Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Research Agricultural Economist

Department of Agriculture
Economic Research Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position(s) is located in the United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. The selectee is not required to report to a government office, however, the option to work in one of the Agency offices may be available.

In this position, you will provide information and analysis to enhance public policy, and to conduct analysis that informs national public and private decisions.

Overview

Help
Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/20/2022 to 06/02/2022
Salary
$94,373 - $170,532 per year

Salary listed is based on the Rest of United States pay scale and may be adjusted upon selection.

Pay scale & grade
GS 13 - 15
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Location Negotiable After Selection, United States
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
ERS-DH22Y-11505722-TLH
Control number
655418700

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy.

Duties

Help
  • Develops, plans, and conducts studies that analyze and evaluate agri-environmental policies and programs, including climate adaptation, bioenergy, water and irrigation, risk management, and more.
  • Impacts research related to changes in crop mix and farming practices, land use, agricultural markets, and environmental outcomes.
  • Proposes research approaches and methods for testing hypotheses to include use of scientifically appropriate and rigorous economic theory, relevant data, and appropriate empirical methods.
  • Leads research projects but may participate as a team member for large/integrated projects and cooperates with other team members in the preparation and publication of policy relevant research and reports.
  • Leads efforts to maintain, improve, and apply the Regional Environmental Agricultural Programming model (REAP) for use in simulation analysis.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
  • This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit Agreement.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Basic Requirements:
1. Degree: economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.
OR
2. Combination of education and experience:
courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

AND
In addition to the basic requirements above, all applicants must also meet the following minimum qualification requirements:

Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are:

GS-13:
Qualifying experience for GS-13 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-12 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience conducting agricultural and environmental economics research; proposing research approaches and methods for testing hypotheses to include use of scientifically appropriate and rigorous economic theory, relevant data, and appropriate empirical methods; and using models in applied work.

GS-14:
Qualifying experience for GS-14 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-13 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience conducting agricultural and environmental economics research using agriculture or environmental models; proposing research approaches and methods for testing hypotheses to include use of scientifically appropriate and rigorous economic theory, relevant data, and appropriate empirical methods and publishing in the peer-reviewed literature; and applying, developing, or leading agricultural models in applied work.

GS-15:
Qualifying experience for GS-15 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-14 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience conducting agricultural and environmental economics research by developing and using agriculture and environmental models; proposing and leading research project that test hypotheses to include use of scientifically appropriate and rigorous economic theory, relevant data, and appropriate empirical methods, and multiple publications in the peer-reviewed literature; and leading the use of agricultural models in applied work.

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 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

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

Additional information

  • Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified based on an evaluation of the following competencies: Agricultural Science, Leadership, and Research. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job.
  • Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. Final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at time of job offer.
  • Selections made under this authority will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would therefore be given a new appointment to the civil service.
  • Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of Agriculture. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.
  • If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.
  • This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.
  • This Position is being filled through OPM's government-wide Direct-Hire Authority for this occupation and is open to all U.S. Citizens. Your application will be evaluated for basic eligibility and to determine if your experience and/or education meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and other basic requirements will be referred and are eligible for selection.
  • Research Economists have open-ended promotion potential. Research accomplishments & their impact on the duties & responsibilities of positions are evaluated periodically. The grade level is limited only by the individual's demonstrated ability to perform research of recognized importance to science & technology. Final grade level may be determined by a peer review panel.

How you will be evaluated

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

This is a Direct Hire Authority position. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, to include any selective placement factor(s), if applicable, will be referred to the selecting official. Before a certificate is issued to the selecting official, the resume is reviewed to ensure that you meet all the qualification requirements. A rating will not be used; veterans' preference does not apply due to the existence of the Direct Hire authority for this position.

Note: All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated by a resume. If, upon review, it is determined that your resume and/or supporting documents do not support your answer choices, your application may be removed from consideration.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a Federal job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to E.O. 14043, that requirement does not currently apply. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right.

To view the application form, visit:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11505722

Economic Research Service

The Economic Research Service (ERS) conducts broad programs of economic and other social science research and analysis relating to agriculture, food, natural resources and rural America for use by public and private decision makers. ERS clients are the executive and legislative branches; environmental, consumer and public interest groups, including farm and industry groups; and the general public.

Agency contact information

Taylor Hood
Phone
703-259-9486
Email
Taylor.hood@usda.gov
Address
Economic Research Service
355 E. Street, SW
Washington, DC 20024
US

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.