The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures labor market activity, working conditions, price changes, and productivity in the U.S. economy to support public and private decision making.
Summary
The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures labor market activity, working conditions, price changes, and productivity in the U.S. economy to support public and private decision making.
This job is open continuously and will remain open for an extended period of time. We will fill jobs as they become available. The next consideration date is 2/11/2020.Learn more
Salary
$86,335 to - $157,709 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 14
Location
Washington, DC
FEW vacancies
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14 - There is no obligation to provide future promotions if you are selected. Promotions are dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, meet all the performance requirements, and supervisor’s recommendation to the next grade.
This position is being filled through Direct Hire Authority and is open to all U.S. Citizens and ICTAP/CTAP eligibles in the local commuting area. All applicants who meet the basic qualifications will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration.
BLS is currently recruiting Research Economists across multiple areas. Research economists in all fields and levels of experience are encouraged to apply. The applicant’s field of concentration is less important than the desire and ability to execute frontier research, pushing boundaries to advance economic and statistical measurement and to help BLS meet its mission.
Research economists are responsible for conducting research to improve BLS outputs, conducting self-directed economic research, and serving as technical experts within BLS.
Research economists are typically employed within four areas within BLS, however, placement is dependent on current staffing needs.
Price and Index Number Research: The Division works on long term research, much of it towards resolving price index measurement problems, using a wide range of methods from microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, consumer economics, industrial organization, econometrics, and statistics. The Division also provides consulting services to the production offices within the Office of Prices and Living Conditions: Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CE); Consumer Price Index (CPI); Producer Price Index (PPI); Import/Export Price Indexes (MXP). https://www.bls.gov/pir/
Compensation Research and Program Development: The Compensation Research and Program Development Group (CRPDG) carries out research that addresses methodological, conceptual, and technical issues of concern for all programs of the Office of Compensation and Working Conditions (OCWC). CRPDG provides technical assistance to OCWC program offices, initiates the development of new program activities, contributes to BLS and program office teams, and performs self-directed research in the broad field of labor economics. In addition, the group serves as reviewers and project coordinators to outside researchers in academia, non-profits, and other government agencies who are interested in accessing OCWC microdata to work on their own research projects. https://www.bls.gov/crp/home.htm
Employment Research and Program Development: The Employment Research and Program Development staff (ERPDS) initiates, plans, and directs activities for improving the quality and enhancing the analytical usefulness of the following BLS programs: American Time Use Survey, Business Employment Dynamics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Current Employment Statistics, Current Population Survey, Employment Projections, Job Openings, and Labor Turnover Survey, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, and Occupational Employment Statistics. Two major functions of ERPDS are to assist in the development of the above data programs and to conduct original research using BLS data. In addition, the National Longitudinal Surveys Program is housed in ERPDS. https://www.bls.gov/ers/
Productivity Research and Program Development: The Division of Productivity Research and Program Development (DPRPD) works on strengthening and improving Bureau productivity measures and on understanding the sources and effects of productivity and technical change. The Division’s economists work on clarifying input and output concepts for productivity measures, using methods from microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, labor economics, industrial organization, econometrics, and statistics. Staff time is devoted partly to individual long-term research on theoretical and empirical topics and writing working papers and publications. https://www.bls.gov/dpr/
Please note that this position is in the bargaining unit.
Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. Citizen
This position is being filled through Direct Hire Authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applications does NOT apply. Veteran’s preference does not apply. However, we encourage veterans to apply for this position.
Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.
Qualifications
The Economist series has an individual occupational requirement (IOR)/Basic Education Requirement. In order to qualify for the series ALL applicants must submit academic transcripts from an accredited college or university that demonstrates they meet this requirement in one of the following ways:
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 (a) individual economic research assignments requiring planning, information assembly, analysis and evaluation, conclusions and report preparation; (b) supervisory or project coordination assignments involving a staff of professional economists, and requiring the evaluation and interpretation of economic information; or (c) 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.
Transcripts must be submitted with the application prior to the closing date of the announcement. Applications submitted without transcripts will be rated as incomplete and removed from further consideration for this vacancy.
GS-12 QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
In addition to the qualifications listed above, applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-11, in the Federal service or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. This one year of specialized experience must be in or related to the field of economics and must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as evidence of highly creative research that (1) Led to the development of a basic principle, product, concept, method, approach, or technique; (2) Provided a body of basic information that opened the way for a major advance in the field of economics or statistics; or (3) Led to general advances in economics or statistic by providing a method of solving other problems, opening areas of research, or providing the means of exploiting the application of economic or mathematical theory.
GS-13 QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
In addition to the qualifications listed above, applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-12, in the Federal service. Evidence of specialized experience includes the definition stated for the GS-12 level and also may include the submission of an article for publication to a peer-reviewed journal and the participation in teams that provided guidance to managers or policymakers on the quality and improvement of data collection.
GS-14 QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
In addition to the qualifications listed above, applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-13, in the Federal service. Evidence of specialized experience includes the publication of an article in a peer-reviewed journal and performing duties which demonstrate skill and facility in the organization, direction, and coordination of difficult research programs of major economic significance; plus at least one of the following: technical competence in economics research resulting in important contributions to fundamental knowledge in the field, or the conduct of consultative or advisory work regarding the economic aspects of important executive or legislative programs or services.
Your resume must include a detailed description or evidence of your specialized experience.
Education
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.
Academic transcripts are required documents for this vacancy. Transcripts must reflect that you meet the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR)/Basic Education Requirement for the Economist series.
Additional information
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.
***This is an open continuous vacancy announcement that allows acceptance of applications until the position is filled. The intent of this announcement is to establish a standing register of qualified candidates. Applicants will be referred periodically throughout the announcement period or at management's request. 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 February 11, 2020; subsequent cut-off dates will be March 5, 2020***
This vacancy announcement may be extended and cut-off dates may be updated.
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.
Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:
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.
Oral Communication- Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
Writing - Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a brief, clear, and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.
Economic Research: Methods and Theory - Knowledge of scientific principles, methods, and tools of basic and applied research used to conduct a systematic inquiry into Economics.
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 qualified 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. - If you are submitting several transcripts, use the Other Documentation option to upload subsequent degrees.
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, Ph.D., 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. Use the other documentation to upload more than one transcript.
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
230 S Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604
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.
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. - If you are submitting several transcripts, use the Other Documentation option to upload subsequent degrees.
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, Ph.D., 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. Use the other documentation to upload more than one transcript.
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
230 S Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604
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.
