental data scientists, establishes standards for reproducibility and peer review, and leads cross-functional teams to deliver validated, reusable, and operationally effective digital capabilities.

DUTIES:

• Directs, manages, and leads pioneering efforts to develop innovative applications and data visualization projects. Researches, collaborates, employs data engineering theory, and develops software capabilities to collect and analyze quantitative/qualitative information that can be leveraged to generate ICBM metrics.
• Identifies, gathers, manages, stores, and processes structured and unstructured data to establish business intelligence and enable comparative analysis for the discovery, extraction and analysis of patterns and trends.
• Conducts regression analysis, statistical analysis, modeling, machine learning, data engineering, mathematical programming, Natural Language Processing, and auto coding. Applies a combination of computational and machine learning methods to new or big data to identify new insights using next generation analytical tools.
• Supports process/performance improvement and performs studies to identify issues, probable causes, establish assumptions, evaluate potential remedies, and provide recommendations for process improvement to sustain and improve data accuracy or system performance.
• Stays abreast of industry technology, trends, and best practices, advises leadership on new and improved data analyses strategies that will drive agency performance leading to improvement in overall data governance, promoting informed decision-making and ultimately improving overall business intelligence and performance.
• Participates with counterparts in planning, developing, and implementing plans and strategic approaches to manage analysis across the enterprise.
• Communicates findings, interim results, and progress orally and in writing. Presents findings in person in both formal and informal settings. Prepares presentations and written reports, builds data visualization products, and communicates technical results and actionable insights to decisionmakers with varying levels of analytic sophistication. Creates and maintains dynamic displays of metric data.
• Assesses the potential benefits/uses of automation to improve the efficiency of program operations.
• Lead ICBM efforts to deploy artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled capabilities reliably, securely, and ethically.
  
  

SKILLS:

• Professional knowledge of quantitative techniques and methods used to conceptualize, develop, adapt, modify, and apply new models to resolve the most difficult problems and to achieve support for alternative solutions within the scientific community.
• Knowledge of a broad range of defense department or private sector systems, big data analytics, machine learning, AI, cognitive science, programs, operations, strategies, tactics, resource and information processes, force structure, and weapons systems.
• Proficient in programming languages such as Python, SQL, R, Java, C++, Scala, or others.
• Ability to visualize data using systems such as advanced Excel pivot tables/charts, Power BI Dashboards/report server, Tableau dashboards/server, Qlik dashboards/scripts, and Databricks data connections/data cleaning/scripting.
• Proficient in statistical analysis to understand the significance of different data set attributes, perform feature engineering, and develop custom data models and algorithms.
• Ability to research, develop, or apply descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and/or prescriptive models to identify the best AI solution design.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; negotiate complex and/or sensitive issues; and maintain good working relations.
• Ability to perform the core knowledge, skills, abilities, and tasks (KSATs) required for the designated DoD Cyber Workforce Framework (DCWF) roles and proficiency levels associated with this position. This includes fulfilling all applicable KSAT requirements to meet and maintain residency qualification standards in accordance with DoDM 8140.03 and DCWF program guidelines.
  
  

REQUIREMENTS:

• U.S. CITIZENSHIP
• Employee must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance and will be required to handle and safeguard sensitive and/or classified information in accordance with regulations to reduce potential compromise.
• Employee must meet Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) requirements, which includes achieving Engineering and Technical Management “Practitioner” certification category within required timeframe after appointment.
• This is a DoD Cyber Workforce position; selected individual must be able to meet position qualification requirements IAW DoDM 8140.3 in the required timeframes. The DoD Cyberspace Workforce Role Code(s) and Proficiency Level(s) assigned to this position are:” o 423 (Data Scientist) (Proficiency Level: Intermediate)
• For more information concerning Cyberspace Work Roles (CWR), review the latest “DCWF Tool” at https://www.cyber.mil/dod-workforce-innovation-directorate/dod-cyber-workforce-framework
• In accordance with DoDM 8140.03; employees will have 9 to 12-months to become fully qualified in all position qualification requirements.
• Bachelor’s degree in either mathematics, statistics, computer science, computer engineering or data science from an accredited institution, with at least 15 semester hours that included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus, is preferred.
• To qualify for the Data Scientist occupation in the Federal Government, a candidate must have a bachelor's 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 that is appropriate for the position. Or a candidate must have a 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.