Duties

Summary

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade Division (FDT) seeks an Analyst in International Trade and Finance to join its International Trade and Finance Section. This position will be filled as a GS-0101 (Social Science Analyst) or GS-0110 (Economist). Applicants can request to be considered for either or both series (see Vacancy Questionnaire).

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Responsibilities

This position is not eligible for permanent remote telework.

The incumbent of this position may elect to work a flexitime or compflex work schedule.

The position description number for this position is 004740.

This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Applicants should have experience conducting sophisticated analysis of international trade and economics, knowledge of the U.S. legislative branch and its operations, and the ability to work as part of a collaborative team. The work can require rapid response to emerging policy issues during active legislative processes. The ideal candidate will have a solid background in international trade and economic policy with some experience analyzing foreign and regional economies, including emerging economies. Strong research, analytical, writing, and presentation skills are essential, and applicants with an advanced degree in economics or finance are strongly encouraged to apply.

The analyst will prepare authoritative, objective, and non-partisan analytical studies and descriptive and background reports and other products that analyze the international trade and finance policy of the United States and global economic developments; provide personal consultation and assistance to congressional committees, Members, and staff on such policies throughout the legislative process; and participate in or lead team research projects and seminars.

The analyst is also expected to enhance over time the skills necessary to provide legislative analysis and consultation to congressional committees, Members, and staff at increasingly sophisticated levels. The analyst may support research analyses undertaken throughout CRS.

CRS works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of both the House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation. As a legislative branch agency within the Library of Congress, CRS has been a valued and respected resource on Capitol Hill for more than a century.

CRS is well known for analysis that is authoritative, confidential, objective and nonpartisan. Its highest priority is to ensure that Congress has immediate access to the nation's best thinking on public policy issues of interest to its Members and Committees.

Analyst Duties Include:

Prepares a variety of analytical, descriptive and background reports, memoranda, and written materials on subjects or public policy issues within the employee's designated areas of responsibility to support congressional decision making.

Participates in planning, organizing, and coordinating group research efforts.

Through personal consultation, assists committees, Members, and staff with consideration of legislative issues by providing information and analysis, and applying professional subject-area knowledge.

Participates in CRS seminars, workshops, and/or outreach programs for committees, Members, and staff.

Locates and provides information requested by Members and committees of Congress or their staff.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must meet the BASIC REQUIREMENT listed under EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS.

Qualifications

Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.

• Knowledge of international trade and economics**
• Ability to analyze public policy issues**
• Ability to write in a public policy context**
• Ability to convey analysis and information orally through briefings, consultations and other presentations
• Ability to lead collaborative research tasks
• Ability to exercise objectivity in all phases of analysis and consultation
• Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing

Education

Basic Requirements

Applicants who wish to be considered for the GS-0110 (Economist) job series MUST SUBMIT legible copies of transcripts that verify completion of at least one of the following BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

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

OR

B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Applicants who request to be considered for both series but do not submit transcripts supporting their eligibility for the GS-0110 (economist) job series, will only be considered for the GS-0101 (social science analyst) job series. Applicants who apply for only one series will not be considered for the other series.

You must submit a legible copy of your college/university transcripts to your online application if applying for consideration under the Economist series. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application. Official transcripts will be required if selected. Failure to submit the required legible documentation at the time of application will result in disqualification of your application.

Foreign Education - Education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed equivalent to conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. If your college/university is outside the U.S., your transcripts must be accompanied by a report from a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) . Failure to submit a foreign education evaluation report will result in disqualification of your application.

Additional information

The Congressional Research Service, within the Library of Congress, is part of the Legislative Branch of the federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service.

The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustment for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. While it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous federal service will generally be paid the minimum step of the grade.

This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.

The tour of duty for this position is full-time.

This vacancy will be filled in the GS-0101 (social science analyst) or GS-0110 (economist) job series. The position description numbers for this position are 4748 (GS-0101-13) and 4740 (GS-0110-13).

The incumbent of this position may elect to work a flexitime or compflex work schedule.

RELOCATION EXPENSES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR THE PERSON(S) SELECTED UNDER THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT.

The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.

Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation.

Applicants who are referred for interview will be required to submit a completed OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment .

Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period.

This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify this agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The certificate of disability may be issued by a State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of an applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The date of certification must be within one year of the vacancy closing date and must be submitted with your application. For more information view the directive on the Library's Selective Placement Program and/or contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 (voice or TTY) or email spp@loc.gov . FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

Are you a veteran? Please indicate the type of Veterans' Preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim. Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214. Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference , and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please see the Library's Merit Selection Plan , Section X.D. IF REQUIRED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION IS NOT ATTACHED, VETERANS' PREFERENCE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

The Library of Congress evaluates applicants through an applicant questionnaire and a structured interview. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through licensing, certification, and/or education requirements, a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary telephone interview. The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are marked with a double asterisk (**) in the vacancy announcement and the applicant questionnaire are considered the most critical for a position. To be considered for final selection, applicants must demonstrate fully acceptable experience in these designated KSAs in the narrative/application review, preliminary telephone and/or full structured interview. The various assessment tools listed above are designed to verify or explore applicants' experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for selection.

For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please see the Library of Congress Merit Selection Plan, Section X.D, at: http://www.loc.gov/hr/employment/msp010909.pdf .

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Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

See "Education Requirements" for documents required at the time of application.

Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent).

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. The program does not accept certification from health care providers. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

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.