Summary
As an Economist, you will be responsible for directing or conducting research on developments in finance, banking, food sector and general and rural economy. This position is located in the Office of Data Analytics and Economics, which evaluates strategic risks to Farm Credit System Institutions and the Agency using data, analytics, economic trends, and other risk factors.
Duties
As an Economist, you will direct or conduct research on developments in finance, banking, food sector, and general and rural economy. Specific duties include:
- Conducting research and preparing various complex economic analyses of factors impacting Farm Credit System (FCS) Institutions or the System.
- Conducting research on financial institution risk and stability using quantitative modeling.
- Constructs and maintains databases containing financial, economic, and environmental information to support the Agency's risk evaluation activities and management's decision-making processes.
- Tracks conditions and changes in finance, banking, food sector, and both the general and rural economy.
- Develops and uses a wide range of sources including structured and unstructured data, publications, agency documents and contacts with industry, professional, regulatory and policy groups.
- Leads and/or participates in joint projects requiring financial, credit, policy, or economic research and analysis.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Must be a U.S. citizen.
- One year probationary period, unless previously served.
- Suitability for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
- Submission of a financial disclosure report may be required.
- Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
- Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required.
Qualifications
You may qualify at the VH-38 (GS-12) band level if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the VH-37 (GS-11) band level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.
- Experience using and maintaining databases containing financial, economic and environmental information to support risk evaluation activities.
- Experience conducting or assisting in research developments in finance, risk, banking, food sector and general and rural economy.
You may qualify at the VH-39 (GS-13) band level if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the VH-38 (GS-12) band in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.
- Experience developing and maintaining tools and models for evaluating financial and economic impacts.
- Experience conducting research and preparing economic analyses.
You may qualify at the VH-40 (GS-14) band level if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the VH-39 (GS-13) band in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.
- Experience participating in or leading projects requiring financial, credit or economic research and analysis.
- Experience presenting oral and written briefings for agency management and staff on financial, economic and policy developments.
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.
Education
If this position has a positive education requirement as part of the Basic Qualification Requirements, you MUST submit copies of your transcript(s) that include: your name, the name of the educational institution, course titles, number of semester/quarter hours, grade(s) earned and degree(s) awarded. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. Educational institutions must be accredited by one of the accrediting agencies or associations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.
Pass/Fail Courses: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.
Graduate Education: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.
Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
- Oral Communication
- Written Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Project Management
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
Your application will be evaluated and rated under Category Rating and Selection procedures. Eligible candidates will be placed in one of three pre-defined quality categories, described below. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position.
- Highly-Qualified Category: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must fully demonstrate proficiency in all major aspects of the position.
- Well-Qualified Category: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in some but not all of the major aspects of the position.
- Qualified Category: In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate a basic level of knowledge, skill and ability of the position.
Under category rating procedures, veterans' preference points and the "rule of three" are not applied. The rights of eligible veterans are protected by placement on the list ahead of non-preference eligibles within each pre-defined quality category. Preference eligibles who meet minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent (i.e., CPS and CP) are listed in the Highly-Qualified category except when the position is being filled is scientific or professional at the VH-35 (GS-09) grade level or higher.
Career Transition Assistance Programs: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp
Required Documents
- Resume. Highlighting relevant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this position. Your resume must include the following information (1) paid and non-paid work experience including your position title, start and end dates (month/year) of employment, average number of hours worked per week and salary (separated by position series and grade for each federal position, if applicable ; (2) indication of the knowledge, skills and education you have that are pertinent to this position; (3) specific duties you have performed as a regular part of your job with indications of the level of responsibility and complexity of work; (4) Names and contact information for your current and/or previous supervisor(s).
- Transcript(s), if qualifying based on education. All applicants must submit a copy of their college/university unofficial transcript(s) for positions with a positive education requirement. See the Education section of the announcement for details on education requirements for this position. If you are selected, you must provide official transcripts to verify your education prior to your entry on duty.
- CTAP/ICTAP Documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal).
- Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.)
- Worker's Compensation Separation. Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50.
- Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456. Certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
- Click the Apply Online button.
- Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
- Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
- 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 and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notices.
- 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 hours 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.
For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_Assessments.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated. You will receive another notification about the status of your application.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
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