The Biden administration is hiring more data experts to the federal workforce as part of its continued effort to accelerate the government’s use of artificial intelligence tools.
The Office of Personnel Management on Monday launched a major government-wide hiring effort to bring more data scientists to government agencies.
OPM’s unified job postings allow job seekers to apply once and be considered for several GS-14 data scientist positions across multiple federal agencies.
Bulk hiring actions share a list of qualified applicants with each other when all agencies are considering hiring for the same position.
OPM is accepting applications no later than Friday and will stop accepting new applications once it receives 750 applications.
The agency conducted a similar government-wide recruitment drive for data scientists three years ago, when it received more than 500 applications within 48 hours.
In a memo late last year, OPM gave agencies direct hiring authority for several AI-related positions.
In a fact sheet released Monday, the White House announced that OPM’s joint hiring efforts and related federal hiring efforts will be part of an update on President Joe Biden’s executive order to accelerate the use of AI in government. emphasized.
Deirdre Mulligan, principal deputy to the U.S. chief technology officer, and Mina Xiang, U.S. digital services administrator, wrote in a blog post that the joint hiring effort is part of the Biden administration’s next steps in AI recruiting. Ta.
“The Biden-Harris Administration will develop smart policies and regulations around AI to responsibly leverage AI to improve government services and protect people’s rights, safety, and privacy, and to support research and development (R&D). “We are hiring dedicated people to help us build the world, so the United States continues to lead the world in cutting-edge AI innovation,” Mulligan and Sian wrote.
Federal officials told Deputy Chief of Staff Bruce Reed at a meeting Monday that their agencies have completed all 90-day actions under the AI executive order.
Among these efforts, the White House Office of the Chief of Staff is spearheading an AI and technology talent force.
Under the executive order, the Office of Management and Budget also convened an interagency council to coordinate the use of AI by federal agencies.
OMB and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy have also “identified priority areas to increase AI talent and accelerate recruitment pathways for federal agencies.”
The White House said the Technology Modernization Fund’s board evaluated ways to prioritize AI adoption by government agencies through the TMF.
In addition to joint hiring efforts, the Biden administration is also pursuing government-wide technology talent programs, including the Presidential Innovation Fellows, the U.S. Digital Corps, and the U.S. Digital Service.
Mulligan and Sian write that the White House will expand hiring of AI talent across several high-priority AI projects in 2024.
“We are inviting AI and AI-enabling experts to join us to advance this research and ensure the next generation of AI models are safe, secure, and trustworthy.” is writing.
The blog post notes that the federal government is already leveraging AI tools to tackle climate change, cancer treatment, and improve “the quality and efficiency of government services.”
Mulligan and Sian said the Biden administration will explore other use cases, such as how government agencies can use AI to more effectively process claims for disability benefits and how AI can help prevent failures of critical aviation safety equipment. He writes that he is considering whether it is possible to predict the situation.
“When designed responsibly and used appropriately, AI can help agencies better accomplish their missions and better serve the public,” they wrote.
OPM’s joint recruitment effort will implement several recommendations from former government officials.
Former U.S. Chief Technology Officer Jennifer Palka told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that adding AI expertise to the federal workforce is “a matter of lightening the burden.”
Palka said OPM’s ability to directly hire AI positions “removes some of the complexity that agencies have to hire experts.”
But she told the committee that agencies still have to run separate hiring processes for each open position, and that “even if they had direct hiring authority, it would take a tremendous amount of time and red tape.” Deaf,” he said.
“The Direct Hire Authority does not allow for the use of bulk hiring across agencies, even though bulk hiring has enabled us to acquire so many talented data scientists and other technical roles faster,” Palka said. said.
“Congress should ask OPM what authority it needs to change this and what resources it needs to expand the program,” said Pearlka, who is a data scientist. He added that efforts by government agencies to hire and other professionals have been highly successful through the use of subject matter expert qualification assessments. .
In the SMEQA process, candidates undergo a multi-stage review to determine their experience and skill level. Subject matter experts also work with the agency’s human resources department to conduct the review.
Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not directed to users within the European Economic Area.
