Director

This Director position is with Food Safety and Inspection Service (Department of Agriculture) in Phoenix, AZ. This position is in the Office of the Administrator (OA). This position acts as the Director of the Strategic Prototyping and Rapid Knowledge Staff (SPARKS) which is responsible for identifying, integrating, testing and associated applications within FSIS to leverage currently available technology enhancing mission success. Note: For this position, the selectee will remain at their current duty station. Key duties: • Supervise a highly technical team engaged in rapid IT prototyping and digital solution development. • Model leadership behaviors consistent with FSIS values and digital modernization priorities. • Lead rapid-cycle development of prototype systems, tools, dashboards, analytics platforms, and automation capabilities. • Exercise independent judgment to determine project scope, technical approaches, software toolsets, and deployment strategies. • Drive innovation by encouraging team experimentation with emerging technologies such as machine learning, automation, LLMs, cloud-native tools, and advanced data visualization. • Ensure clear, continuous communication of prototype objectives, progress, and deliverables to internal stakeholders. Qualifications: Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Time in Grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet the time in grade requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled (e.g. one year at the GS-14 grade level for consideration for the GS-15 grade level.) For the GS-15 level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-14 level) that demonstrates the statements below: Executing development to deliver prototype systems, dashboards, analytics platforms, and automation tools that address operational needs. Translating complex operational challenges into actionable technical requirements and user stories through stakeholder engagement, workflow mapping, and needs assessments. Exercising independent technical judgment to define project scope, choose toolsets/approaches, and determine deployment strategies. Coordinating across executive program components Driving innovation with emerging technologies, such as machine learning, large-language models (LLMs), cloud-native tools, automation, and advanced data visualization, in a complex, evolving environment. Applying strong program and project management to plan short- and long-term implementations, establish evaluation criteria, and improve efficiency/effectiveness. For more information on how to qualify for this position, Click Here 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. View the full announcement and apply on USAJOBS.gov.