Economist Job

Vacancy No. TEAMS-25-DH-12595585 Department Government Accountability Office
Salary $124,210.00 to $173,484.00 Grade 21 to 21
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/4/2024 Close Date 11/25/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Los Angeles, CAOakland, CAWashington, DCAtlanta, GA


Summary

This position will be filled in one of the following GAO Teams, located in Washington, DC (HQ) or a Field Office (Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Los Angeles, CA; Chicago, IL; Oakland, CA; Seattle, WA): GAO Teams and Offices

Applied Research and Methods (ARM)
Financial Markets and Community Investment (FMCI)
International Affairs and Trade (IAT)

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This position is being advertised under a Direct Hiring Authority. Pay will be set consistent with the salary range for the location the position is filled in: DC - $133,500 - $155,880 Atlanta - $124,210 - $145,138 Boston - $140,460 - $164,276 Chicago - $131,147 - $153,132 Los Angeles - $141,152 - $165,084 Oakland - $148,347 - $173,484 Seattle - $134,032 - $156,502

Duties

The GAO is seeking an experienced professional to serve as a Senior Economist; responsible for providing economics research in support of GAO's engagements and performing advanced economic analyses of federal programs and policies. Specifically, the incumbent:

  • Identifies economic issues and participates in design, data collection and analysis, message development, and report writing.
  • Develops econometric analyses of economic, financial, and administrative data to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of federal programs and policies.
  • Applies advanced economic concepts and tools to the evaluation of federal programs and policies. Assesses economic trade-offs associated with federal programs and policies, including their impact on individuals, businesses, markets, prices and quantities.
  • Critically evaluates economic research conducted by federal agencies, academics and other experts to determine quality, relevance and implications for federal programs and policies.
  • Reviews draft reports to ensure accuracy, precision, and clarity of presentation of economic issues and data.
  • Clearly communicates in writing the methods and conclusions of advanced economic and econometric analyses and evaluations of economic research.
  • Presents results of economic research in formal and informal settings, including message agreement discussions, team meetings, and briefings for Congressional staff.
  • In collaboration with multi-disciplinary team members, develops findings and recommendations and prepares GAO products that provide factual and analytical information in a clear, balanced manner that meets the needs of congressional clients.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
  • Completion of a financial disclosure statement is required.
  • Completion of a probationary period is required.
  • Must meet/maintain background and suitability requirements for employment. You may be required to obtain and maintain a security clearance depending on the engagements, projects, and initiatives you are assigned to.

Qualifications

In addition to the education requirement, you must have 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower band or level equivalent to the GS-12 in the federal service, or comparable private or public sector experience. For this position, specialized experience is defined as experience applying statistical research techniques to collect and interpret data and developing new economic models or theories under the supervision of a senior researcher, such as a faculty member or manager.

You must also meet the following Selective Placement Factor (SPF):
Experience authoring economics research papers that provide evidence of knowledge of current advanced economic theories and research techniques in applied economics.

A writing sample, such as a research paper, that provides evidence of knowledge of current advanced economic theories and research techniques in applied economics must be submitted as part of your application package.

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.

You must meet all qualifications requirements before the closing date of this announcement.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement. YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF YOUR TRANSCRIPT SHOWING THIS COURSEWORK. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF CONSIDERATION.

A. Degree in economics that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus;

OR

B. Combination of education and experience - courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Most foreign education is not accredited by an accrediting body that is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of 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. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

This is a bargaining unit position.

Based on the staffing needs, additional selections may be made through this vacancy announcement.

Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid for by the GAO.GAO participates in the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers. If selected, you will be required to complete the Form I-9 at the time of appointment. Click here for more information about E-Verify and to obtain a copy of the Form I-9.

You will be required to complete questions contained on the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) at the time a tentative job offer is made. At the time of appointment, you will be required to update the OF-306.

You will be subject to a determination of suitability for Federal employment.

GAO provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request accommodation, please email ReasonableAccommodations@gao.gov.

GAO's policy is to provide equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

GAO is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service. Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the GAO require completion of a probationary period.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

The position(s) advertised in this announcement are covered by a direct hire authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applicants, including category rating, does not apply to this vacancy. Your qualifications will be initially evaluated against the basic qualifications only. Qualified applicants will be referred for consideration in accordance with agency direct hire guidelines. Veterans' Preference does not apply to positions covered by the direct hire authority.

Please make sure that your responses to the assessment questions are supported in your resume and follow all instructions carefully. If you provide incomplete answers, fail to provide a narrative response to any assessment question(s) that requires further explanation, or if your response to an assessment question is "see resume" or like answer, you may be determined ineligible.

To preview the assessment questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12595585

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete application package which includes:

  1. RESUME: You are encouraged to use the USAJOBS resume builder to create your resume. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. In addition to describing duties performed, you must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. CV's are not recommended.
  2. SF-50: Current and former federal employees eligible for reinstatement should submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) that indicates your position information (i.e. title, series, grade). Do not submit awards.
  3. TRANSCRIPTS: If you are using your education to qualify (even partially), you must submit a copy of your transcripts. Foreign Education: If you are submitting a transcript from a non-US educational institution, applicants must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials, commonly called a credential evaluation service. For additional information, please visit: Foreign Education
  4. WRITING SAMPLE: Such as a research paper, that provides evidence of knowledge of current advanced economic theories and research techniques in applied economics must be submitted as part of your application package.
If you fail to submit any of the documentation listed above, your application will be considered incomplete and will result in loss of consideration.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume (you are encouraged to create a resume using the USAJOBS resume builder)and/or other supporting documentsto be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
  • To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Agency contact information

Ebonye Watson
Address
Government Accountability Office
Human Capital Office
441 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20548
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

After the closing date of this announcement, GAO's Human Capital Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications by reviewing your assessment questionnaire and resume to complete an analysis. Please be as complete and thorough as possible. If your application is rated "best-qualified," your name will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. At this point you may be contacted for an interview. This process may take up to 30 days.

If you do not meet the key requirements and/or basic qualifications, or you fail to submit all required application materials, your application will not be considered.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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