Economist

Clarification from the agency

This announcement uses the OPM Federal Wide Direct Hire Authority to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to certain positions in the competitive service where a critical hiring need has been identified.

• Provides expert advice on complex and emerging economic issues to EEOC Offices, other federal agencies, and external individuals and organizations.
• Advises legal staff on appropriate analytical methods, data requirements, and statistical techniques for case development and research efforts.
• Designs and constructs electronic databases using statistical software, ensuring accurate and reliable data used for investigations or policy studies.
• Gathers, evaluates, and interprets complex economic information from diverse data sources, developing innovative techniques for unique or sensitive cases.
• Reviews and critiques economic and statistical studies prepared by external experts, advising on relevance, accuracy, and methodological validity.
• Communicates and defends analytical results to attorneys, senior staff, and external stakeholders, including testifying in federal court when required.
• Develops and delivers training to field staff on labor market analysis, statistical methodologies, and analytical tools used in employment discrimination cases.
• Testifies in federal court on the economic and analytic methodologies used by the incumbent and external experts, as appropriate.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENT:
Degree: economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.
OR
Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Transcripts are required and must be submitted at the time of application. A PhD Degree in Economics (with specialization in Labor Economics or a related Microeconomics area) is preferred for this position.

In addition to the basic requirement applicants must also possess:

For the GS-13: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the federal service. Specialized experience includes demonstrated professional experience applying methods and principles of economics and to research projects and programs; developing, analyzing, and presenting statistical information, recognizing and adopting new techniques to fit the needs of research projects and preparing comprehensive reports; conducting microeconomic analyses of administrative data to analyze outcomes related to employment (or other similar areas of microeconomics such as health or education) and having produced written and oral products based on such microeconomic analyses. Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements (e.g., time-in-grade and qualification requirements) within 30 days of the closing date specified in the vacancy announcement.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

This position will be filled through the Direct Hire Authority. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking, and veterans' preference procedures do not apply. 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. Applicants who meet minimum qualification requirements will be certified for further consideration. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning
• Attention to Detail
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Self-Management
• Teamwork

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.

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: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/

Equal Employment Opportunity
The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume (NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES) showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of your qualifications, you will not receive consideration for the position.
2. Other supporting documents:
   • This position has a basic education requirement; you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts for further consideration.
   • Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program 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.
     • Worker's Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50.
     • Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held.
     • 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.
   • Current or Former Political Appointees (if applicable) - The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently or have been a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch within the last 5 years, you must disclose this in your application package.

Failure to submit documents required may result in loss of consideration.

Next steps

Additional locations