SUPERVISORY ECONOMIST

Clarification from the agency

Current Competitive Service Employees in Antitrust Division.

The Antitrust Division (ATR) is seeking to fill a SUPERVISORY ECONOMIST position in the Expert Analysis Group (EAG) within the Antitrust Division (ATR). The Expert Analysis Group (EAG) is one of the world's leading venues for developing and applying economics to real world questions of competition. The Economist hired will conduct analysis that plays a central role in enforcement efforts to protect competition and benefit consumers through low prices, high quality, and innovation.

As a SUPERVISORY ECONOMIST, you will:

• Supervising a staff of statisticians by recruiting, selecting, establishing work priorities, assigning work, assessing performance.
• Setting goals and priorities for subordinates and monitors staff productivity.
• Directing the planning and performance of economic studies and analytical research of the greatest difficulty and complexity in the examination and analysis of the behavior of firms and consumers that are the subject of antitrust investigation and litigation. Developing long-range plans, goals, and objectives; implementing, and coordinating a variety of special projects and studies of interest for the OAAG and COS concerning Division operations.
• Conducting economic analysis of specific practices that may harm competition, as well as economic research relating to competition policy issues more broadly, of the most complex order. Managing key administrative processes, monitoring the progress of work, including adherence to methods and procedures, and prioritization of work.
• Preparing outlines, studies and analyses regarding economic theory, economic approaches, past precedents, policies, and history with the view of assisting the formulation of future economic approaches.
• Responding to written and oral inquiries regarding economic analysis of cases.
• Representing the section in Department, interagency and other committees and groups and task forces. Direct special programs and initiatives assigned by the supervisor or the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Economic Analysis.

Please note: Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement. Further selections may also be made for additional organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above. Also, a writing sample and a combination of three to five business and academic references may be requested of individuals identified as best qualified, to be forwarded to the selecting official along with your application package, upon referral.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to be considered for this position.
• You must undergo a pre-employment security investigation.
• You may be required to take and successfully clear a drug test.
• You must submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement.
• SELECTIVE SERVICE: All male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must have registered for the selective service (see SSS.gov). If selected for this position, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
• DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• This position is ineligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit.
• This is a full-time, supervisory position subject to a one-year supervisory probationary period in accordance with 5 C.F.R. 315.904
• The Antitrust Division participates in the E-Verify program.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the Basic Education Requirements AND Specialized Experience Requirements. Specialized experience is experience that has provided you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position as described above, and that is typically in or related to this position being filled.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

You must be a current Antitrust Division employee on a permanent appointment in the competitive service, you will need to demonstrate 1-year (52-weeks) at the next lower grade level, to meet the time-in-grade requirements for this occupational series and grade.

Specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

To qualify for the GS-15 level, candidates must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS- 14 level. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

• Leading economic research assignments with responsibility for formulating and guiding, directing, and/or exercising control over research problems;
• Leading both development of methodologies and use of econometric models to conduct economic analysis in support of policy formulations;
• Coordinating project assignments involving a staff of economists and requiring the evaluation and interpretation of economic information;
• Identifying and evaluating the effects of regulations or similar constraints on the profit-maximizing strategies of firms; and
• Identifying the significance of specific factors affecting a firm's entry to or exit from a market, such as network effects, market structure.

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited based on time spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this 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.

Your application will be evaluated under DOJ's Merit Promotion Plan and rated under DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the basic qualifications for the position listed in this announcement. Please note: Basic qualifications will be determined based on a comparison of your resume against the quality and extent of experience or related education as reflected in the position requirements.

If you are found to be qualified for this position, your resume and supporting documentation will be further assessed and compared to the responses of your occupational/assessment questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive will be based on your responses to the questionnaire. The rating is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the competencies required for this position, and will determine the rank in which you place (Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Best Qualified). The "Best Qualified" candidates will be contacted to submit a job market paper or relevant writing sample prior to being referred for selection.

If after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully as errors or omissions may affect your rating.

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

1. A copy of your resume or equivalent - Applicants will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of experience or related education as reflected in their resume and cover letter. Applicants are encouraged to ensure work experiences, as represented in their resume, clearly show the possession of knowledge of the subject matter pertinent to the position, and the competencies and technical skills to successfully perform the duties of the position. A cover letter is optional.

RESUME REQUIREMENTS - ALL APPLICANTS: Only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. You must submit a resume supporting your specialized experience and responses to the online questionnaire. The federal government has very specific resume requirements. If you have not written a federal resume before, you may want to read through a helpful Resume Writing FAQon the USAJOBS Help Site to learn what details you should, and should not, include in your resume. A CV (curriculum vitae) may not contain enough information to meet these resume requirements.

• Your resume should list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you must list the full name and address of each employer.
• For all types of work experience, indicate the start and end date (include month and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that you worked.
• Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).

2. A completed assessment questionnaire. A preview is available here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13055427

3. A copy of your transcript - If there is a basic education requirement, you are qualifying based on education, or a combination of education and experience, you must submit a copy of your transcript. While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial application, an official transcript will ultimately be required if you are selected for the position.

4. SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal service) which shows type of service appointment, tenure group, grade, and salary. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 Form, which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade (examples of appropriate SF50s include Promotions, Within Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s over one year old). If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof.

5. Most Recent Performance Appraisal (if current federal employee).

6. SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting receipt of a Performance Award received within the last 3 years (if applicable).

7. Documentation of eligibility for special hiring authorities (if applicable) to prove appointment eligibility. Examples include Schedule A disability letter, Peace Corps volunteer letter and:

1. Documentation of eligibility for CTAP and ICTAP (if applicable) - You must provide written notification of your eligibility for CTAP and/or ICTAP; your most recent Performance Appraisal, and your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action.

8. Veterans' Preference Documentation (if applicable) - If you are a discharged, non-disabled veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character discharge (Member Copy-4), or other documentation of service and separation under honorable conditions. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives.

• If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge, you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement from active duty under honorable conditions, 2) character of service, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, and 6) dated within 120 days of your separation.
• If you are a disabled veteran, Purple Heart recipient, or mother or spouse of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a completed SF-15 and all additional proof required by the SF-15, as applicable. If you don't have your Department of Veterans Affairs letter establishing proof of disability, you may request it online or call 1-800-827-1000.

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