Economist

Job Title

Economist

Job Description

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.