To meet the basic qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Mandatory Education Requirement for the series, AND (2) provide a copy of your transcripts or other applicable documentation for verification.  The selecting official will review your application for (3) the specialized experience. Please review the following information before proceeding with the application process: 

(1) All applicants must meet the education requirements under A or B to qualify for applying to an economist position:

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.

Examples of qualifying experience include:

1. Individual economic research assignments requiring planning, information assembly, analysis and evaluation, conclusions and report preparation;
2. Supervisory or project coordination assignments involving a staff of professional economists, and requiring the evaluation and interpretation of economic information; or
3. Teaching assignments in a college or university that included both class instruction in economics subjects and one of the following (1) personal research that produced evidence of results, (2) direction of graduate theses in economics, or (3) service as a consultant or advisor on technical economics problems.

Experience in related fields that did not involve the use and understanding of economic principles and theories may not be used as qualifying experience for these positions.

For additional information, please refer to the OPM qualifications standard for the Economist Series, 0110: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/economist-series-0110/

(2) Upload the appropriate document(s) to your application for verification purposes.

Students enrolled in a qualifying degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within six months of the closing date of this announcement. If selected, the final transcript must be received before your start date.  Other applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

(3) Specialized Experience:

The selecting official will review your application for the following experience to determine who they wish to interview.  Be sure to verify how you meet this experience in your resume.  

For the GS-11:

On Experience, at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-09 grade level, which included:

• Experience conducting applied economic analysis, using benefit cost analysis, econometrics or other applied techniques.

On Education, you must have:

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

*Graduate Education Requirement: It is qualifying if it provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

You can also qualify based on a combination of graduate education and experience.

For the GS-12:

On Experience, at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, which included:

• Experience analyzing data using economic methods, such as benefit cost analysis, econometrics or other applied techniques, addressing a topic relevant to transportation or transportation-related industries.

You cannot qualify on education at this level, you must have experience.

For the GS-13:

On Experience, at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-12 grade level, which included:

• Experience analyzing data using economic methods, such as benefit cost analysis, econometrics or other applied techniques, and identifying implications of the findings to some public or private transportation-related entity.

You cannot qualify on education at this level, you must have experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

• Economics:  Knowledge of economic policy, principles, and practices, market and non-market values, and the analysis and reporting of economic data.
• Skills building economic models, conducting quantitative analysis and drawing sound qualitative interpretations from quantitative analysis as well as in identifying creative solutions to solve problems.
• Ability to use econometrics, benefit cost analysis, analytic tools and methodology for examining issues and problems.