The position of Senior Economic Advisor is in the of Economic Research Service (ERS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). ERS is a principal federal statistical agency and the primary source of economic information and research within USDA on the agricultural sector, food, the environment, and rural America. ERS provides research, data, and analysis to the Secretary of Agriculture, Congress, USDA policy officials, the research community, and the public at large.
Summary
The position of Senior Economic Advisor is in the of Economic Research Service (ERS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). ERS is a principal federal statistical agency and the primary source of economic information and research within USDA on the agricultural sector, food, the environment, and rural America. ERS provides research, data, and analysis to the Secretary of Agriculture, Congress, USDA policy officials, the research community, and the public at large.
Conducts, coordinates, and synthesizes economic and statistical analyses as a basis for informing policies, programs, and legislative proposals related to domestic and international agricultural issues, food, the environment, and rural America.
Formulates current, intermediate, and long-range policies and programs related to economic research, data, and analysis.
Develops, directs, and coordinates a research program on climate change and equity analyses and evaluates impacts on all segments of society.
Identifies and analyzes interrelationships among economic forces, institutions, and governmental policies and programs.
Organizes, coordinates, and chairs multiagency and multidisciplinary analysis teams to evaluate and provide economic analyses for policies, programs, and legislative proposals related to agriculture, food, the environment, and rural America.
Provides authoritative advice to the REE Under Secretary and Deputy Under Secretary, ERS Administrator and Associate Administrator, and other senior USDA officials on research, analysis, results, data, and impacts on policy decisions.
Provides expert advice on Departmental actions and policy decisions affecting the economic health of the agriculture, nationally and internationally.
Reviews and provides input to Congressional testimony for senior USDA officials on economic issues affecting the agricultural sector, food, the environment, and the rural economy.
Participates in planning and developing research programs relating to improving the USDA’s policy analysis capabilities, especially related to climate change and equity impacts.
Represents ERS, REE, and USDA in high-level interagency and international meetings dealing with highly sensitive issues, such as climate change and financial risk to the federal government and macro-economic indicators and climate change scenarios.
As the Chief Data Officer, the incumbent:
Advise, and coordinate on the implementation of data governance policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the Evidence Act, Departmental Regulations, Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA).
Provides authoritative direction to ERS to ensure compliance with access and protection of highly sensitive proprietary, confidential, and secure data.
Develops and maintains a training program on using and protecting CIPSEA data and ensures that all ERS staff complete CIPSEA training on an annual basis.
Individuals who were born male 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.
In accordance with Office of Government Ethics regulations concerning conflict of interest, the incumbent will be required to submit a financial disclosure report within 30 days of their effective date of appointment and annually thereafter.
Qualifications
YOU MUST UPLOAD YOUR RESPONSES TO THE MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS {TQs). The Technical Qualifications are listed below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS-14/15 grade level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector. Each applicant must submit a comprehensive narrative statement that addresses the Mandatory Technical Qualifications outlined below. The narrative statement must include clear and concise examples that describe the applicant's level of responsibility, scope and complexity of programs managed, program accomplishments, policy initiatives, and level of contacts. The narrative must not exceed 2 pages for each statement. Failure to meet basic qualification requirements and to submit narratives for the Mandatory Technical Qualification factors will automatically disqualify an applicant.
MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS:
MTQ 1: Demonstrated senior level experience providing authoritative information and analysis and synthesizing economic and statistical results to provide expert advice to senior government officials on complex economic questions and decisions affecting USDA programs and policies, and the federal government more broadly.
MTQ 2: Demonstrated senior level experience coordinating, implementing, and advising effectively across organizational lines and in a team context on topics related to data governance, data analytics, in compliance with the Evidence Act, the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act, and other federal government directives.
Time in grade requirements do not apply to SL positions.
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.
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility (including educational) requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
Education
Economist Series 0110
A. Degree: economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.
or
B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Transcripts are required.
Additional information
Consideration for competitive selection for this position is open to all persons within the area of consideration who meet the basic qualifications. Race, color, age, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, political beliefs, religion, marital or family status, disability, and other non-merit factors will not be considered.
1. This position is covered under the post-employment restriction of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). This law also requires the selectee to file an Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (Standard Form 278), within 30 days of appointment.
2. Applications sent in U.S. Government postage-paid envelope and submitted through Federal Agency courier services will not be considered.
3. The 1993 Hatch Act Reform Amendments prohibit oral and written political recommendations for Federal jobs.
4. Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with the Selective Service System before they can be employed by an executive agency of the Federal government. This requirement does not apply to Agency employees appointed before November 8, 1985.
5. All application forms are subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act and become the property of USDA. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication or program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
Reasonable Accommodation: This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency at 202-260-8128. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.
Effective January 1, 2010, OPM must authorize any employment offers we make to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.
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.
You will be evaluated on the quality and extent of your total accomplishments, experience, and education. Your application will be rated and ranked by an Executive Merit Staffing Board (EMSB) Panel, using only the information submitted within the application package. Applicants who do not demonstrate in their application sufficient possession of the MTQs will be determined ineligible for further consideration.
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.
The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information;2) education;3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) Employers name and address; 5) all supervisors' phone numbers and if they may be contacted; and 5) starting and ending dates of employment (month and year); 6) salary; 7) information about honors, awards, and special accomplishments.
Narrative responses to the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (TQs).
If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient if it includes your name and all course information. If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entering on duty. Education must have been obtained from an accredited institution. Education completed in a foreign institution must include an evaluation by an organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs that it was deemed equivalent to an accredited U.S. education program. For further information, see: Foreign Education Evaluation. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation
Current and former career/career-conditional Federal employees, including those who are claiming eligibility under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA):
Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing you are/were in the competitive service (block 24 must contain a 1 or 2 and block 34 must contain a 1), highest grade held (or promotion potential) on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade. If your current grade is not your highest permanent grade, submit an additional SF-50 showing your highest grade.
Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing your highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) per above.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this. Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
Step 2: Create a Resume with USAJOBS or upload a Resume into your USAJOBS account. You may want to customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. In addition, your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement).
Step 3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required. You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Simply log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue.
NOTE: Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable.
Economic Research Service
355 E. Street, SW
Washington, DC 20024
US
Next steps
Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements and Mandatory Technical Qualifications will be considered qualified for this position. Rating and ranking to determine the best qualified will be conducted by a panel of senior executives and will be based upon consideration of the degree to which applicants meet the mandatory requirements as described in the announcement.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure or downtime, etc. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.
Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information;2) education;3) detailed work experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); 4) Employers name and address; 5) all supervisors' phone numbers and if they may be contacted; and 5) starting and ending dates of employment (month and year); 6) salary; 7) information about honors, awards, and special accomplishments.
Narrative responses to the Mandatory Technical Qualifications (TQs).
If education is required or being used to qualify, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient if it includes your name and all course information. If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entering on duty. Education must have been obtained from an accredited institution. Education completed in a foreign institution must include an evaluation by an organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs that it was deemed equivalent to an accredited U.S. education program. For further information, see: Foreign Education Evaluation. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation
Current and former career/career-conditional Federal employees, including those who are claiming eligibility under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA):
Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing you are/were in the competitive service (block 24 must contain a 1 or 2 and block 34 must contain a 1), highest grade held (or promotion potential) on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade. If your current grade is not your highest permanent grade, submit an additional SF-50 showing your highest grade.
Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) showing your highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) per above.
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.
Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.Applying online is highly encouraged. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, contact the Agency Contact listed below well before the closing date for an alternate method. All hardship application packages must be complete and submitted no later than noon ET on the closing date of the announcement in order to be entered into the system prior to its closing.This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis; contact the Agency Contact to request this. Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at www.usajobs.gov. It is recommended that as part of your profile you set up automatic email notification to be informed when the status of your application changes. If you choose not to set up this automatic notification, then you will have to log into your USAJOBS account to check on the status of your application.
Step 2: Create a Resume with USAJOBS or upload a Resume into your USAJOBS account. You may want to customize your resume to ensure it documents duties and accomplishments you have gained that are directly related to this position in order to verify that qualifications are met. In addition, your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire (you may preview the online questionnaire by clicking on the link at the end of the How You Will Be Evaluated section of the job announcement).
Step 3: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire and attach any additional documents that may be required. You can update your application or documents anytime while the announcement is open. Simply log into your USAJOBS account and click on "Application Status." Click on the position title, and then select "Update Application" to continue.
NOTE: Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable.
Economic Research Service
355 E. Street, SW
Washington, DC 20024
US
Next steps
Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements and Mandatory Technical Qualifications will be considered qualified for this position. Rating and ranking to determine the best qualified will be conducted by a panel of senior executives and will be based upon consideration of the degree to which applicants meet the mandatory requirements as described in the announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
