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Economist

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Reclamation
Division of Financial Managment, Special Projects Branch
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Economist. Make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment. The first cut-off date for referral is May 22, 2023.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
04/28/2023 to 07/03/2023
Salary
$69,107 to - $107,680 per year

Salary will be set based on the locality area of the person selected.

Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Locations
Few vacancies in the following locations:
Sacramento, CA
Location Negotiable After Selection
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
BOR-CGB-22-DH-11908992-MT
Control number
722631700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This position will be filled under the Office of Personnel Management's Direct-Hire Authority and is open to All United States Citizens and U.S. Nationals. Veterans' Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applications do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

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Duties

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At the full performance level, GS-12 the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Supports the annual budget process by updating the authorized project cost allocation annually for special projects
  • Performs an annual allocation of future operation, maintenance, and replacement costs included in the budget documents associated with various projects.
  • Prepares annual allocations of plant-in-service, multipurpose plant, and construction work in progress account balances to be included in annual financial reports and project cost and repayment statements for Projects.
  • Reviews financial aspects of reports on potential water resources developments prepared by other Federal, State, and local agencies; maintaining liaison with representatives of other agencies pertaining to economic and financial studies of mutual interest.
  • Writes technical reports and appendix materials in form required for planning reports, environmental impact statements, water service rate-setting proposals, power marketing studies, water rights settlements, litigation, legislative proposals, congressional hearings, and other special purposes.
  • Tracks progress and corresponding on outstanding audit recommendations within the Financial Services Group, preparing quarterly audit tracking reports on the status and coordinating progress in responding to open audit recommendations within the Region
  • Participates in task force and work group assignments involving other Federal and State agencies dealing with coordination of planning, project formulation, and economic and financial evaluations of resource management and development proposals.
  • Participates in conferences and meetings with representatives of other public agencies, special interest groups, and members of the general public to collect information for ongoing studies and to explain the economic and financial aspects of existing and proposed projects, programs, and policies.
  • Serves on interdisciplinary teams and participating with staff members assigned to other branches and divisions in the formulation and evaluation of resource management, developmental, water marketing, and operational programs.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
You must be suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
You must submit a resume and supporting documentation (see Required Documents).
You must submit eligibility documents for veterans consideration (see Required Documents).
You must meet any minimum education and/or experience requirements (see Qualifications).
You must submit transcript(s) to verify education requirements (see Qualifications/Education).

Who May Apply:

  • Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the (1) Basic Educational Requirements AND (2) Specialized Experience for the grade to which you are applying. (1) Basic Educational Requirements: To be eligible for this position, applicants must meet the Basic Education Requirements for this series as described below: Economist Series, 0110 Individual Occupational Requirements Basic Requirements:
Basic Education 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.

Evaluation of Experience: 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. Special attention on this point should be given to certain types of work that may or may not have provided professional economic experience. The following examples of work require special care in such determinations: 1. economic statistics; 2. industrial surveys; 3. management of individual business enterprises, including farms; 4. industrial planning; 5. writing or editorial work in economic subjects; and 6. financial market analysis.

NOTE: You must submit your transcripts to show that you meet this requirement. Failure to submit your transcripts will result in an "Ineligible" rating (2) Specialized Experience: In addition to meeting the basic education requirements described above, applicants must have specialized experience and/or directly related education as described below for the grade to which you are applying:

In order to be qualified for this grade level, you must meet either A, B, or C described below:

GS-11 Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-11, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1. conducting quantitative research or analytical studies on the economic effects of government policies and programs; 2. identifying relevant information to evaluate the economic impact of a project, program, or policy on an area's economy; 3. assisting in the application of techniques of regional economic impact analysis (i.e., data collection, field observation, modeling, and coding techniques to help predict important aspects of economic change.
OR
B. Education: 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.
OR
C. A Combination of Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and appropriate specialized experience that together, meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. Only graduate level education in excess of the first two years or 36 semester hours may be combined with appropriate experience.

GS-12 Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-12, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: 1. conducting and interpreting quantitative research or analytical studies on the economic effects of government policies and programs; 2. identifying and analyzing relevant information to evaluate the economic impact of a project, program, or policy on an area's economy; 3. applying techniques of regional economic impact analysis (i.e., data collection, field observation, modeling, and coding, and sampling and research design) to help predict important aspects of economic change.
NOTE: At the GS-12 grade level, Education may NOT be substituted for specialized experience.

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. The applicant will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

A period of student trainee work experience is equal to 320 hours of work experience.

Academic Year: At the undergraduate level, 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours is comparable to 1 year of undergraduate education. Four years of progressive study or 120 semester hours meets the degree requirements. At the graduate level, 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours.

You must meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors if applicable, by 07/03/2023.

Education

This position has a mandatory education requirement. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. Non-submission will result in being rated not-qualified for the position.

You will be required to provide official college transcripts to verify educational qualifications, if selected. An official transcript must be sent directly from the University's Registrar's office and must be provided from the institution awarding the degree. Academic transcripts certified by notary publics are NOT official. Official transcripts must be submitted prior to reporting to work as a condition of employment. Failure to submit official transcripts may be grounds for dismissal or rescission of the job offer.

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 info, refer to the Office of Personnel Management and U.S. Department of Education.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For additional info, refer to the U.S. Network for Education Information.

Additional information

CONTINUED SUMMARY:
Duty Location: Sacramento, CA or the final determination of the duty station for this position will be made by the selecting official at the time of the job offer. Flexibilities to work remotely in a virtual posture may be considered.

Initial consideration will be given to candidates whose applications have been received before the first cut-off date. Qualification and/or time-in-grade requirements must be met for those applications submitted by the first cut-off date of May 22, 2023.

You may be required to serve an initial probationary period. Current, permanent Federal employees who are selected from this announcement may be required to serve a probationary period.

Reclamation has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and you may be allowed to telework with supervisory approval.

If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information, visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive.

If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a Student Loan Repayment Benefit (SLRB). The decision to offer an SLRB will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information, visit: SLRB Program.

If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may request consideration for a Superior Qualifications Appointment. For information, visit: OPM Fact Sheet.

Related non-Federal experience or related experience as retired members of the uniformed services may be credited towards computing entitlement to leave accrual, at managerial discretion, providing that experience meets certain criteria. This provision allows new employees to earn annual leave at a higher rate than would otherwise be allowed. (5 Code of Federal Regulations, 630). For information, visit: Creditable Service for Annual Leave

DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including applicant rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/

This position is designated as a LOW RISK position. It requires a fully completed and favorably adjudicated SF85 Background Investigation (T1 or equivalent) that is current (within the last 5 years). This is a condition of employment.

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify registration with the Selective Service System or that the applicant is exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Go to: https://www.sss.gov

This is a bargaining unit position represented by a Union.

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and the responses you provide to the application questionnaire. The application questionnaire can be previewed here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11908992

You will be assessed on the following Competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Compliance
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Economics
  • Problem Solving
  • Research and Statistics


Your answers will be verified against information provided in your resume. Your resume must clearly support the responses to all the questions by addressing experience, education, and/or training relevant to this position. You must make a fair and accurate assessment of your qualifications. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than what is apparent in the description of your experience, competencies, skills, and/or education/training (or that your resume/application is incomplete), you could be rated ineligible or your score could be lowered.

Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies with the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s). Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. You may choose to opt in of having your information shared with other agencies when applying for this position. If an agency requests a copy of a certificate you are on, you will be notified.

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