Duties

The Recent Graduate - Economist:

• Carries out clearly defined segments of larger projects assigned to a senior economist.
• Assists in the conduct of economic evaluations of the significant issues affecting transportation and provides policy recommendations as required, based upon quantitative economic analysis.
• Conducts literature searches and prepares preliminary write-ups of findings; locates and collects relevant data to analyze a specified problem.
• Updates data sets for econometric models.
• Designs tables and charts to illustrate analyses; applies statistical analysis to data; and prepares preliminary reports.
• Creates data sets using software such as SQL Server Management Studio, Microsoft Access and Excel.

The ideal candidate will have knowledge of economic theory, basic statistical techniques sufficient to analyze economic data, and familiarization with software products used to analyze data sets. The candidate will also be able to prepare reports and present economic data.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen and meet Pathways Recent Graduate requirement.
• Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
• Review Required Documents Section as documents are required by closing date
• Must meet Recent Grad requirements by closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Selected participants are on an excepted service appointment under the Recent Graduates Program and required to serve a one year trial period, and will be evaluated for conversion to a term or permanent appointment in the competitive service at the end of one year.
• Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.
• Suitability: Subject to a background/suitability investigation.
• Salary: Salary will be adjusted to locality of selected duty location.
• PCS/Relocation/Recruitment: Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Relocation, and Recruitment Incentive authorization varies by position/selection.

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Must meet the eligibility requirements for the Recent Graduate Program.
• Recent Graduates will enter a formal training program with a mentor and execute an Individual Development Plan outlining training requirements and program expectations.
• Recent Graduates must receive at least 40 hours of formal training directly linked to their employment field.
• Recent Graduates serve a trial period for the duration of their excepted service appointment..
• If selected for this position, selectee is required to sign a service agreement to remain employed for a period of at least 2 years beyond the initial 24-month training period".
• Applicants must provide documentation of completion within the previous 2 years of a qualifying, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution*.
• Applicants must meet grade qualifications by start date.
• Selectee is required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine suitability for federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.

Qualifications

THIS POSITION HAS A MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENT. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the education requirement AND experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

To qualify for the GS-07 on Experience, you must have at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-05 grade level, which included:

• Experience using economic principles and theory to perform analysis.
• Experience creating reports using statistical techniques to present data that include tables and charts of findings from research.

To qualify for the GS-07 on Education alone , you must have:

• 1 year of graduate-level education OR superior academic achievement.

**Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.

• 1. Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
• 2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.

You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate level education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equal or equivalent to the GS-07, it must include:

• Experience working on assignments to evaluative analytical aspects of information using the appropriate methods and techniques for qualitative and quantitative analysis.
• Experience using economic principles and theory to perform analysis.
• Experience creating reports using statistical techniques to present data that include tables and charts of findings from research.

To qualify for the GS-09 on Education alone, you must have:

• 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or have been awarded a master's or equivalent graduate degree.

You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate education and experience. This must be fully supported by your resume and transcripts, provided with your application.

RECENT GRADUATE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY:
*Applicants must have obtained a qualifying associates, bachelors, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution, within the previous 2 years unless military service interfered with a veterans eligibility to apply during that two year time frame. Veterans meeting the above exclusion may apply within 2 years of discharge or 6 years from the date of receipt of the degree whichever comes first.

( http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp ) for information on crediting education.

You must provide a copy of ALL of your college/vocational/technical transcript(s). See "Required Documents" section for additional information.

Applicants may refer to the U.S. Department of Education's Institutional Accreditation System to determine whether their school/program is accredited: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx .

Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. See OPM's General Policies ( http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp) for information on crediting education.

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.

Accreditation: Only education from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education is acceptable to meet education requirements or to substitute for experience, if applicable. For additional information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/ and U.S. Department of Education website at http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html .

Foreign Education: If your education was completed or is from foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

For additional information about the Recent Graduates program, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=Overview

Students enrolled in a degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within 60 days of closing date of this announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.

Education

College or university education -- Educational course work may be at either the undergraduate or graduate level. Successful completion of graduate level courses will be accepted as evidence that an applicant also possesses the knowledge taught in courses at lower levels in the same field.

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

Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in economics, as indicated above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Additional information

This is not a Bargaining unit position.

MOBILITY AGREEMENT: Appointees will be required to sign a Mobility Agreement. If you decline a position due to geographic location, you will receive no further consideration under this announcement. This agreement states that in order to be placed in the program, or upon graduation from the program, you may be assigned to any location, within the Agency and that you will move to the new duty location. Failure to relocate can be used as the basis for non- selection and failure to relocate after completion of the program can be the basis for your termination from the Federal service.

This is a two year appointment in the excepted service which may lead to a term or permanent appointment in the competitive service but conversion is not guaranteed or promised.

Recent Graduates will enter a formal training program with a mentor (assigned within 90 days of appointment) and an Individual Development Plan, executed within 45 days of the appointment, outlining training requirements and program expectations.

Recent Graduates must receive at least 40 hours of formal training directly linked to their employment field.

Recent graduates serve a trial period for the duration of their excepted service appointment.

Recent graduates will be required to sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement.

Provide all required documents by the closing date of announcement.

IMPORTANT: Applicants must be open to geographic mobility for developmental assignments and permanent placement relocation nationwide. If you decline a position due to geographic location, you will receive no further consideration under this announcement.

COVID VACCINATION: As required by Executive Order 14043 , Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject only to exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before appointment or onboarding with the agency. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required exception from this requirement.

This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if similar vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.