Duties

Summary

This position is in the Division of Corporation Finance (CF), Office of Risk and Strategy (ORS) located in Washington, DC.

If selected as a Quantitative Research Analyst (Financial Engineer), you will join a well-respected team in CF's ORS where you will be responsible for identifying, prioritizing and reporting on existing and emerging risks with respect to the Division's mission critical activities.
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Responsibilities

• Utilize a variety of data analytic tools to automate the collection of data from varying sources, formats and quality, and analyze and interpret to identify trends.
• Develop computational algorithms and statistical methods that find patterns and relationships in large volumes of data to evaluate matters of regulatory policy and to identify, monitor, or evaluate risks using R, Python, SAS and PowerBi.
• Continuously gather and analyze structured and unstructured data to identify trends and emerging risks related to issuers and securities.
• Solve complex analytical problems using quantitative and qualitative approaches to provide insight into existing and emerging risks related to financial reporting, structured products and financial instruments in a fast-paced environment.
• Timely and clearly communicate conclusions to a diverse audience using different visual formats and pictures to provide reports to non-technical audiences.
• Provide expertise in the development, implementation, and oversight of new innovative technologies.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a US Citizen.
• Application procedures are specific to this vacancy announcement. Please read all the instructions carefully. Failure to follow the instructions may result in you not being considered for this position.
• Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement.
• This position has promotion potential to the SK-14.
• PROBATIONARY PERIOD: This appointment may require completion of a one-year probationary period.
• SECURITY CLEARANCE: Entrance on duty is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment security investigation. Favorable results on a Background Investigation may be a condition of employment or selection to another position.
• DRUG TESTING: This position may be subjected to drug testing requirements.
• PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS): Moving/Relocation expenses are not authorized.
• DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• This position is in the collective bargaining unit.

Qualifications

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. 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. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

BASIC REQUIREMENT:
Degree:

• Mathematics, statistics, economics, or other quantitative field of study. The degree must be in a major field of study (at least at the baccalaureate level) that is appropriate for the position. Or
• Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major field of study as shown in item 1 above, plus additional education or appropriate experience.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must also meet the minimum qualification requirement.

SK-14: Applicant must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS/SK-13 level: (1) independently and with little supervision working with financial statement data, applying the theories, principles, and processes of quantitative research; interpreting data using models and other types of data analysis and statistical software applications; (2) independently and with little supervision developing, maintaining, and/or validating models used for e.g., forecasting, valuation, liquidity, or risk management; (3) independently and with little supervision, using programing languages such as Phython, SAS or R to manipulate and analyze data and utilizing predictive modeling concepts, machine-learning approaches, and/or optimization algorithms to explore/group data, test hypotheses, predict outcomes, and inform decisions. Derive meaning from big data (i.e. datasets that may be large, disparate, unstructured, and/or complex); AND (4) independently and with little supervision communicate complex concepts, findings and limitations into concise, plain language using interactivity and narrative storytelling where appropriate.

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

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

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SURPLUS OR DISPLACED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) are available to individuals who have special priority selection rights under this plan. Individuals must be well-qualified for this position to receive consideration for special priority selection. CTAP or ICTAP eligibles will be considered well-qualified when receiving an adjudicated score of 80 or higher.

Reasonable Accommodation: If you are an applicant who needs a reasonable accommodation for disability to participate in the application process at the SEC, submit the form for Reasonable Accommodation for Participation in Job Application Process here . Please be sure to submit your request at least 5 business days in advance of the date you need the requested accommodation.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Information for SEC Job Applicants: Federal EEO laws protect all applicants from discrimination on the following bases: race, color, sex (not limited to conduct which is sexual in nature, includes pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender status), age (40 and over), religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, retaliation for participating in the EEO process or opposing discrimination. Applicants who believe they have been discriminated against on any EEO basis can seek recourse through the SEC's administrative complaints process. To be timely, an individual must enter the EEO process within 45 days from when they know (or should have known) of the alleged discrimination. Click here for additional information.

TTY/ASCII: Video Relay Service users are welcome to contact the appropriate SEC office or employee via the contact information listed above. If you do not otherwise have access to a Video Phone or Video Relay service, you may send us an email or use the Federal Video Relay Service via the internet. For more information about using the Federal Relay Service and to create a new account, please see: https://www.federalrelay.us/

SEC COMPENSATION PROGRAM: For questions regarding SEC pay setting practices, please click here .

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire. Your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire. If it is determined you meet minimum qualification requirements, your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Highly Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

• Communication, Financial Analysis, Risk Management, and Technical Competence

The Occupational Questionnaire will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete. To preview the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11044795 .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

You must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:

• Required: Your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire.
• Required: Your complete and comprehensive resume that includes a complete history of your work experience and the applicable employment dates with months and years. To determine if you qualify for this position, OHR will review your work history that is relevant to the specific position for which you applied. If you are an external candidate selected for this position, OHR will review your complete work history to establish your starting salary. If you are a current SEC employee selected for this position, the standard percentage increases will be applied (i.e., 6% for non-supervisory and 8% for supervisory positions) if your selection results in a promotion. If your selection results in lateral movement (i.e. no change in grade) you will maintain your current salary. Note: Your resume must directly address the definition of specialized experience listed in the qualification section of this announcement and must NOT contain pictures. For external candidates: Information on how your resume will be used for pay setting purposes can be found here .
• Required: An unofficial college transcript. (Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcript will be required.)
• Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.)
• Required, if applicable: Veteran's Preference Documentation (DD-214, Member Copy 4 or other documentation containing dates of service and character of discharge. Disabled veterans and other applicants eligible for 10-point Veteran's Preference please include: documentation to validate your claim - VA letter, SF-15, etc).

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.