Duties

Summary

This vacancy is for a Recent Graduate Economist position in the Expenditure and Income Division located at the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Recent Graduate Economist, ZP-0110-II/III, FPLIII positions within the Bureau of Economic Analysis in the same geographic location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Prepare, revise, and analyze estimates of components of gross domestic product.

Analyze economic data and develop estimates of economic statistics.

Operate in an environment of absolute deadlines.

Engage in research projects, recommend and implement improvements to estimates, and prepare documentation of estimates.

Use computer applications to produce economic statistics.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
03 - If this position is filled at a level below the full performance level, the selectee may be promoted without further competition. This implies no promise or guarantee of a promotion.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You must successfully complete a background investigation.
• You must sign a Pathways Agreement.

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis is seeking bright, innovative, results-oriented individuals to join our Recent Graduates Program (RGP). The Recent Graduate Program is a one-year program that targets individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs. Successful applicants will be placed in a dynamic, one-year career development program. Throughout the program, you will participate in formal training, job assignments and receive a mentor to develop competencies applicable to the Bureau of Economic Analysis's mission and needs. These positions are at the band I/II/III entry levels, with an opportunity for permanent appointment upon successful completion of the program.

To be eligible for conversion to a permanent or term position, Recent Graduates must:

• Successfully completed at least 1-year of continuous service in addition to all requirements of the Program.
• Demonstrate successful job performance.
• Meet the Office of Personnel Management's qualifications for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted.

This position is in the excepted service.

This is a non- bargaining unit position.

This position is eligible for telework; additional criteria will be required (e.g., supervisory approval).

A probationary period may be required. If non-competitively converted, the time spent as a Recent Graduate will count towards the probationary period.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Basic Entry Requirements for All Grade Levels:

You must be a Recent College Graduates from qualifying institutions within two years of degree or certification (Veterans precluded by their military service obligation, will have up to six years to apply).

Students with a transcript with a degree confer date on or before June 30, 2020, will be considered for the Recent Graduate Program. Graduation / expect graduation date MUST be indicated on your resume.

A. Degree: economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.

-OR-

B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Evaluation of Experience Examples of qualifying experience include:

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 theses in economics, or (3) service as a consultant or advisor on technical economics problems.

In addition to meeting the basic entry qualification requirements, applicants must have specialized experience and/or directly related education in the amounts shown below.

For the Band-II: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the Band II or GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes individual economic research assignments; information assembly, analysis and evaluation, conclusions and report preparations; project coordination assignments involving professional or academic economists, and evaluation and interpretation of economic information.

OR

2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

For the Band-III: You must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the Band II or GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Experience for this position includes collecting economic data from primary or variety of sources; manipulating or analyzing economic data; investigating outliers in data; preparing reports on economic analyses; conducting independent research and preparing write-ups of findings; designing tables and charts to illustrate analyses and communicating economic concepts.

OR

3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

NOTE: To show proof of meeting the Basic Entry Requirements, all applicants MUST submit a copy of their college transcripts. See the Required Documents section for more information.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Additional information

The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that do not fall under competitive examining procedures; however, they may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures, or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.

• VRA (GS-11 or below)
• VEOA (permanent positions)
• 30% or more disabled veteran
• Persons with disabilities
• CTAP
• ICTAP

Recent Graduates and their supervisors must sign Pathways Agreements setting forth expectations for the program.

To find additional information regarding the Pathways Recent Graduate Program, please visit the following website: Pathways Recent Graduate Program

The Department of Commerce provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. TTY users can contact the Human Resources Office via the Federal Relay Service, 1-800-877-8339.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions). Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. The best-qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed.

Preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold).

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

The following competencies are desirable at the full performance level of this position FPL III.

• Ability to compile data and use appropriate statistical techniques.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to perform economic research and document the results.
• Ability to design, code, and debug data processing algorithms.

For more information on category rating, please go to: http://www.hr.commerce.gov/s/groups/public/@doc/@cfpasa/@phrm/documents/content/prod01_009474.pdf

We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process.

Do NOT include the following types of information in your application:

• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Date of Birth (DOB)
• Photos of yourself (if included on your resume you will not be considered for this position)
• Personal information: such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

A complete application consists of the following:

• Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume should also list your educational and work experience including the dates (mm/dd/yy) of each employment along with the number of hours worked per week. If applying under CTAP/ICTAP your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume should indicate your citizenship and if you are registered with the Selective Service System if you are a male born after 12/31/59.
• Veterans' Preference Documentation: Please indicate on your resume the type of veterans' preference you are claiming and provide the appropriate supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.) to validate your claim. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please go to: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref.index.aspx
• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation, if applicable (see other information).
• Education Documentation: If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. This also includes Bureau of Economic Analysis employees. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information.

It is the applicant's responsibility to provide documentation or proof that he or she has met the applicable educational provisions described. If you earned your degree in a foreign country, you must provide an U.S. equivalency evaluation of your education by a private U.S. organization (credential evaluation service).

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/workrecog.doc . You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.

CTAP and ICTAP Eligibles

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice);

A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location;

A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and

Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination, certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a work-related compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement.

A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", documenting your RIF separation, noting your position, grade/band level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;

A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and

Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

NOTE: You will not be considered if you fail to provide all required documents.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.