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PATHWAYS RECENT GRADUATE - Economist

Department of Transportation
Maritime Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is for RECENT GRADUATES.  For additional information regarding the Recent Graduates program visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=graduates. 

Duty locations will vary.  The difference in salary is determined by the locality pay in each location.  Salaries for all areas are available on the OPM website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2020/general-schedule/
 

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
03/02/2021 to 03/04/2021
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$49,157 to - $78,167 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 07 - 09
Location
3 vacancies in the following location:
Washington, DC
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Some travel will be required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Recent graduates - Recent Graduate - Excepted Service Appiontment for initial period.
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time -
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
MARAD.HQ-2021-0019
Control number
593810800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This position is part of the Pathways Program and is open to Recent Graduates Eligibles only. For additional information please visit:https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=graduates

Duties

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The Economist-Recent Graduate:

  • Carries out clearly defined segments of larger projects assigned to a senior economist.
  • Assists in the conduct of economic evaluations of the significant issues affecting transportation and provides policy recommendations as required, based upon quantitative economic analysis.
  • Conducts literature searches and prepares preliminary write-ups of findings; locates and collects relevant data to analyze a specified problem.
  • Updates data sets for econometric models.
  • Designs tables and charts to illustrate analyses; applies statistical analysis to data; and prepares preliminary reports.
  • Creates data sets using software such as SQL Server Management Studio, Microsoft Access and Excel.

An ideal candidate will have knowledge of economic theory, basic statistical techniques sufficient to analyze economic data, and familiarization with software products used to analyze data sets. Candidate will also be able to prepare reports and present economic data.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen and meet Pathways Recent Graduate requirement.
  • Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.
  • Review Required Documents Section as documents are required by closing date
  • Must meet Recent Grad requirements by closing date.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • Must be a recent graduate within 2 years of application.
  • Must meet education requirements.
  • Must submit transcripts with application for consideration.

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

  • Must meet the eligibility requirements for the Recent Graduate Program.
  • Recent Graduates will enter a formal training program with a mentor and execute an Individual Development Plan outlining training requirements and program expectations.
  • Recent Graduates serve a trial period for the duration of their excepted service appointment.
  • Recent Graduates will be required to sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement.
  • Applicants must provide documentation of completion within the previous 2 years of a qualifying, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution.
  • Provide all required documents by the closing date of announcement.
  • Selectee is required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine suitability for federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.

Qualifications

THIS POSITION HAS A MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENT. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the education requirement, OR have a combination of education and experience.

To qualify for the GS-07 on Education alone:

Degree: economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.

Or on Education, you must have at least 1 year of graduate-level education OR superior academic achievement.

To qualify for the GS-07:

Experience, you must have at least one year of experience, equal or equivalent to the GS-05 grade levelwhich included:

  • Experience using economic principles and theory to perform analysis. Experience creating reports using statistical techniques to present data that include tables and charts of findings from research.

To qualify for the GS-09you must have:

Degree: economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.

  • At least 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or have been awarded a master's or equivalent graduate degree.  This must be fully supported by transcripts, that you provide with your application.

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

To qualify for the GS-09:

 Experience, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equal or equivalent to the GS-07, it must include:

  • Experience working on assignments to evaluative analytical aspects of information using the appropriate methods and techniques for qualitative and quantitative analysis.

  • Experience using economic principles and theory to perform analysis. Experience creating reports using statistical techniques to present data that include tables and charts of findings from research.

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:

  • Knowledge of economic policy, principles, and practices and the ability to analyze and report economic data.
  • Skills building economic models, conducting quantitative analysis and drawing sound qualitative interpretations from quantitative analysis.
  • Ability to use benefit cost analysis and analytic tools and methodology for examining issues and problems related to economics.

RECENT GRADUATE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY:
*Applicants must have obtained a qualifying associates, bachelors, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution, within the previous 2 years unless military service interfered with a veterans eligibility to apply during that two year time frame. Veterans meeting the above exclusion may apply within 2 years of discharge or 6 years from the date of receipt of the degree whichever comes first.

(http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp) for information on crediting education.

You must provide a copy of ALL of your college/vocational/technical transcript(s). See  "Required Documents" section for additional information.

Applicants may refer to the U.S. Department of Education’s Institutional Accreditation System to determine whether their school/program is accredited: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx.

Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. See OPM's General Policies (http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp) for information on crediting education.

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.  You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

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 information, please go to the Office of Personnel Management at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/ and U.S. Department of Education website at http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html.

Foreign Education: If your education was completed or is from foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

For additional information about the Recent Graduates program, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/students-recent-graduates/#url=Overview

Students enrolled in a degree program can apply if the anticipated graduation date is within 60 days of closing date of this announcement. Graduation transcript must be received before start date.

Education

In order to qualify for this series, you must meet the following:

Degree in economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus. OR

Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in economics, as indicated above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Additional information

MOBILITY AGREEMENT: Appointees will be required to sign a Mobility Agreement.  If you decline a position due to geographic location, you will receive no further consideration under this announcement. This agreement states that in order to be placed in the program, or upon graduation from the program, you may be assigned to any location, within the Agency and that you will move to the new duty location. Failure to relocate can be used as the basis for non- selection and failure to relocate after completion of the program can be the basis for your termination from the Federal service.

This is a two year appointment in the excepted service which may lead to a term or permanent appointment in the competitive service but conversion is not guaranteed or promised.

Recent Graduates will enter a formal training program with a mentor (assigned within 90 days of appointment) and an Individual Development Plan, executed within 45 days of the appointment, outlining training requirements and program expectations.

Recent Graduates must receive at least 40 hours of formal training directly linked to their employment field.

Recent graduates serve a trial period for the duration of their excepted service appointment.

Recent graduates will be required to sign a Pathways Recent Graduate Participant Agreement.

IMPORTANT: Applicants must be open to geographic mobility for developmental assignments and permanent placement relocation nationwide. If you decline a position due to geographic location, you will receive no further consideration under this announcement.

This vacancy may be used by any DOT agency to fill similar positions within 90 days.

How you will be evaluated

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

DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE: PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/ application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Please ensure that your resume contains specific information such as position titles, beginning and ending dates of employment for each position, average number of hours worked per week, and if the position is/was in the Federal government, you should provide the position series and grade level. 

To compete with U.S. Citizens:  If you meet the qualification requirements, your application will be placed in one of four categories: Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze, which is based upon your responses to the vacancy questions. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference that have provided supporting documents will receive selection priority over non-veterans. The top rated applications will be reviewed for the quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position.

All applicants:  Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. The answers you select in the on-line process must be substantiated in your application package.  If upon review, it is determined that your described work history, competencies, and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be updated on your behalf or you may not be referred to the selecting official. Please ensure that your work history provides enough details to support your answers. The Automated Staffing Office is ultimately responsible for determining your final rating.


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