Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens This position is being announced under the Government-wide Direct Hire authority for positions in the 0110 series. ***This is an open continuous vacancy announcement and allows applicants to apply up to the last cut-off date listed in the announcement. This vacancy announcement will be used to fill positions throughout the next 12 months. Contingent upon funding and space requirements.***

As an Industry Economist, you will:

• Conceive, plan, formulate, originate, initiate, execute, coordinate, develop, design, perform and document a broad range of economic analyses and research assignments involving current and projected pricing, production, supply, distribution patterns, and other conditions and problems pertaining to Energy and bring such studies to meaningful conclusions.
• Evaluate impact of new technologies, systems, policies, and international market forces.  Documents study purposes, methods, assumptions, and conclusions, and briefs high-level officials.  Acquires thorough parametric knowledge of subjects to perform sound, authoritative economic analyses.
• Obtain, compile, organize, and analyze economic data.  Select critical elements of real world systems for inclusion in models and applies economical techniques in innovative ways.
• Monitor and conduct special studies important to agency decision makers.  Analyze in innovative ways, the effects of different policies and advises high level managers of positive and negative effects of the different policies and policy options.
• Generate ideas for new programs, policies, studies and approaches in assigned subject areas.  Brief study sponsors and high level officials on findings and conclusions of studies, and on relationships of conclusions to existing and proposed policies and policy options.  Apply extensive knowledge of issues, problems, and subjects studies to assure results reflect real world environments.
• May serve as a project leader, assuming responsibility for the development of project planning, coordination of overall team efforts, and maintaining appropriate lines of communication.  Initiate, formulate, plan, and execute analytic research projects and researches the quality of methodologies and measures pertaining to the assessment of the subject matter being studied.  Projects include specification of research questions, selection of databases or other software appropriate to the problem, development of a plan of analysis incorporating advanced statistics, execution of the analysis, and interpretation and dissemination of the findings.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• See "Other Information" section regarding Selective Service requirements.
• May be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
• Resume and question responses must be submitted online.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

You must submit an unofficial or official transcript by the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

***This is an open continuous vacancy announcement which allows acceptance of applications through the closing date. The intent of this announcement is to establish a standing register of qualified candidates.  Applicants will be referred periodically throughout the announcement period. Final application disposition will be completed once all positions have been filled or the announcement reaches the end of the open period stated in the announcement.  The first cut-off date for receipt/referral of applications to be considered for available vacant positions will be May 3, 2019; subsequent cut-off dates will be June 3, 2019; July 3, 2019; August 5, 2019; September 5, 2019; October 7, 2019; November 7, 2019; December 9, 2019; January 9, 2020; February 10, 2020; March 10, 2020 and April 2, 2020.****

Under this Direct-Hire announcement, all applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements at the grade level they are applying will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration.  Veteran's Preference, Schedule A, Category Rating, and other methods of consideration DO NOT APPLY for this announcement under a Direct-Hire Authority.

Veteran's Preference, category rating and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply under the Direct Hire process.

Selection made under this announcement will be processed as a new appointment to the Civil Service.

Status and Non-Status applicants from outside DOE selected for this position are required to serve a mandatory one (1) year probationary period. A DOE career status employee selected for this position may be required to serve a new one (1) year probationary period, pursuant to 5 CFR 315.802.

Appointment is contingent upon initial and continued compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: 

Degree: 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 shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

OPM Qualification Standards for the GS-0110 series can be found at the following website:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/economist-series-0110/

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must also meet specialized experience requirements described below. 

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

For the GS-11, you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service.  Experience includes applying quantitative methods and techniques used to evaluate information concerning mathematical, statistical, or economic factors related to energy market conditions or energy industry practices; and drafting reports and/or written results.

OR

3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

For the GS-12, you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Experience includes developing methods used to gather, analyze and evaluate information concerning critical mathematical, statistical, economic or other relevant factors related to energy market conditions, or energy industrial practices; planning and executing a variety of projects pertaining to energy; and developing strategic planning activities, including program objectives, goals, or measures.

Education cannot be substituted for experience at this GS-12 grade level.

For the GS-13, you must have one year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service.  Experience includes analyzing and evaluating current methods used to gather, analyze and evaluate information concerning mathematical, statistical, economic or other relevant factors related to energy market conditions or energy industrial practices in order to make improvements; creating, performing and documenting economic analyses involving current and projected pricing, production supply and distribution patterns, conditions and problems pertaining to the energy industry; and providing research interpretations and recommendations to senior officials based on economic research and studies.

Education cannot be substituted for experience at the GS-13 grade level.

Your application and resume should demonstrate that you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must describe in your application how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the KSAs identified below. Cite specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position. DO NOT write "see resume" in your application!

1. Skill in formulating, planning, executing, coordinating one or more specialized areas of economics sufficient to apply new analytical developments, methodologies and research findings to broad studies of an unprecedented nature and bring such studies to meaningful conclusions.
2. Knowledge of the energy industry.
3. Skill in coordinating extensive projects in assigned areas of responsibility.  Projects are characterized by high visibility, unusual urgency or program criticality.
4. Ability to use advanced techniques and the modification and extension of theories, precepts and practices of economics and related sciences and disciplines.
5. Knowledge of complex subjects and industrial operations and practices under study so that conclusions reflect real world environments.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

Under this Direct-Hire announcement, all applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements at the grade level they are applying will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration. Veteran's Preference, Schedule A, Category Rating, and other methods of consideration DO NOT APPLY for this announcement under Direct-Hire Authority regulations.

Selections made under this announcement will be processed as new appointments to the Civil Service. Current Civil Service employees would, therefore, be given new appointments to the Civil Service. Status and Non-Status applicants from outside DOE selected for this position may be required to serve a mandatory one (1) year probationary period, if not already completed.

The Department of Energy uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the applicant assessment questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications necessary for this position. Then, the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to determine if your qualifications meet the criteria for referral to the selecting official.

We will also verify that you are eligible for Direct Hire Authority positions by reviewing your previous Federal employment to ensure you meet Time-in-Grade requirements. If you are eligible to apply to Merit Promotion announcements based on Veteran or other non-competitive statuses, we will verify your supporting documentation prior to referral.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.