CBO's Budget Analysis Division seeks an analyst to focus on coverage of mental health and substance abuse services in the Medicaid program and in related programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. CBO's health analysts work closely with key Congressional staff as they develop federal health care policy. They prepare multiyear spending projections for federal health care programs, analyze the Administrations budget proposals, and prepare cost estimates for legislation being considered by the Senate and House of Representatives. That legislation may consist of a wide range of proposals to modify the financing or delivery of health care-for example, proposals to modify the set of health care services that federal programs cover, the terms under which the federal government will pay for services, or the amount that the federal government or beneficiaries will pay for covered services. The Congress relies on such analyses to prepare its annual budget plan, evaluate the Presidents budget proposals, and measure the potential budgetary consequences of policy proposals.

Conditions of employment

• Tier One Background Investigation.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Job filled by alternative hiring process not in the competitive service.

Qualifications

Applicants must have a graduate degree in public policy, public administration, public health, economics, or a related field. This position requires strong skills in quantitative methods; the desire to make a direct contribution to the development of health policy in a nonpartisan setting; the ability to develop and maintain spreadsheet models for analysis of health policies; experience applying empirical evidence to policy analysis; the ability to clearly explain and defend analytical results orally and in writing to colleagues, Congressional staff, Members of Congress, and the public; and the ability to work on many projects simultaneously, frequently under tight deadlines.
Recent experience in policy analysis is required. Knowledge of the federal budget process and health care financing and familiarity with Medicaid or other federal health care programs is strongly preferred.

TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS:

See Qualifications above

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application includes your résumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a not qualified determination. Those who aren't qualified will be informed and not considered further. Others will be referred to the hiring division for further consideration.

This position is governed by the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act, as made applicable by the Congressional Accountability Act, as amended. The following categories of people may be eligible for preference in the hiring process: veterans who have separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after serving on active duty in the armed forces during a war, in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized, or during particular defined periods; disabled veterans; and the mother, spouse, or unmarried widow or widower of certain veterans.

To claim this preference, an applicant must identify himself or herself as eligible for veterans' preference in the Self-Identification for Veterans' Preference section of the application and must complete and submit CBO's Veterans' Preference Eligibility Form together with the supporting documentation specified on that form to veoa@cbo.gov (or by fax to 202-225-7539) within two weeks of applying or no later than the deadline specified for positions with deadlines. Applicants may obtain a copy of CBO's Veterans' Preference in Appointments policy by submitting a written request to careers@cbo.gov.