Duties

As an Economist at the Federal Trade Commission you will be performing the following duties:

Apply statistical, mathematical, and econometric techniques to the analysis of data in order to give empirical content to economic theories and test hypotheses.

Provide analysis and interpretation of economic and related information that is relied upon in policy and program decision-making.

Identify or design the appropriate statistical tests of various theories, select or efficiently collect the appropriate data to satisfy the theoretical requirements of the underlying model, analyze the data, and report the results of that analysis.

Conduct investigations, reviews, and studies that apply a thorough knowledge of microeconomic theory to study the behavior of individual consumers, firms, and industries in order to analyze how markets establish relative prices among goods and services and thereby allocate limited resources among alternative uses.

Develop oral and written products, tailored to the needs of the audience, in support of recommendations involving such far-reaching issues as the economic aspects of new or proposed investigations, policies, or rules affecting FTC programs.

Draft, present, and defend positions for policy or enforcement decisions.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. citizenship requirement must be met by the closing date of this vacancy.
• This position is subject to a background investigation.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must register with Selective Service.
• You may serve a one-year probationary period under this appointment.

Qualifications

To qualify for an Economist position, you must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:
1. Degree: Economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.

OR

2. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in 1 above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to the above, you must meet the requirements described below:

You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to the next lower level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector or academia, performing the following types of tasks:

GS-12 Level:
You must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in federal service or private sector or academia. Examples of qualifying experience may include: co-authoring an unpublished research paper and/or working on an economic research project applying quantitative and analytical skills.

GS-13 Level:
You must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the federal service or private sector or academia. Examples of qualifying experience may include: applying statistical research techniques to collect and interpret data and/or developing new economic models or theories; serving as an economic research analyst/assistant for a professor.

GS-14 Level:
You must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the federal service or private sector or academia. Examples of qualifying experience may include: independently preparing economic reports or studies that require advanced research techniques and crafting independent research that demonstrates familiarity with advanced analytical techniques that produced evidence of results.

GS-15 Level:
You must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the federal service or private sector or academia. Examples of qualifying experience may include: authoring published research articles/books on topics in microeconomics and/or serving as a consultant or advisor on technical economic issues and/or supervisory or project coordination assignments involving a staff of professional economist that results in providing technical advice or recommendations of action.

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.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

All applicants should apply to the GS-12 level. Applicants should also apply to any other GS levels for which they meet the specialized experience requirements.

Qualified applicants must exhibit thorough comprehension of microeconomic analysis and effective written and oral communication skills. Economists in all fields of applied microeconomics or econometrics are encouraged to apply.

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

THIS POSITION HAS AN EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

This announcement will be filled through OPM-authorized Direct Hire Authority due to a Critical Hiring Need. Veterans preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to this vacancy.

Click Here for more information on OPM's authorization of Direct Hire Authorities.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to E.O. 14043, that requirement does not currently apply.