Duties

Summary

This position is located at the U. S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, DC.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The person in this position is responsible for providing leadership in mathematical statistics research related to sample design, estimation, and data analysis in all BLS programs. The incumbent provides expert advice to senior management on the development and formulation of statistical policies and standards needed to ensure that the survey programs of the BLS are of the highest possible quality.

The incumbent oversees and participates in major research projects on important and difficult statistical problems of relevance to the BLS. This research generally involves complex theoretical and empirical issues and requires innovation and original efforts at the highest level of sophistication. The incumbent also identifies problems in existing survey designs and, through application of advanced statistical theory, develops more appropriate design methods.

The incumbent anticipates the need for improvement of available statistical methods for sample design, estimation, disclosure, and data analysis. The incumbent also identifies, conducts, and directs research that will overcome the deficiencies of existing methods, often via investigation and experimentation in unexplored areas. Frequently, solutions are possible only through the application of the newest and most advanced theoretical statistical techniques, which will not previously have been brought to bear on the problem.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Less than 25% may be required.

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
00

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Requires an initial probationary period if requirement has not been met.
• Appointment to this position requires a background investigation.

Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.

Qualifications

In addition to the basic education requirement listed applicants must meet the specialized experience requirement. Specialized experience is defined as: Senior level experience initiating, directing, and successfully concluding theoretical and quantitative research on exceedingly difficult topics about which little is known.

MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs): In writing your narrative responses to the MTQs, please give examples and explain how often you used your skills, the complexity of the knowledge possessed, the level of people you interacted with, the sensitivity of the issues you handled, etc.

The MTQs are:

Demonstrated skill in developing, communicating the goals and subsequent findings broadly, and overseeing research that address current and likely future statistical challenges facing federal surveys.

Demonstrated expertise in statistical areas such as disclosure, record linkage, imputation, variance estimation, survey sample design, statistical estimation, and/or computational statistics.

Ability to initiate, plan, and guide research projects, effectively communicate results of the projects, and to make fundamental contributions addressing problems in statistics.

Demonstrated ability to initiate, direct, and successfully conclude theoretical and quantitative research on exceedingly difficult topics about which little is known.

Education

Applicants must have one of the following:

Degree: that included 24 semester hours of mathematics and statistics, of which at least 12 semester hours were in mathematics and 6 semester hours were in statistics. OR

Combination of education and experience -- at least 24 semester hours of mathematics and statistics, including at least 12 hours in mathematics and 6 hours in statistics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

You MUST submit academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements for this position. Because specific course work is required to fulfill the eligibility and/or minimum qualification requirements, you MUST supply transcripts from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order to receive credit for that course work. See the 'Qualifications and Evaluations' section of this announcement for more details.

If you do not submit sufficient academic documentation necessary to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete and you will be ineligible for further consideration for this vacancy.

College Transcript and Evaluation of Foreign Education - The Department of Labor does not recognize academic degrees from unauthorized secondary schools or post-secondary institutions that are not accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education. Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service. If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

Additional information

The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION , REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION , ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

The information you provide may be verified by a review of your work experience and/or education, by checking references, and through other means (ex. interview). The Office of Executive Resources (OER) makes the final determination concerning applicant rating. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the vacancy questions. Your evaluation may also include a review by a Human Resources Specialist or panel and may include other assessments (ex. interview, panel review, written test, writing sample, etc.)

Categories:

Category A - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and has successful experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated superior proficiency in applying critical competencies required by this position to work at increased levels of difficulty and complexity.

Category B - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in the critical competencies required by this position.

Category C - Meets the specialized experience described in the minimum qualifications requirements section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the basic competencies.

Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:

Technical: Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform the duties of the position; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the position; and advises others on technical issues.

Self-Management: Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; and demonstrates responsible behavior.

Reasoning: Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information, and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.

Communication: Expresses information (ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Click Application of Veterans Preference for Category Rating Jobs for more information.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process

Required Documents

The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. Follow the instructions: click How To Submit Supplemental Documentation Document . Warning: If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission. Also, do not upload password protected documents.

The following documents are required from all applicants:

- Unofficial Transcript(s) (in English) - you must submit all applicable academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements (ex. BA/BS, MA, JD, PHD, etc). Because specific course work is required to qualify, you MUST supply transcripts from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order to receive credit. Please note that submitting a transcript demonstrating education higher than the qualifying education requirement cannot be credited if it does not show ALL the specific course work required to qualify.

You may upload your transcript(s) as one document (3 MB size limit). If over 3 MB, please submit via fax feature.

OFFICIAL Transcripts MUST BE RECEIVED prior to selection and report date. Reference the "Education Section" for College Transcript and Evaluation of Foreign Education.

Please note, you will be deemed ineligible for this vacancy if you do not submit college transcripts as proof of meeting education requirements. This applies to ALL applicants, including those currently or previously qualified in this series and/or grade.

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.