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FINANCIAL ECONOMIST

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Washington, D.C
Closing date
Sep 28, 2021
Duties

Summary

Candidates should have an interest and research experience in: applied microeconomics fields such as finance, industrial organization, public economics, and labor. We seek individuals with a track record of creative thinking, strong empirical research abilities, and excellent communication skills. Interest in finance, securities markets and public policy is essential given our mission.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

This position is in the Division of Risk and Economic Analysis (DERA), The Division is headquartered in Washington, DC.

Financial economists provide economic guidance and research expertise to a broad range of activities, including rulemakings, enforcement actions, market risk assessments, and other regulatory initiatives. In all roles, candidates must demonstrate their ability to apply their knowledge of economics and econometrics in support of the SEC's mission to protect investors, facilitate capital formation, and ensure fair and orderly markets.
  • Provide economic guidance and research expertise to a broad range of activities, including federal policy, rule-making, enforcement actions, market risk assessment, and other regulatory initiatives, with opportunities to specialize in policy areas.
  • Identify economic issues and participate in design, data collection and analysis, message development, and report writing.
  • In collaboration with multi-disciplinary team members, develop econometric analyses of economic, financial, and administrative data to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of federal financial and securities regulations and policies.
  • Apply advanced economic concepts and tools to the evaluation of economic trade-offs associated with federal financial rules and policies, including their impact on individuals, businesses, market efficiency, competition, and capital formation.
  • Critically evaluate economic research conducted by federal agencies, academics and other experts to determine quality, relevance and implications for federal financial rules and policies.
  • Review draft reports to ensure accuracy, precision, and clarity of presentation of economic issues and data.
  • Clearly communicate in writing the methods and conclusions of advanced economic and econometric analyses and evaluations of economic and financial research.
  • Present results of economic research in formal and informal settings, including policy discussions, team meetings, and briefings for the SEC's leadership.


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 level.
  • TRIAL PERIOD: This appointment may require completion of a two-year trial 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.
  • Due to COVID-19, the SEC is currently in a mandatory telework posture through September 7, 2021. If selected, you will be permitted to temporarily telework from a location outside the local commuting area.
  • Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement within 60 days. At that time, you will be eligible to request telework in accordance with the SEC 's telework policy.
  • This position is located in Washington, D.C. - with limited opportunities for placement in regional offices, for well-qualified selectees.


Qualifications

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Certificates will be issued on a bi-weekly basis. If all required documents are not received by the bi-weekly cut-off, your application will be reviewed once all documents are received. All required documents must be received by the closing date, to be considered.

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.

BASIC REQUIREMENT:
A. Applicants must show successful completion of a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in economics that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.
--OR--
B. An appropriate combination of education and experience----courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Examples of qualifying experience include economic research assignments requiring planning, information assembly, analysis and evaluation, conclusions and report preparation; supervisory or project coordination assignments involving a staff of professional economists, and requiring the evaluation and interpretation of economic information; or teaching assignments in a college or university in economic subjects in combination with one of the following: personal research that produced evidence of results, direction of graduate theses in economics, or service as a consultant or advisor on technical economics problems.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT:
In addition to the Basic Requirements above, applicants must also possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS/SK-13 level. Specialized experience includes experience in the application of economics than may be demonstrated in at least one of the following five ways:
  • Success in conducting research that is of comparable quality to peer- 2 and economics journals;
  • Experience analyzing the economics of securities litigation that have been submitted in federal courts or in the context of an SEC action, including the quantification of either harm to investors or ill-gotten gains;
  • Experience writing reports that evaluate the effect of policy and rule changes on market performance and function;
  • Experience writing reports in market microstructure or similar applied microeconomic fields such as industrial organizations and auction theory;
  • Experience in analyzing the costs and benefits of regulations in financial markets, including effects on market efficiency, competition, and capital formation.

  • Qualifying experience may have been obtained in the public or private sector, including faculty appointments at academic institutions, positions in economic and financial consulting firms, and certain staff positions at U.S. financial regulators.

    ***IMPORTANT NOTICE***

    DERA is seeking candidates across two different vacancy announcements. Candidates should submit separate applications for each position they want to be considered for: SEC Fellow (Economist) or Financial Economist .
  • If you wish to be considered for the SEC Fellow (Fellow) position, you may apply here .


  • Education

    You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

    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.

    This position is being advertised through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Direct-Hire Authority ( 5 U.S.C. Section 3304 and 5 CFR Part 337, Subpart B ) and is open to All U.S. Citizens. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking and veterans' preference procedures do not apply.

    If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the occupational questionnaire. Your resume must support your responses to the occupational questionnaire. After review of your application materials, if you are determined to be minimally qualified, you will be referred to the selecting official.

    Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
    Economics, Oral Communication, Technical Competence, and Written Communication

    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/11131464

    Background checks and security clearance

    Security clearance
    Other

    Drug test required
    No

    Position sensitivity and risk
    High Risk (HR)

    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 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: Job Market Paper or other in-depth writing sample that demonstrates your relevant economic analysis expertise.
    • Optional: List of 4 references
    • Optional: Letters of recommendation are strongly encouraged but not required; please email them to DERARecLetters@sec.gov


    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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