Economist

You must meet the Basic Requirements and the Minimum Qualifications to qualify for Economist, as described below. Basic 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. In addition to meeting the Basic Requirement above, applicants must also meet the Minimum Qualifications to be considered. Minimum Qualifications: Economist, GS-0110: Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Specialized experience should include a thorough range of complex economic professional work. GS-13: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level. To qualify, applicants must show evidence of at least one of the listed specialized experience examples in their resume. Reviewed micro data and estimates to verify accuracy and representativeness. Developed concise summaries, analyses, and processing procedures for price, expenditure, and production data. Coordinated production, research, quality assurance, and development activities across sampling, collection, estimation, publication, and weighting. Led and supported projects with economists, statisticians, programmers, and analysts, serving as a resource on research, operations, methods, and development. For additional information, refer to the Office of Personnel Management Operating Manual for Qualification Standards, Group Coverage Qualification Standards for Professional and Scientific Positions. Individual Occupation Requirements for Economist Series GS-110.

Multiple positions within BLS/OPLC will be filled from this vacancy announcement. Duties for these positions include, but are not limited to the following: Initiate, plan, and conduct studies analyzing current methodologies and survey designs; identify and solve unusual problems; assess process and product quality; and evaluate alternative methods. Produce new methodologies, apply advanced statistical techniques, develop programming solutions, and prepare technical reports for internal and external use. Communicate information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences through well-organized written and oral communication. Serve as an authoritative contact for stakeholders, guide junior economists, apply strong negotiation skills, and present complex or controversial findings to varied audiences. Review and validate data on expenditures or prices, related factors, and index calculations for assigned components to ensure the accuracy and representativeness of published and unpublished economic indicators. Lead or support research projects addressing Section, Branch, or Division needs in expenditure or price measurement. Manage project resources, ensure standards and documentation, and coach team members in completing assignments Apply advanced mathematical and statistical techniques to determine when quality issues require new or modified procedures, and clearly articulate recommended program changes. Recommend improvements to dissemination methods and use specialized studies, analytical developments, and revised processes to resolve problems or enhance Division or Bureau estimates. Coordinate and monitor data collection and production activities, acting as liaison among economists, statisticians, programmers, and systems analysts. Oversee automated and manual production processes and implement or recommend enhancements. Represent the program office or lead teams involved in data collection, production, operational improvements, research, and system enhancements. Assist leadership in planning work assignments and effectively utilizing staff resources. Serve as technical expert and liaison between system users and system designers, providing innovative recommendations to improve systems and support program goals. Develop system requirements, conduct and coordinate user testing, and create feasible implementation plans for system or configuration upgrades.