Agricultural Economist

Senior Agricultural Economist

Serves as a senior agricultural economist and principal authority on the economic analysis of policy options of complex issues, specializing in agricultural input markets, international agricultural trade, and/or biofuel markets.

Responsible for developing appropriate research methods and analytical techniques for OCE analyses of the economic impact of relevant policy options.

Applies mastery of advanced economic theory, quantitative methods, econometric techniques, and interdisciplinary analysis to resolve problems of exceptional difficulty and national significance.

Plans, develops, organizes, and coordinates extensive analyses, which inform the development of policy proposals, legislative initiatives or regulations, related to commodity input markets, international trade and biofuels.

Compares the likely economic impact of alternative proposals; independently initiates, plans, and executes analyses.

Assists the Chief/Deputy Chief Economist in framing options in areas where differences of opinion may be sharp, political consequences great, and public understanding of the issue very limited, and may be asked to frame options acting alone.

Coordinates personnel serving on committees, task forces and working groups assembled across agency lines to address agricultural inputs, agricultural profitability, trade, biofuels, and/or production issues.

Analyzes and evaluates legislative proposals that cut across agriculture and trade areas for policy and program implications.

Prepares/delivers authoritative papers, briefings, speeches and reports articulating economic and policy implications of key issues for leadership, interagency partners, Congressional audiences and external stakeholders.

Communicates orally and in writing to convey complex technical results and applications for use by both technical and nontechnical personnel.

Develops for the Chief/Deputy Chief Economist or the Office of the Secretary economic analyses and interpretations which may cut across established organizational and functional lines of the USDA.

Responsible for adequacy of data and analytical methods and for the relevance, completeness and reliability of results.

Responsible for the interpretation, coordination, and technical application of research and analysis.

Provides authoritative advice so that interpretations and recommendations can be grounded in rigorous economic analysis.

Provides authoritative guidance on data and statistical issues involved in analysis of agricultural policy, agricultural input markets, trade, biofuels, and/or production.