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Research Assistant (Finance and Macroeconomics)

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Washington, D.C
Closing date
Aug 24, 2022
Duties

The Research Assistant (RA) provides research support tasks across a broad range of financial and macroeconomic policy issues, including issues related to: (1) the banking industry; (2) capital markets, including securities and derivatives; (3) insurance; (4) monetary policy and the Federal Reserve; (5) housing finance and the GSEs; (6) consumer finance; and (7) innovative financial technology.

The RA will join a team of analysts and specialists to support their objective, authoritative public policy analysis and consultation to congressional committees, Members and staff by assisting CRS analysts and specialists preparing objective, non-partisan analytical studies and descriptive reports on nationally significant public policy issues; assisting CRS analysts and specialists providing personal assistance to Members and staff on public policy issues throughout the legislative process; and participating in multi-disciplinary research projects and seminars.

Candidates should have knowledge of one or more of financial or economic policy issues, familiarity with the research process, knowledge of the research materials and tools used in financial or economic research, and experience working with financial or economic data. Candidates must be able to work as part of a collaborative team and must exhibit the intellectual flexibility and broad research and data skills that facilitate effective work across a wide spectrum of financial and macroeconomic policy issues. Illustrative programs of study include economics, finance, and public policy. Candidates with computer programming and data analysis skills, as applied to economics, finance, or public policy research are especially encouraged to apply.

Research assistant duties include:
  • Creating and populating databases and spreadsheets, reformatting and standardizing data from different sources, and performing data input, calculations, and analysis. Training colleagues and/or instructing staff on the content, nature, and use of data resources.
  • Locating, extracting, collecting, and/or compiling quantitative data and other information; evaluating data for accuracy, relevance, authoritativeness, and usefulness; cleaning and manipulating quantitative data using Excel or via programming using software such as Stata, SAS and R.
  • Formatting a range of tables, graphs, images, and other insertions to CRS products, reviewing and verifying this content for accuracy and completeness. Updating statistics in CRS reports or other general distribution products. Recommending quality control procedures and making suggestions to improve and enhance these insertions to CRS products.
  • Participating in group efforts on research projects as a member of a collaborative team and undertaking research and data analytical tasks in support of the development of an array of analytical and descriptive products or components. Illustrative tasks might include: tracking congressional hearings and bills in specific areas; culling, synthesizing, and tracking state policies; fact checking and other quality control; building and maintaining a database of (specific) program authorizations and appropriations; and, for active legislation, developing and managing a database of amendments and conference documents.
  • Preparing materials for use at consultations, briefings, and seminars for congressional clients. Attending consultations, briefings, seminars, and outreach activities to gain familiarity with CRS's information and analytic capabilities, recording questions, gauging audience engagement, and capturing audience suggestions for future sessions.
  • Reviewing and evaluating professional journal articles, agency documents, and other analyses for authoritativeness, relevance, and currency. Preparing abstracts of these descriptive and/or analytical materials, summarizing their key findings, methodologies employed, and other relevant information.

CRS works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of both the House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS has been a valued and respected resource on Capitol Hill for more than a century.

CRS is well known for analysis that is authoritative, confidential, objective, and nonpartisan. Its highest priority is to ensure that Congress has immediate access to the nation's best thinking on public policy issues of interest to its Members and Committees.

The position description number for this position is 308063.

The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.

The incumbent of this position may work a flextime work schedule.

The tour of duty for this position is full-time.

This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.

Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment



Conditions of Employment

Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past or current drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.

Qualifications

Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.
  • Knowledge of finance and economics**
  • Ability to apply knowledge of the analytic research process in a discipline relevant to financial or macroeconomic policy**
  • Ability to identify, exploit, and manipulate research resources and tools to perform research tasks pertinent to financial or macroeconomic policy**
  • Ability to prepare written research materials related to financial or macroeconomic policy**
  • Ability to convey information orally through briefings, consultations, and other presentations
  • Ability to collaborate
  • Ability to exercise objectivity in all phases of research, including written and oral presentations
  • Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing


Education

Basic Requirements:

Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

or

Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

or

Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

You must submit a legible copy of your college/university transcripts to your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application. Official transcripts will be required if selected. Failure to submit the required legible documentation at the time of application will result in disqualification of your application.

Foreign Education - Education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed equivalent to conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. If your college/university is outside the U.S., your transcripts must be accompanied by a report from a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) . Failure to submit a foreign education evaluation report will result in disqualification of your application.

Additional information

Although it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous Federal service will generally be paid the minimum step of the grade.

The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer. All who meet the eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply.

Applicants must submit a complete application package that is received by the closing date of this announcement.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please email ADA@loc.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. Certification from health care providers are not accepted. For more information contact the Library's Office of EEO/Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service.

Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation.

The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.

Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period.

The Library of Congress may offer repayment for all or part of federally insured student loans. However, not all service units within the Library of Congress participates in the repayment of federally insured student loans. Therefore, determination to repay a federally insured student loan is subject to approval by the appropriate service unit.

A "Not to Exceed" (NTE) status identifies an appointment with a specific ending date. However, the Library has the right to separate a NTE employee at any time due to either performance issues or budget constraints.

This position may be eligible for subsequent conversion to a permanent appointment, contingent upon business need, available funding and the selectee's performance. If the position does not become permanent at the end of the 3-year period, CRS employees will be returned to their former position or a position of similar grade and duties without loss of federal service tenure or seniority.

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