The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency for the federal government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, business, and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Summary
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency for the federal government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, business, and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the U.S. Department of Labor.
12 - There is no obligation to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Promotions are dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the need for an employee promoted to the higher level, and supervisory approval.
All current, Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) employees with competitive status. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) eligibles.
This position is with the U.S. Department of Labor/Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Field Operations, Division of Federal/State Programs.
This is an interdisciplinary position and may be filled either as an Economist or Statistician (Economics).
This position is inside the bargaining unit.
Duties include but are not limited to:
The employee has technical responsibility for all phases of the assigned Branch programs. Provides technical assistance and guidance to cooperating state agencies in the collection, processing, estimating, benchmarking, analysis and interpretation of data generated by the States and reviewed by the Branch programs. Communicates with regional and state staff in translating statistical program requirements into various automated systems. Incumbent has primary responsibility for maintaining, evaluating and controlling quality in the assigned programs.
Through on-site reviews and analysis of reports, assures the integrity and validity of data produced by cooperating state agencies. May collect data and coordinate quality control work including response analysis studies and other special projects to improve overall program output. Recommends changes in technical procedures, organization, staffing and budget to improve program effectiveness and data adequacy.
Develops technical instructions for the states on statistical methods and procedures. Prepares technical material to aid in the development of operating manuals and position papers for use by the regional office and the cooperating agencies. Conducts training and orientation seminars for state agency personnel and selected regional staff. Makes presentations and speeches to business, union, governmental and professional groups relative to assigned programs.
Reviews national program plans and specifications and comments on their adequacies and expected impact. Assists in adapting national directives to regional needs, conditions and resources. Serves on technical advisory committees and/or special working groups to develop and recommend improved procedures for gathering, processing and analyzing data.
May assist in contract negotiations with top state agency officials for experimental or demonstration projects and assumes considerable responsibility for evaluating and accomplishing State LMI and OSHS Cooperative Agreement performance deliverables.*
Duties at the GS-07, GS-09 and GS-11 are development leading up to the full performance level of the GS-12.
Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. Citizen.
Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.
Qualifications
Basic Requirements:
Economist, GS-0110:
A) Degree in economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting or calculus.
OR
B) A combination of education and experience - courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Statistician (Economics), GS-1530:
A) Degree that included 15 semester hours in statistics (or in mathematics and statistics, provided at least 6 semester hours were in statistics), and 9 additional semester hours in one or more of the following: physical or biological sciences, medicine, education, or engineering; or in the social sciences including demography, history, economics, social welfare, geography, international relations, social or cultural anthropology, health sociology, political science, public administration, psychology, etc. Credit toward meeting statistical course requirements should be given for courses in which 50 percent of the course content appears to be statistical methods, e.g., courses that included studies in research methods in psychology or economics such as tests and measurements or business cycles, or courses in methods of processing mass statistical data such as tabulating methods or electronic data processing.
OR
B) A combination of education and experience - courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The experience should have included a full range of professional statistical work such as (a) sampling, (b) collecting, computing, and analyzing statistical data, and (c) applying statistical techniques such as measurement of central tendency, dispersion, skewness, sampling error, simple and multiple correlation, analysis of variance, and tests of significance.
In addition to the Basic Requirement:
Specialized Experience:
GS-7: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5.
GS-9: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-7. GS-11: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9.
GS-12: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11.
Specialized experience should include a thorough range of complex economic professional work. Some examples of qualifying specialized experience include:
GS-7: Individual economic research assignments requiring planning, information assembly, analysis and evaluation, conclusions and report preparation; supervisory or project coordination assignments involving a staff of professional economists, and requiring the evaluation and interpretation of economic information; or 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. Statistics: Experience with statistical work such as sampling, collecting, computing, and analyzing statistical data, and applying statistical techniques i.e., skewness, sampling error, simple and multiple correlation, etc.
GS-9: Providing non-complex guidance and technical assistance in the collection, processing, analysis and interpretation of data; participating in on-site reviews and analysis of reports; participating in providing training and orientation seminars.
GS-11: Drafting technical instructions for the States on statistical methods and procedures. Preparing technical material to aid in the development of operating manuals and experience participating in contract negotiations.
GS-12: In addition to the examples of specialized experience for the GS-09 and GS-11, developing technical instructions for the states on statistical methods and procedures. Reviewing national program plans and specifications and comments on their adequacies and expected impact.
OR
Education Substitution:
GS-7: 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.
3) Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. A list of acceptable honor societies can be found
GS-9: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.
GS-11: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.
There is no educational substitution at the GS-12.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience:
GS-7: An appropriate combination of graduate level education and specialized experience.
GS-9: An appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.
GS-11: An appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education (beyond 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.).
There is no educational substitution at the GS-12.
Education
Please see the Qualifications section for the education requirements for this position.
Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service. If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.
Additional information
Explanation of Evaluation Factors (Competencies)
All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:
Oral & Written Communication: Expresses information to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a clear, succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material that is appropriate for the intended audience.
Planning & Evaluation: Determines objectives and sets priorities; anticipates potential threats or opportunities. Organizes work, determines short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them; coordinates with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals; monitors progress and evaluates outcomes.
Decision Making/Problem Solving: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change. Identifies and analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes recommendations.
Customer Service: Works with clients and customers to secure information, assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations.
Interpersonal Skills: Develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed.
Self Management: Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior.
Technology Application & Management: Uses computers and computer applications to analyze and communicate information in the appropriate format.
Economic Data Management & Analysis: Knowledge of the principles, procedures, tools, and activities of economic data management and analysis in conducting systematic and objective inquiries, such as study design, collection, analysis, and Interpretation of data, and the reporting of results.
DOL seeks to attract and retain a high performing and diverse workforce in which employees’ differences are respected and valued to better meet the varying needs of the diverse customers we serve. DOL fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration, flexibility and fairness so that all individuals are able to participate and contribute to their full potential.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be evaluated against the evaluation factors below and will be placed into a category based on your vacancy question responses.
Categories Category A - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and has successful experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated superior proficiency in applying critical competencies required by this position to work of increased levels of difficulty and complexity.
Category B - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in the critical competencies required by this position.
Category C - Meets the specialized experience described in the minimum qualifications requirements section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the basic competencies.
Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the above key competencies.
Please see the other information section for explanation of competencies.
The information you provide may be verified by a review of your work experience and/or education, by checking references and through other means (ex. interview). The examining Human Resources Office (HRO) makes the final determination concerning applicant ratings. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the vacancy questions. If not, the HRO may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume. Your evaluation may also include a review by a Human Resources Specialist or panel and may include other assessments (ex. interview, panel review, written test, writing sample, etc.)
INFORMATION FOR ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLES ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration. ICTAP/CTAP eligibles who are placed into Category B or higher will be considered "well-qualified".
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. You are not required to submit a document if it does not apply to you. Warning: If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission. Also, do not upload password protected documents.
Veterans Documents (if applicable): To be considered as a 5-point preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD214. Your DD-214 must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. To claim 10-point preference, you must submit a copy of your DD214; an Application for 10-point Veteran's Preference, SF15; and the proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. (For active duty service members expecting honorable or general discharge or release within 120 days, click Active Duty). Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference. For more information, go to: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/hire/hrp/vetguide/index.aspx
Displaced Employee Placement Documents – Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.
Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience, but may be submitted.
Applicants selected for employment who are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship, and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.
– Unofficial Transcript(s) (in English) - submit if using education as a basis for qualifying for this position. If so, you must submit all applicable academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements (ex. BA/BS, MA, JD, PHD, etc). If specific course work is required to qualify, you must supply transcripts from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order to receive credit. You may upload your transcript(s) as one document (3 MB size limit). If over 3 MB, please submit via fax feature. OFFICIAL Transcripts MUST BE RECEIVED prior to selection and report date. Reference the “Education Section” for College Transcript and Evaluation of Foreign Education.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. Follow the steps below to apply. Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration. Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations. SAVE your information before the 30 MINUTE TIMEOUT! For help, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/.
STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses in the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. FOR EACH EMPLOYMENT PERIOD, include: start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week); otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete.
STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS) Once you have identified a job on www.usajobs.gov that you wish to apply for, click on the title and click the Apply button . For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Click “Start Application” and proceed through 5 steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. At Step 5, click “Continue to Agency Site”.
STEP 3 – Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL) On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click “APPLY TO THIS VACANCY”. Continue through the 7 progress steps indicated by circles at the top of the DOL page. The 3rd progress step is where you answer the vacancy specific questions. The 4th progress step "Documents" is where you submit required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy. If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission.
STEP 4 – On the “Review and Submit” step, click “Submit Application” The last “Confirmation” step will turn green noting that your application was submitted successfully.
STEP 5 - Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm ET of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, then “Update Application”.
Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
200 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, Pennsylvania 20210
United States
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and refer candidates for selection consideration. Candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of the outcome. A selection is expected to be made within 30 calendar days from the issuance date of the certificate. For instructions on how to check the status of your application, go to Step 7 on: Using DOORS and USAJOBS Help Guide. To sign up for Application Status Updates via email: Click Here for instructions.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date. You are not required to submit a document if it does not apply to you. Warning: If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission. Also, do not upload password protected documents.
Veterans Documents (if applicable): To be considered as a 5-point preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD214. Your DD-214 must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. To claim 10-point preference, you must submit a copy of your DD214; an Application for 10-point Veteran's Preference, SF15; and the proof of entitlement of this preference which is normally an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. (For active duty service members expecting honorable or general discharge or release within 120 days, click Active Duty). Without this documentation, you will not receive veteran's preference. For more information, go to: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/hire/hrp/vetguide/index.aspx
Displaced Employee Placement Documents – Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.
Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience, but may be submitted.
Applicants selected for employment who are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship, and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.
– Unofficial Transcript(s) (in English) - submit if using education as a basis for qualifying for this position. If so, you must submit all applicable academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements (ex. BA/BS, MA, JD, PHD, etc). If specific course work is required to qualify, you must supply transcripts from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order to receive credit. You may upload your transcript(s) as one document (3 MB size limit). If over 3 MB, please submit via fax feature. OFFICIAL Transcripts MUST BE RECEIVED prior to selection and report date. Reference the “Education Section” for College Transcript and Evaluation of Foreign Education.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. Follow the steps below to apply. Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration. Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations. SAVE your information before the 30 MINUTE TIMEOUT! For help, go to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/.
STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses in the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. FOR EACH EMPLOYMENT PERIOD, include: start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week); otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete.
STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS) Once you have identified a job on www.usajobs.gov that you wish to apply for, click on the title and click the Apply button . For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Click “Start Application” and proceed through 5 steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. At Step 5, click “Continue to Agency Site”.
STEP 3 – Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL) On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click “APPLY TO THIS VACANCY”. Continue through the 7 progress steps indicated by circles at the top of the DOL page. The 3rd progress step is where you answer the vacancy specific questions. The 4th progress step "Documents" is where you submit required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy. If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission.
STEP 4 – On the “Review and Submit” step, click “Submit Application” The last “Confirmation” step will turn green noting that your application was submitted successfully.
STEP 5 - Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm ET of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, then “Update Application”.
Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
200 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, Pennsylvania 20210
United States
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and refer candidates for selection consideration. Candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified of the outcome. A selection is expected to be made within 30 calendar days from the issuance date of the certificate. For instructions on how to check the status of your application, go to Step 7 on: Using DOORS and USAJOBS Help Guide. To sign up for Application Status Updates via email: Click Here for instructions.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
