Duties

The ARM team is seeking an experienced professional to serve as a Senior Actuary; responsible for providing consulting services and support to GAO mission teams, primarily with regard to retirement benefit programs and retirement security issues. The incumbent will also assist as appropriate in other actuarial practice areas, including but not limited to health care, property and casualty / general insurance, and life.

• Advises and/or assists teams in selecting and implementing appropriate methodologies for engagements in accordance with GAO standards, as they relate to actuarial issues. Reviews teams' work at all stages, providing conceptual and technical advice, addressing technical or conceptual errors, omissions, or misconceptions. Participates in interviews of external experts on topics that relate to actuarial issues and assists team in accurately documenting the interview findings.
• Participates in aspects of design, researchable question development, data collection and analysis, message development, and report writing and ensures the quality and value of the final product as it relates to actuarial issues. Edits or drafts report sections as warranted to ensure technical accuracy, clear exposition of key concepts, and the appropriate level of detail. Makes actuarial concepts and applications accessible to non-technical audiences to promote understanding of key policy decisions and issues.
• Provides advice on how actuarial data should be identified, collected, and analyzed for engagements. Reviews related actuarial program documents, reports, and data. Selects, refines, organizes, and presents factual information and analysis in support of engagement objectives. In collaboration with engagement team members, decides on actuarial scope, form, content, and depth of analysis.
• Performs actuarial analyses, applying actuarial science methodologies and modeling techniques.
• Contributes to primary data collection as it relates to actuarial issues. In conjunction with team members and other specialists, develops and pretests questionnaires, structured interviews and other data collection instruments used to collect primary data to meet the goals of the engagement. Evaluates and analyzes data to determine relevance and reliability. As required, performs indexing and referencing tasks.
• In conjunction with team members, develops findings and recommendations and prepares GAO products that provide factual and analytical actuarial information in a clear, balanced manner that meets the needs of congressional clients.
• Ensures that products meet all GAO standards for quality and are in conformance with all agency policies and requirements.
• On occasion, makes formal presentations on actuarial issues at meetings or conferences.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Must be a U.S. Citizen.
Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
Must meet/maintain background and suitability requirements for employment.
Completion of a probationary period is required.
Completion of a financial disclosure statement is required.

Qualifications

In addition to the education requirements, you must have 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower band or level equivalent to the GS-13 in the federal service, or comparable private or public sector experience which has equipped you with the skills and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is defined as practical experience applying actuarial science concepts, practices, and techniques to identify financial risk posed by retirement security programs; producing accurate work products that provide factual, analytical, and conceptual actuarial information; and presenting information to targeted audience to ensure proper interpretation and implementation of actuarial recommendations.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SPF):
In addition to the education and specialized experience requirements, you must also possess at least one of the following actuarial certifications: Associate of the Society of Actuaries OR Fellow of the Society of Actuaries.
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.

Education

You must meet the individual occupational requirements for actuary positions. Documentation to verify your education MUST be submitted with your application in order to be considered.

You may qualify by meeting the requirements described in either paragraph A or paragraph B below:

A. Bachelor's degree that included courses in actuarial science, mathematics, relevant statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science totaling at least 24 semester hours. This course work must have included a minimum of 12 semester hours of mathematics that included differential and integral calculus and one or more courses in mathematics for which these calculus courses were prerequisites.

OR

B. Combination of education and experience that includes both of the following requirements: 1) One year of professional actuarial experience equivalent to the GS-13 and Associateship in the Society of Actuaries or the Casualty Actuarial Society or being an Enrolled Actuary; AND 2) completion of a minimum of 24 semester hours of courses in actuarial science, mathematics, relevant statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science at a four year college or university. This course work must have included a minimum of 12 semester hours of mathematics that included differential and integral calculus and one or more courses in mathematics for which these calculus courses were prerequisites.

YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF YOUR TRANSCRIPT SHOWING THIS COURSEWORK. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING.

Additional information

• This is a bargaining unit position.
• Based on staffing needs, additional selections may be made through this vacancy announcement.
• Selectee will be required to file a Financial Disclosure Statement.
• Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid for by the GAO.
• Males born after 12/31/59 and at least 18 years of age must be registered with the Selective Service System. Visit SSS .
• Selectee will be required to complete questions contained on the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) at the time a tentative job offer is made. At the time of appointment, selectee will be required to update the OF-306.
• Selectee will be subject to a determination of suitability for Federal employment.
• GAO provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request accommodation, please email ReasonableAccommodation@gao.gov.
• GAO's policy is to provide equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
• GAO is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service. Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the GAO require completion of a probationary period.