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Social Scientist

Department of Energy
Department of Energy - Agency Wide
Office of Economic Impact and Diversity
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is part of the Department of Energy, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, Office of Energy Justice Policy and Analysis. As a Social Scientist, you will perform a variety of professional social science work, which includes collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and/or reporting socioeconomic and demographic data, data sources, relationships, trends, and policies with respect to energy and environmental justice questions, regulations, or practices within the purview of the agency.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
12/29/2022 to 01/05/2023
Salary
$132,368 to - $183,500 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14 - 15
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington
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
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy and funding availability.
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
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
23-ED-00173-11780764-DE
Control number
697128800

Duties

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As a Social Scientist, you will:

  • Perform a variety of professional social science work, which includes collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and/or reporting socioeconomic and demographic data, data sources, relationships, trends, and policies with respect to energy and environmental justice questions, regulations, practices, or other matters within the purview of the agency.
  • Conduct research that supports advising program offices on developing and facilitating plans in compliance with Executive Order 13985 - Promoting Equitable Delivery of Government Benefits and Equitable Opportunities, Executive Order 14008 - Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and subsequent executive orders and guidance to realize benefits such as investments in communities historically under-served and overburdened by the energy sector.
  • Champion the organization in collaborations, at briefings, and at other meetings regarding the justification, approval, design, conduct, findings, and use of research/evaluation, performance management, and analyses.
  • Liaise with agency-wide management officials and other agencies to obtain input on broad research/evaluation directions and specific projects while promoting an understanding of discoveries and validated conclusions issues, programs, policies, and populations.
  • Use pioneering social science research methods, evaluation, and research on a wide range of complex analytical theories, principals, and practices.
  • Utilize a wide range of forecasting qualitative and quantitative methods and techniques for the assessment and improvement of program implementation and effectiveness.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Subject to satisfactory security and suitability requirements.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
  • This position is included in a Bargaining Agreement.
  • Occasional travel may be required.
  • The incumbent is required to submit a Financial Disclosure Statement, OGE-450, Executive Branch Personnel Confidential Financial Disclosure Report upon entering the position and annually (5CFR Part 2634, Subpart I USOGE, 6/08).

Qualifications

Basic Requirements for Social Science 0101:

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.

GS-14: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-13) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as:

  1. Utilizing studies, evaluations, and analyses of programs and other issues relevant to energy and environmental justice.
  2. Using social science research methods, evaluation, and research on a wide range of analytical theories, principals, and practices pertaining to energy and environmental justice.
  3. Performing research using techniques such as statistical testing and mathematical modeling to study questions related to energy and environmental justice.
  4. Performing studies through research and analysis, project objectives, data collection, and performance measurement (qualitative and quantitative) strategies.

GS-15: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-14) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as:

  1. Directing intricate studies, evaluations, and analyses of the quality, performance, implementation, and impacts of programs and other issues relevant to the paradigm shift in energy and environmental justice.
  2. Initiating research using investigative techniques such as inferential statistical testing and mathematical modeling to study questions related to program goals in the areas of energy and environmental justice.
  3. Formulating evaluation methods and analytic techniques used in focused evaluations, survey design and sampling, applying econometrics such as behavioral economics and behavioral insight testing, and advanced statistical analysis used in experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation design.
  4. Designing studies; formulating research; and proposing questions, purposes, data collection and measurement (qualitative and quantitative) strategies, and approaches for testing hypotheses.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience at the GS-14 or GS-15 grade levels.

Education for meeting the Basic Requirements for the Social Science, 0101, series must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

Additional information

How you will be evaluated

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

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

Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your responses to the self-assessment questions (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) will be evaluated and you will be placed into one of three pre-defined quality categories under Category Rating procedures. These categories are "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified", and "Qualified. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):


  • Creative Thinking
  • Information Management
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • Problem Solving
  • Reasoning

Application of Veterans' Preference: If you are a preference eligible candidate, you will be listed at the top of whichever quality category your rating places you in. CP/CPS veterans are placed at the top of the highest category for all positions except professional and scientific positions at GS-9 and higher.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified", which is defined as scoring in the in Well Qualified category (or higher).

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (01/05/2023) of this announcement.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, clickhttps://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11780764.

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