Economist / Statistician (Economics)

SummaryThe Bureau of Labor Statistics measures labor market activity, working conditions, price changes, and productivity in the U.S. economy to support public and private decision making.ResponsibilitiesThis positionis with theU.S. Department of Labor/Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Field Operations, Division ofFederal/State Programs.This is an interdisciplinary position and may be filled either as an Economist or Statistician (Economics).This position is inside the bargaining unit.Duties include but are not limited to: The employee has technical responsibility for all phases of the assigned Branch programs. Provides technical assistance and guidance to cooperating state agencies in the collection, processing, estimating, benchmarking, analysis and interpretation of data generated by the States and reviewed by the Branch programs. Communicates with regional and state staff in translating statistical program requirements into various automated systems. Incumbent has primary responsibility for maintaining, evaluating and controlling quality in the assigned programs. Through on-site reviews and analysis of reports, assures the integrity and validity of data produced by cooperating state agencies. May collect data and coordinate quality control work includingresponse analysis studies and other special projects to improve overall program output. Recommends changes in technical procedures, organization, staffing and budget to improve program effectiveness and data adequacy. Develops technical instructions for the states on statistical methods and procedures. Prepares technical material to aid in the development of operating manuals and position papers for use by the regional office and the cooperating agencies. Conducts training and orientation seminars for state agency personnel and selected regional staff. Makes presentations and speeches to business, union, governmental and professional groups relative to assigned programs. Reviews national program plans and specifications and comments on their adequacies and expected impact. Assists in adapting national directives to regional needs, conditions and resources. Serves on technical advisory committees and/or special working groups to develop and recommend improved procedures for gathering, processing and analyzing data. May assist in contract negotiations with top state agency officials for experimental or demonstration projects and assumes considerable responsibility for evaluating and accomplishing State LMI and OSHS Cooperative Agreement performance deliverables.Duties at the GS-07, GS-09 are development leading up to the full performance level of the GS-12.RequirementsConditions of EmploymentRequires a valid drivers license.Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. Citizen.Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.QualificationsBasic Requirements:Economist, GS-0110: A) Degree in economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting or calculus. OR B) A combination of education and experience - courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.Statistician (Economics), GS-1530: A) Degree that included 15 semester hours in statistics (or in mathematics and statistics, provided at least 6 semester hours were in statistics), and 9 additional semester hours in one or more of the following: physical or biological sciences, medicine, education, or engineering; or in the social sciences including demography, history, economics, social welfare, geography, international relations, social or cultural anthropology, health sociology, political science, public administration, psychology, etc. Credit toward meeting statistical course requirements should be given for courses in which 50 percent of the course content appears to be statistical methods, e.g., courses that included studies in research methods in psychology or economics such as tests and measurements or business cycles, or courses in methods of processing mass statistical data such as tabulating methods or electronic data processing. OR B) A combination of education and experience - courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The experience should have included a full range of professional statistical work such as (a) sampling, (b) collecting, computing, and analyzing statistical data, and (c) applying statistical techniques such as measurement of central tendency, dispersion, skewness, sampling error, simple and multiple correlation, analysis of variance, and tests of significance.In addition to the Basic Requirement:GS-7: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5.GS-9: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-7.Specialized experience should include a thorough range of complex economic professional work. Some examples of qualifying specialized experience include:GS-7: Sampling, collecting, computing, and analyzing statistical data; applying statistical techniques such as measurement of central tendency, dispersion, skewness, sampling error, simple and multiple correlation, analysis of variance, and tests of significance.GS-9: Individual economic research assignments requiring planning, information assembly, analysis and evaluation, conclusions and report preparation; supervisory or project coordination assignments involving a staff of professional economists, and requiring the evaluation and interpretation of economic information; or 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 thesis in economics, or (3) service as a consultant or advisor on technical economics problems.OREducation Substitution:GS-7: 1 year of graduate-level education or superior academic achievement.Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. Class standing Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed.Grade-point average (G.P.A.) Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.Election to membership in a national scholastic honor A list of acceptable honor societies can be found. GS-9: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.EducationAny 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 course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.Additional InformationDOL seeks to attract and retain a high performing and diverse workforce in which employees’ differences are respected and valued to better meet the varying needs of the diverse customers we serve. DOL fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration, flexibility and fairness so that all individuals are able to participate and contribute to their full potential.Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEESDELEGATED EXAMINING UNIT AGREEMENT DOL-1 2010Evaluation Factors (Competencies)All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:Customer Service - Works with clients and customers to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations.Decision Making - Employs strategic & critical approaches to decision-making and/or problem solving.Interpersonal Skills - Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others.Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial).Planning and Evaluating - Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.Self Management - Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior.Technology Application and Management- Uses machines, tools, or equipment effectively; uses computers and computer applications to analyze and communicate information in the appropriate format.Writing - Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a brief, clear, and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.Economic Data Management and Analysis - Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.