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Economist - DIRECT HIRE

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Washington, D.C
Closing date
Nov 24, 2019
Duties

Summary

As an Economist and analyst within a DOT Operating Administration (OA) or DOT headquarters (HQ), you will be responsible for conducting and managing economic and financial analyses required for the assigned studies and research projects. Serve as an economic expert representing the agency on Federal, and interagency task forces, collaborating with other DOT economists and providing advice and technical assistance for project planning and analysis.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As an Economist, you will:
  • Serve as an economic expert representing the agency on Federal, and interagency task forces, collaborating with other DOT economists and providing advice and technical assistance for project planning and analysis.
  • Design, build, maintain, and utilize the models and datasets necessary to understand how geo-spatial socio-demographic and economic patterns affect government and user transportation costs, cost-effective modal and network options, and overall system performance.
  • Estimate the key economic factors shaping transportation patterns and future trends, including personal and freight user costs; available transportation options; and the impact of land costs, labor markets, and other socio-economic factors. Estimate the impact of demographic and economic geographic patterns on the economic viability of transportation modes and service options.
  • Estimate the potential for technology, demographic, geographic, and economic trends to re-shape the economics of transportation options and demand; identify uncertainty bands or alternative future assumptions to reflect unknown attributes of future trends.
  • Develop policy options to enhance transportation performance or cost-effectiveness. Evaluate the impact of these policies on transportation options and economics, including changes in demand patterns and the value/costs to users by socio-demographic, economic, and geographic characteristics.
  • Develop proposed analysis plans in collaboration with colleagues and leadership which are methodologically sound, consistent with available resources, complement broader DOT/OA research plans, and facilitate improved understanding of national transportation policy needs and options.
  • Plan and manage the acquisition of approved funded research. Manage in-house and procured project analyses elements to complete research projects within cost, schedule, and approved scope, including all reviews and report development.
  • Identify the significance of research findings for policy development and effectively and impartially communication policy implications to agency decision-makers, the public, and the transportation research community.

The ideal candidate for this position enjoys and excels at applied, data-driven research. Flexibility, creativity, curiosity, and a willingness to take initiative will help to find--or to create--the projects that analyze data using relevant economic methods, such as market assessment, benefit-cost, or other economic analysis, and identifying implications of the findings as they relate to a transportation-related issue. Flexibility to adjust your analyses in your policy conversations with your leadership and others involved will ensure your research is effective in shaping policy choices. Good time-management skills to enable you to juggle inevitably competing and changing demands and priorities in a dynamic economic policy environment.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Some travel will be required.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen & meet specialized experience to qualify.
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
  • Review Required Documents Section - documents are required by closing date.
  • Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position.


CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
  • SECURITY CLEARANCE: You will be required to complete a background/security investigation and meet preliminary requirements prior to onboarding.
  • GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: This position involves travel. A government contractor-issued travel card will be issued and must be retained for official business only.
  • DEU REQUIREMENTS: Applicants selected under delegated examining procedures may be required to successfully complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).


Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND/OR (3) meet the specialized experience requirements.

To qualify for the GS-14, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equal or equivalent to the GS-13, it must include:
  • Experience conducting economic research in support of various projects (i.e. impact studies, cost-benefit analysis, equilibrium analysis, etc.); analyzing data using statistical procedures, econometrics, and computer methodology to develop solutions to analytical problems; and performing policy oriented research in the development of innovative approaches to new and existing problems in economics.

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.



For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4


Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of closing date of the announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.

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

Education

In order to qualify for this series, you must meet the following:

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

OR

Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in economics, as indicated above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Additional information

This announcement establishes an open continuous period for this Economist position. We will perform interim reviews of all applications as they become vacant. You must meet all eligible requirements at the time of consideration. All applications received by the closing date will be reviewed. Duty locations will vary. The difference in the salary is determined by the locality pay in each location. Salaries for all areas are available on the OPM website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/

Displaced employees may be eligible for ICTAP or CTAP priority consideration. For more information, please review the OPM Employee's Guide to Career Transition .

EEO STATEMENT: The Department of Transportation (DOT) maintains a model federal work environment that is free of discrimination. DOT ensures equal employment opportunity for employees and applicants for employment, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, or protected activity.

This vacancy may be used by any DOT agency in the locations listed to fill similar positions within 90 days.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are hired for this position; you will not receive additional consideration from this announcement.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

For this announcement, all applicants will be reviewed to determine if they meet the basic qualifications for this position, specifically the educational and specialized experience requirements.

Applicants will not be rated or ranked. Veteran's Preference does NOT apply.

All applications that are verified to meet the basic qualifications will be referred to the selecting official.

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated by a resume. If, upon review, it is determined that your resume and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be removed from consideration.

Ultimately, the Automated Staffing Office is responsible for determining an applicant's eligibility. Please ensure that your resume provide enough detail to support your answers to the Vacancy Specific Questions.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

ALL Applicants must provide a resume that fully supports the required specialized experience and was created within USA Jobs Resume Builder and respond to the vacancy questions by the closing date of the vacancy.

The following is a list of documents that are only required based on the type of position and consideration for which you are applying.

TRANSCRIPTS - Transcripts are REQUIRED as there is a stated education requirement for the series OR if you are substituting education for experience . The transcripts need not be official, but must show that you meet the stated education requirements, including specific major or class requirements.
  • If you have previously held a government position in the same series as this position, you may be able to provide an SF-50 showing that you have already qualified and worked in the federal service in this series.

NON COMPETITIVE APPLICANTS: If requesting concurrent consideration for Non-competitive (NC) appointment eligibility, you must provide the appropriate SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY DOCUMENTS, such as PCS orders (military spouse) describing move & marriage certificate; letter from VA or DD214 describing 100% disability of spouse; letter from State Vocational Office certifying disability (schedule A), etc. For more information, visit military spouse NC appointments or Persons with Disabilities NC appointments.

DISPLACED EMPLOYEES: If requesting consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency CTAP program (ICTAP), you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting minimum requirements for position and scoring at least an 85 or falling in the Gold Category) and provide all of the following documents:
  • your most recent performance appraisal,
  • the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and
  • your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade.


Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position. Please review your application prior to final submission and ensure you have submitted all appropriate documents. Uploading documents to USAJobs does NOT ensure inclusion with your application to our system. You must verify that the documents are in the system with your application prior to final submission.

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.

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