This position is located in the Applied Research and Methods (ARM), Center for Design, Methods, and Analysis (CDMA). The CDMA contributes to the quality of GAO's work by providing methodological, analytical, and technical assistance to teams by developing strong job designs, introducing innovative methods, and transferring skills and knowledge to team members. To learn more about ARM and its Centers, please visit: ARM
Summary
This position is located in the Applied Research and Methods (ARM), Center for Design, Methods, and Analysis (CDMA). The CDMA contributes to the quality of GAO's work by providing methodological, analytical, and technical assistance to teams by developing strong job designs, introducing innovative methods, and transferring skills and knowledge to team members. To learn more about ARM and its Centers, please visit: ARM
This position may be filled in any of the locations listed. Pay will be set consistent with the salary range for the geographical location the position is filled in.
The Center for Design, Methods, and Analysis is seeking an experienced professional to serve as a Senior Social Science Analyst; responsible for providing consultative services to engagement teams and assisting in the selection and implementation of appropriate methodologies for engagements in accordance with GAO and professional standards. Duties involve, but are not limited to, the following:
Participating in design, researchable question development, data collection and analysis, message development, and report writing; and ensuring the quality and value of the final product;
Providing advice on data collection methods for engagements. Selects, refines, organizes and presents factual information and analysis in support of engagement objectives. Collaborates with engagement team members on the scope, form, content, and depth of analysis;
Contributing to primary data collection. In conjunction with team members and other specialists, develops and pretests questionnaires, structured interviews, and other data collection instruments used to collect primary data to meet the goals of the engagement. Evaluates and analyzes data to determine relevance and reliability;
In conjunction with team members, develops findings and recommendations and prepares products that provide factual and analytical information in a clear, balanced manner that meets the needs of congressional clients;
Ensuring products meet GAO standards for quality and are in conformance with policy and requirements.
Completion of a financial disclosure statement is required.
Must be able to meet/maintain suitability & security requirements.
Completion of a probationary period is required.
Registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
Qualifications
In addition to the education requirement, you must have 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower band or level equivalent to the GS-12 in the Federal Service, or comparable private or public sector experience which has equipped you with the skills and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is defined as experience developing quantitative and qualitative social science research design approaches; and applying judgment and ingenuity in using and/or guiding others to use these approaches to effectively perform evaluations or other applied research.
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.
Education
Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position;
OR Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field;
OR Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.
YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF YOUR TRANSCRIPTS VERIFYING YOU MEET THE EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF CONSIDERATION.
Additional information
This is a bargaining unit position.
Based on the staffing needs, additional selections may be made through this vacancy announcement.
Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid for by the GAO.
Selectee will be required to complete the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) at the time a tentative job offer is made. At the time of appointment, the you will be required to update the OF-306.
Selectee will be subject to a determination of suitability for Federal employment.
GAO provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request accommodation, please email ReasonableAccommodation@gao.gov.
GAO's policy is to provide equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
GAO is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service. Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the GAO require completion of a probationary period.
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 qualification requirements stated, you will be further rated based on your responses to the assessment questions and placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points but protects the rights of Veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service- connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher).
Please follow all instructions carefully. If you provide incomplete answers, fail to provide a narrative response to any vacancy question(s) that requires further explanation, or if your response to a vacancy question is "see resume" or like answer, your rating may be affected or you may be determined ineligible.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
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.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
RESUME:You are encouraged to use the USAJOBS resume builder to create your resume. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. In addition to describing duties performed, you must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Failure to provide this information may result in disqualification.
SF-50: Current and former federal employees eligible for reinstatement must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) that indicates your position information (i.e. title, series, grade).
TRANSCRIPTS: If you are using your education to qualify (even partially), you must submit a copy of your transcripts. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you will be required to provide official transcripts. Foreign Education: If you are submitting a transcript from a non-US educational institution, applicants must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials, commonly called a credential evaluation service.
VETERANS: VEOA and 30% Disabled Veterans must submit adequate proof of active service in the Armed Forces including Member 4 copy of your DD-214, which indicates character of service. To claim 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15 and a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs verifying the percentage of your disability and preference in hiring. To claim 5-Point veterans' preference, you must submit a Member 4 copy of the DD - 214 or if you are currently active duty: an official statement of service from your command.
If you fail to submit any of the documentation listed above your application will be considered incomplete, and will result in loss of consideration.
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 online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your résumé (you are encouraged to create a resume using the USAJOBS resume builder) and/or other supporting documentsto be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Ebonye Watson at watsone@gao.gov to obtain an alternative application.
Government Accountability Office
Human Capital Office
441 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20548
US
Next steps
After the closing date of this announcement, GAO's Human Capital Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications by reviewing your assessment questionnaire and resume to complete an analysis. Please be as complete and thorough as possible. If your application is rated "best-qualified," your name will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. At this point you may be contacted for an interview.
If you do not meet the key requirements, and/or basic qualifications or you fail to submit all required application materials, your application will not be considered.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
RESUME:You are encouraged to use the USAJOBS resume builder to create your resume. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. In addition to describing duties performed, you must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Failure to provide this information may result in disqualification.
SF-50: Current and former federal employees eligible for reinstatement must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) that indicates your position information (i.e. title, series, grade).
TRANSCRIPTS: If you are using your education to qualify (even partially), you must submit a copy of your transcripts. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you will be required to provide official transcripts. Foreign Education: If you are submitting a transcript from a non-US educational institution, applicants must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials, commonly called a credential evaluation service.
VETERANS: VEOA and 30% Disabled Veterans must submit adequate proof of active service in the Armed Forces including Member 4 copy of your DD-214, which indicates character of service. To claim 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15 and a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs verifying the percentage of your disability and preference in hiring. To claim 5-Point veterans' preference, you must submit a Member 4 copy of the DD - 214 or if you are currently active duty: an official statement of service from your command.
If you fail to submit any of the documentation listed above your application will be considered incomplete, and will result in loss of consideration.
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 online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your résumé (you are encouraged to create a resume using the USAJOBS resume builder) and/or other supporting documentsto be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Ebonye Watson at watsone@gao.gov to obtain an alternative application.
Government Accountability Office
Human Capital Office
441 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20548
US
Next steps
After the closing date of this announcement, GAO's Human Capital Office will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications by reviewing your assessment questionnaire and resume to complete an analysis. Please be as complete and thorough as possible. If your application is rated "best-qualified," your name will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. At this point you may be contacted for an interview.
If you do not meet the key requirements, and/or basic qualifications or you fail to submit all required application materials, your application will not be considered.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
