MAJOR DUTIES

• Provide thought leadership in the development of new research agendas in areas of strategic interest.
• Serve as a project leader and lead staff in providing expert analysis on various trade issues.
• Develop and adapt research methods.
• Provide economic expertise to Commission investigations and strategic research goals.
• Use appropriate techniques to generate consistent datasets for complex economic analysis.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen or national.
• You will be required to successfully complete a background investigation.
• You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period
• Males born after 12/03/59 must be registered for Selective Service
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.
• You may be required to submit a Financial Disclosure Statement.

Qualifications

You must meet all the requirements below by the closing date of the announcement and they must be clearly identified in your application, resume, or supporting documents. This includes any general and specialized experience, education, and/or selective placement factors mentioned. These are used to determine if you possess the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities to successfully perform in this position.

BASIC REQUIREMENT

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

Specialized Experience:

To qualify at the GS-12 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience obtained in the private or public sector that is equivalent to the GS-11 level. Specialized experience is defined as
1) Data collection and analysis, or other substantive analysis which requires an understanding of the economic issue under investigation; and
2) Planning and execution of sequential work steps and contributing to research study as a team member.

OR

GS-12 level, you may qualify using one of the following options:

• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree

To qualify at the GS-13 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience obtained in the private or public sector that is equivalent to the GS-12 level. Specialized experience is defined as
1) Formulating plans and technically sound research methods and communicating progress and results.
2) Applying standard analytic methods to defined problems to produce professional research product; and
3) Compiling, cleaning, and managing datasets while applying common statistical and econometric techniques, such as descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis to ensure consistent and reliable data for economic research and analysis.

To qualify at the GS-14 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience obtained in the private or public sector that is equivalent to the GS-13 level. Specialized experience is defined as
1) Leading a research team, including formulating plans and research methods, and communicating progress and results.
2) Developing economic research methods and applying them to produce professional research products.
3) Constructing, updating, and managing complex databases while developing expertise in advanced economic analysis techniques, such as regression analysis, econometric modeling, gravity modeling, cost-benefit analysis, simulation, and macroeconomic modeling.
4) Compiling, cleaning, and managing large datasets while applying common statistical and econometric techniques, such as descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis to ensure consistent and reliable data for economic research and analysis; and
5) Providing economic expertise to agency investigations and strategic research goals and recommending development or revision of agency projects and frameworks as appropriate.

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.

The self-assessment questions are related to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies (KSA's). You do not have to respond to the KSA's.

• Thought Leadership
• Project Leadership and Management
• Applied Research Analysis
• Data Analysis

If you are selected for an interview, you can expect a structured panel interview process, which will include between 2 and 4 members. You also may be subject to additional assessments (e.g. technical writing sample or oral presentation).

Your experience is also evaluated using an assessment questionnaire, which is available at the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12872246

To receive consideration, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified below by 02/09/2026

1. Resume:Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience(s) and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. In order to fully evaluate your application and receive proper credit, your resume should include: (1) paid and non-paid experience, job title, dates held (month and year for qualifying purposes to receive credit), number of hours worked per week, and salary (2) knowledge of the subject matter and technical skills pertinent to this position; (3) specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work; and (4) names and phone numbers of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). Your resume should contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic/specialized experience requirements as stated in this job opportunity announcement for each grade level(s) for which you are applying. We will review your resume and supporting documents, to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.

2. Occupational questionnaire: A completed job-specific occupational questionnaire should be submitted through your Application Manager account.

3. Veterans' Preference:If claiming veterans' preference, you must indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume.

A. For 5-point veterans' preference, you must provide:

a copy of your DD 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge which shows the type of discharge and dates of active duty (Member 4 copy preferred).

B. If you are currently on active duty, to receive 5-point preference you must provide an official statement of service from your command/unit which states:

- your branch of service;
- period(s) of service;
- campaign medals or expeditionary medals earned;
- expected discharge type and date; and
- date you will be separated or be on approved terminal leave

If you supply a statement of service at this stage, your preference/eligibility will be verified by a DD 214 prior to your appointment with our agency.

C. To receive 10-point veterans' preference, you must provide: -any documentation required by this form to support your claim.

If we cannot verify your 10-point preference status, you will receive 5-point preference if you meet the requirements. You can obtain an SF-15 through this link: http://www.opm.gov/forms/standard-forms/.

To access to your DD 214 online, please visit: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/.

4. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles.
You must submit the following documents:

• a copy of your agency notice;
• a copy of your most recent performance rating; and
• a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.

5. Education Documentation:Transcripts. (for Individual Occupational Requirements and/or Substitution of Education for specialized experience): You MUST submit copies of your college transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are acceptable, however, if selected you will be required to furnish official transcripts. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above educational requirements. Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration.


6. Cover Letter. This is optional.

Next steps