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Actuary

Social Security Administration
Office of the Chief Actuary (OACT) / Office of Short-Range Actuarial Estimates
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Serves as an actuary in the Division of short-range Actuarial Estimates, planning and conducting comprehensive studies and projects applying the theories and practices of the actuarial science to the analysis, inter­pretation and presentation of data essential to SSA program planning, evaluation and general management.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
06/05/2023 to 06/23/2023
Salary
$53,105 to - $102,166 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 11
Location
2 vacancies in the following location:
Woodlawn, MD
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
SH11983534
Control number
729634300

Duties

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  • Prepares responses to inquiries from members of Congress, other government agencies, and members of the public.
  • Works with higher-grade actuaries on comprehensive studies related to short range cost estimates of present Social Security programs and proposed legislation.
  • Prepares estimates of short range actuarial parameters relative to the OASDI insured and beneficiary population.
  • Analyzes beneficiary and benefit data and prepares actuarial tables and reports for use in government publications.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship required
  • Selective Service Registration, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
  • Fingerprinting and background and/or security investigation may be required
  • Job offers are contingent on fingerprinting and background / security investigation results
  • Selectees may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period
  • Relocation expenses will not be paid
  • All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement

Qualifications

***ALL APPLICANTS MUST HAVE EDUCATIONAL COURSES IN: actuarial science, mathematics, relevant statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science totaling at least 24 semester hours; Course work must have also included a minimum of 12 semester hours of mathematics that included differential and integral calculus and one or more courses in mathematics for which these calculus courses were prerequisites.***

TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED TO SUBSTANTIATE POSSESSION OF QUALIFYING EDUCATION, EVEN IF YOU CURRENTLY HOLD OR HAVE PREVIOUSLY HELD AN ACTUARY POSITION.

TO QUALIFY FOR THE GS-7 LEVEL, you must ALSO have one of the following:

  • A bachelor's degree AND superior academic achievement. Superior academic achievement is achieved by at least one of the following: 3.0 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale; graduating in the top one-third of your class; or membership to a national scholastic honors society. Your educational degree must be in actuarial science, mathematics, statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science; OR
  • One full year of graduate level study, or a master's or higher degree, e.g., LL.B, J.D., LL.M., Ph.D., leading to a degree in actuarial science, mathematics, statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science; OR
  • 52 weeks of actuary experience at the GS-5, or equivalent. Experience must include collecting statistical data to assist with actuarial analysis or studies; OR
  • Completed one of the SOA or CAS examinations, or credit for one of the JBEA examinations. NOTE: Documentation of successful completion as evidenced by an official SOA or CAS transcript is required at the time of application
TO QUALIFY FOR THE GS-9 LEVEL, you must ALSO have one of the following:
  • A master's degree or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree in actuarial science; mathematics, statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science; OR
  • 52 weeks of actuary experience at the GS-7, or equivalent. Experience must include using statistical or mathematical methods to assist with collecting and analyzing data for actuarial analysis; OR
  • Completed two of the SOA or CAS examinations, or received credit for two of the JBEA examinations. NOTE: Documentation of successful completion as evidenced by an official SOA or CAS transcript is required at the time of application.
TO QUALIFY FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL, you must ALSO have one of the following:
  • 52 weeks of specialized experience at the GS-9, or equivalent. Experience must include conducting actuarial studies or analysis based on a variety of data (demographics, economics, and financial) to create projections or predictions; OR
  • A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR have completed 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in actuarial science, mathematics, statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science; OR
  • I have successfully completed three of the SOA or CAS examinations, or received credit for three of the JBEA examinations AND I have at least 52 weeks of actuarial experience at the GS-9, or equivalent, which is in or related to the work of the position to be filled which has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. NOTE: Documentation of successful completion as evidenced by an official SOA or CAS transcript is required at the time of application.

NOTE: Your resume and supporting documents must specifically address the evaluation criteria for the position. This information is instrumental in determining the highest quality candidates to be referred to the Selecting Official. If your application materials do not demonstrate the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience needed for this position, your application will be ineligible for consideration.

Qualification standards can be found at the following link: Actuarial Science Series 1510 (opm.gov)

Education

Please provide ALL undergraduate and graduate transcripts.

OFFICIAL, UNOFFICIAL, OR SCREENSHOTS OF TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED TO SUBSTANTIATE POSSESSION OF QUALIFYING EDUCATION, EVEN IF YOU CURRENTLY HOLD OR HAVE PREVIOUSLY HELD AN ACTUARY POSITION.
All academic degrees and coursework must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions. You must submit your transcripts according to the application submission details of this announcement. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail.

For GS-7: One year of graduate education in actuarial science, mathematics, statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science; OR Superior Academic Achievement provision and a bachelor's degree that included courses in actuarial science, mathematics, relevant statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science. Superior Academic Achievement: 3.0 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale; graduating in the top one-third of your class; or membership to a national scholastic honors society.

For GS-9: Master's degree or equivalent degree, or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree in actuarial science; mathematics, statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science.

For GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent degree, in actuarial science; mathematics, statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science.

Providing Proof of Education or Substituting Education
For information on providing proof of education or substituting education for experience, visit Actuarial Science Series 1510 (opm.gov)

If you are qualifying on the basis of education or satisfying an educational requirement, submit a copy of your transcripts that includes your name, the name of the educational institution, course title(s), number of credits, grade, and date of completion. Unofficial transcripts or screenshots of electronic/web transcripts with the required information will be accepted at the time of application. You must submit your transcripts according to the application submission details of this announcement. Documents will not be accepted via email or regular mail. If selected, you may be required to provide your official college transcripts prior to the effective date of the personnel action placing you into the new position.

Foreign Education: If your transcripts show education completed in foreign colleges or universities, you must also provide documentation 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 a conventional/accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

GS-7 salary range: $53,105 - $69,035
GS-9 salary range: $64,957 - $84,441
GS-11 salary range: $78,592 - $102,166

All positions are career ladder positions, leading to the full performance position at GS-12.

Additional selections may be made for this vacancy six months from the closing date of this announcement.

This is a bargaining unit position represented by AFGE.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

How you will be evaluated

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

The evaluation you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire, which is designed to capture the desired competencies for this position. These competencies include:

  • Knowledge of actuarial and statistical theory and techniques.
  • Knowledge of computer techniques for data collection, manipulation, and analysis in the development of actuarial cost estimates and projections.
  • Ability to communicate technical information orally and in writing.
  • Knowledge of demographics, economics, and finance as these areas relate to actuarial work.
  • Knowledge of social insurance programs and the legislative process.
Please make sure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your evaluation. The questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. To preview the questions, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11983534

Your application will be evaluated under the Category Rating method, based on your responses to the Assessment Questions. If you meet the basic requirements for the position, your application will be evaluated and placed into one of three categories:

1 - Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements.
2 - Well Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a satisfactory level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
3 - Best Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements and demonstrate a high level of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.

Candidates eligible for veterans' preference will be placed ahead of other candidates in the appropriate category for which they have been rated. Additionally, preference eligibles who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent and who meet the Minimum Qualification Requirements will automatically be placed in the Best Qualified Category.

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