Economist

Summary

This position is located in the United Stated Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Office of Workforce Investment (OWI). OWI is responsible for implementing an integrated national workforce investment system that supports economic growth and provides workers with the information, advice, job search assistance, supportive services, and training for in-demand industries and occupations.

This position is inside the bargaining unit.

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Duties

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This is a career ladder progression position. The incumbent serves in a developmental capacity, wherein the work is less complex in nature and the supervisor or a senior level employee provides specific instruction and guidance. Key functions will be essentially the same as those described at the full performance level of the target Economist, GS-0110-14.

Major Duties for the GS-13 are listed below:

• Serves in a developmental capacity as a primary economic expert on the use of statistical and economic methods for program and policy analysis, data collection, validation, and technical computation with large datasets.
• Conducts complex economic studies and analyses involving workforce development programs, labor market conditions, employment and training services, program performance, and related public investments in human capital.
• Analyzes large and complex administrative, programmatic, economic, and labor market datasets to identify patterns, measure outcomes, assess relationships among variables, and support program and policy analysis.
• Oversees and/or performs policy and program analysis, including designing data collection systems, assembling datasets, and developing data validation methodologies.
• Leads the creation of econometric and statistical models for efficient program management, generates high-quality economic reports on labor market and economic trends, and develops or refines legislative proposals, policy briefs, and program documents.
• Represents the organization in meetings, workgroups, and consultations with Federal, State, local, academic, and other stakeholders on issues involving labor market analysis, workforce development programs, economic research, and related data matters.
• Develops and uses statistical programs, computational tools, and related programming code necessary to organize data and perform complex quantitative analyses.
• Plans and carries out coordinated research efforts or related series of studies designed to resolve workforce and labor market problems, assess performance results, and evaluate the implications of program or policy alternatives.
• Provides technical advice and recommendations to Employment & Training Administration (ETA) managers, program officials,
  and other staff on economic findings, data interpretation, methodological issues, analytical limitations, and the likely effects of proposed programmatic or policy actions.
• Participates in the design, refinement, and technical review of program data collection, reporting, and performance accountability processes to improve the reliability, consistency, and analytical usefulness of workforce program information.
• Conducts or coordinates auxiliary studies needed to test assumptions, resolve methodological issues, strengthen interpretation of results, or support broader analytical conclusions.
• Coordinates analytical activities with other economists, analysts, evaluators, subject matter experts, contractors, and program staff engaged in related research, data, reporting, or policy efforts to ensure consistency, methodological rigor, and effective use of findings.
• Prepares technical reports, issue papers, policy analyses, briefing materials, presentations, and related written products that explain methods, findings, conclusions, and implications for program operations, legislative proposals, and workforce policy.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.

Qualifications

You must meet the Basic Requirements and the Specialized Experience to qualify for the Economist, GS-0110-13

Basic Requirements:

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 as listed below or additional education.

Examples of qualifying experience include:

1. individual economic research assignments requiring planning, information assembly, analysis and evaluation, conclusions and report preparation;
2. supervisory or project coordination assignments involving a staff of professional economists, and requiring the evaluation and interpretation of economic information; or
3. teaching assignments in a college or university that included both class instruction in economics subjects and one of the following (1) personal research that produced evidence of results, (2) direction of graduate theses in economics, or (3) service as a consultant or advisor on technical economics problems.

Experience in related fields that did not involve the use and understanding of economic principles and theories may not be used as qualifying experience for these positions. Special attention on this point should be given to certain types of work that may or may not have provided professional economic experience. The following examples of work require special care in such determinations:

1. economic statistics;
2. industrial surveys;
3. management of individual business enterprises, including farms;
4. industrial planning;
5. writing or editorial work in economic subjects; and
6. financial market analysis.

In addition to meeting the basic qualification requirements above, applicants must also meet the specialized experience shown below:

Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-12, in the Federal Service. Specialized Experience is typically in or directly related to the work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and actual experience to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience for GS-13 includes all of the following: (Note: Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience.)

• Researching, compiling, and analyzing economic data and/or statistical reports from a variety of sources (e.g., federal agencies, states, grantees);
• Validating data, preparing interpretive reports, and presenting/reporting results and outcomes reflecting economic patterns and/ or labor market trends;
• Advising and consulting on economic and workforce matters to government officials, private organizations, and/or citizens; and
• Demonstrated experience working with Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) data.

WHEN DOCUMENTING EXPERIENCE IN YOUR RESUME, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. NO ASSUMPTIONS WILL BE MADE ABOUT YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE.

There is no substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience at the GS-13 grade level.

Education

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum coursework requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

Unofficial Transcript(s) (in English) - If you are using education as a basis for qualifying for this position, you must submit all applicable academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements (ex. BA/BS, MA, JD, Ph.D., etc.). If specific coursework is required to qualify, you must supply an unofficial transcript from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order to receive credit. You may upload your unofficial transcript(s) as one document with a maximum size limit of 5 MB.

NOTE: The OFFICIAL Transcript(s) MUST BE RECEIVED, if you are selected, and prior to receiving the firm offer with a start date.

Additional information

The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers, improve working conditions, expand high-quality employment opportunities, and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers.

Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

This position is inside the bargaining unit. If the duty location is within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the position will be included in the Local 12, AFGE bargaining unit.

For more information, Click here for Career Ladder Promotion Information

For more information, click Telework Position Information. This is not a remote work position. The selectee will report to an assigned DOL office location on a regular basis and is eligible for participation in telework as determined by management in accordance with DOL policy.

Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy.

The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA, you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agency's complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act. Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act, such as law enforcement or national security positions.

All Department of Labor employees are subject to the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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.

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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.