Economic Assistant (Part-time) (Spanish Speaking)

SummaryThe Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency for the federal government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, business, and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the U.S. Department of Labor.ResponsibilitiesThis Positionrequires the incumbent to be fluent in the Spanish Language.Work is primarily in the southern part of Los Angeles County and Orange County.THIS POSITION IS PART-TIME ONLY AND DOES NOT LEAD TO FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT. THIS IS NOT ENTRY LEVEL FOR AN ECONOMIST POSITION. The initial average hours per week will be 16 to 32 hours to start depending on workload and training requirements. Work schedule will vary week to week depending upon work requirements. This is not a job for a person who needs full-time work or who cannot be available for work when required, which includes a mix of day, evening and weekend hours as needed. Additionally, this position requires visits to retail stores, businesses, and residences to gather the required information.Selectees must travel to the Bureau of Labor Statistics training center in Washington, D.C. up to two times during the first year for mandatory classroom training as follows: Two (2) week introductory commodities and services training and One (1) week of advanced data collection. Housing training is accomplished through distance learning.Economic Assistants collect prices and related statistical data on a wide variety of commodities, services, and housing for the BLS Consumer Price Index. Data for commodities and services are collected by conducting personal and telephone interviews with store managers and buyers, managers in auto dealerships, doctors, pharmacists, and other professionals. Data for the housing survey are obtained by personal visit or telephone interview with either property managers, tenants, or homeowners. The incumbent conducts the duties of this position in situations requiring written and verbal fluency in Spanish and English. Converses and writes fluently in both languages in order to communicate with variouscustomers, as well as read and analyzedocuments containing Spanish language. Duties include, but are not limited to: Visiting retail and service establishments such as department stores, supermarkets, medical offices, and hotels to collect retail price data. A limited amount of data is collected by telephone/fax.Contacting homeowners, renters, and apartment management companies by personal visit to neighborhoods and follow up telephone interviews.Collecting and entering data on a handheld computer.Obtaining voluntary cooperation from survey respondents.Traveling to a field office for on-the-job training and periodic meetings.RequirementsConditions of EmploymentRequires a valid drivers license.Requires a probationary period.Must be at least 16 years old and an U.S. Citizenship.Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.Language Requirements:The incumbent(s) of this position is required to be able to read, write and speak both English and Spanish fluently sufficient to communicate, interpret and translate from one language to the other and vice versa. Applicants will be required to interview in both languages. Failure to demonstrate fluency in either language will result in removal from further consideration for this position.QualificationsApplicants must meet qualifications, legal and regulatory requirements for the position by the closing date of this announcement.GS-05: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 level.Specialized experience is the experience that is in or related to the work of the position being filled which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.Examples of qualifying experience may include: experience in performing research or related work that involved collecting, compiling, verifying, analyzing, or reporting data. Significant experience in retail sales; specific knowledge of a wide variety of assorted products and/or service(s) offered by retail stores and businesses to the consumer; cold-calling sales; real estate sales or management; survey or marketing work; interviewers or in-take workers; jobs or volunteer experience that required detailed recordkeeping and/or oral persuasion skills and/or public contact. Direct contact with, and direct sales to, the public is a plus; knowledge of products and service specifications; public outreach; specific knowledge of area housing sales and stock, pricing and customer base; general knowledge of constantly changing consumer marketing practices; familiarity with state, federal and local laws as they relate to consumer products/services especially prices, (i.e., licensing requirements, state taxes, excise taxes, labeling regulations, etc.). Using good skills in communicating, both orally and in writing. Using personal computers and applications such as Windows-based software applications, email, and the internet.EducationEducation substitution: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in economics, or 24 semester hours of courses in subjects such as business law, statistics, algebra, precalculus, calculus, or economics. Equivalent combination of education and experience are qualifying.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 course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.Additional InformationExplanation of Competencies:Decision Making and Problem-Solving: Employs strategic and critical approaches to decision-making and/or problem-solving, e.g. identifying, and considering issues/problems, determining accuracy and relevance of information, as well as generating, identifying, evaluating, and implementing alternative solution approaches, to resolve issues/problems, deliver services and provide value.Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, professionalism, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness, even with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed.Oral Communication: Expresses information to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information; makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.Planning & Evaluations: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 motivation, initiative, effort, and commitment towards timely completion of assignments with minimal supervision.Influencing/Negotiation:Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior; works with others towards an agreement; negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions.Stress Tolerance:Deals calmly and effectively with high stress situations (for example, tight deadlines, hostile individuals, emergency situations, dangerous situations).This position is inside the bargaining unit.DOL 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 (DEU) Authorization No. DOL-1Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES