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Economist

Department of Energy
Department of Energy - Agency Wide
Department of Energy
This job announcement has closed

Summary

These positions are to be filled under the OPM Government-Wide Direct Hire Authority Certain STEM Positions for grades GS 11-15. This serves as a public notice for the use of the Direct Hire Authority in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3327 and 3330 and 5 CFR 330. Under this recruitment procedure, applications will be accepted for each location/ installation identified in this Public Notice. There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time you submit your application.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
10/01/2023 to 03/31/2024
Salary
$72,553 to - $191,900 per year

Salary is determined by geographic location and grade level at the time of selection.

Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 15
Locations
Many vacancies in the following locations:
Anchorage, AK
Berkeley, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Menlo Park, CA
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
Multiple
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
FY24-OCDH-0110-12139050-DH
Control number
751803800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens This direct hire public notice is to gather applications that may or may not result in a referral or selection.

Duties

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The Department of Energy is seeking motivated and highly-qualified candidates for exciting positions available in multiple locations throughout the United States.

The mission of the Energy Department is to ensure America's security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.

As an Economist, at minimum you will:

  • Conceive, design, perform and document a broad range of economic analyses and research assignments involving conditions and problems pertaining to Energy and bring such studies to meaningful conclusions.
  • Evaluate impact of new technologies, systems, policies, and international market forces.
  • Document study purposes, methods, assumptions, and conclusions, and briefs high-level officials. Acquire thorough parametric knowledge of subjects to perform sound, authoritative economic analyses.
  • Obtain, compile, organize, and analyze economic data. Select critical elements of real world systems for inclusion in models and applies economical techniques in innovative ways.
  • Monitor and conduct special studies important to agency decision makers. Analyze in innovative ways, the effects of different policies and advises high level managers of positive and negative effects of the different policies and policy options.
  • Generate ideas for new programs, policies, studies and approaches in assigned subject areas.
  • Brief study sponsors and high level officials on findings and conclusions of studies, and on relationships of conclusions to existing and proposed policies and policy options.
  • Apply extensive knowledge of issues, problems, and subjects studies to assure results reflect real world environments.
  • May serve as a project leader, assuming responsibility for the development of project planning, coordination of overall team efforts, and maintaining appropriate lines of communication.

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 1-year probationary period.
  • Positions are located agency-wide and may be filled as permanent, term, or temporary with a full-time or part-time work schedule. Pay will vary by geographic location.
  • Appointments made with this authority may be processed as a new appointment into the Civil Service.
  • The vacancies filled through these appointments have varying levels of background investigative requirements, up to a Top Secret - DOE "Q" clearance.
  • Positions may be covered by a bargaining unit. Bargaining unit will vary by departmental element, grade, and/or location.
  • Positions may be a Testing Designated Position (TDP) subject to applicant testing and random drug testing thereafter. Failure to test or a positive result on random drug tests conducted after appointment may result in removal from Federal employment.
  • Positions may require submittal of a Financial Disclosure Statement, OGE-450, Executive Branch Personnel Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of entering the position and annually.
  • This position does not support 100% remote work. You will be required to report physically to the official reporting worksite as specified by the supervisor, but no less than 2 days per pay period.

Qualifications

You must meet both the Basic Requirement and the Specialized Experience to qualify for this series as described below.

BASIC REQUIREMENT

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.

In addition to meeting the education requirement above. You must also meet the experience requirement below.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
The specialized experience listed are the minimum requirements for the series, each particular vacancy may have additional experience necessary to meet the applicable grade level.

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for these positions are defined as:

GS-11: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-09). Specialized experience for this position is defined as ALL of the following:

  • Applying standard quantitative methods and techniques used to evaluate information concerning mathematical, statistical, or economic factors.
  • Drafting parts reports and/or written results to explain analytical findings.

OR

Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, or Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree; your education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. For this position, this is defined as a degree in economics or a similarly related major.

OR

Combination of education and experience as described above. Less than one year of specialized experience may be combined with graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level (i.e., credit hours beyond the first two years of full-time study may be credited).

GS-12: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-11). Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting at least 2 of 3 of the following:

  • Planning methods used to gather, analyze and evaluate information concerning critical mathematical, statistical, economic or other relevant factors .
  • Planning and executing a variety of projects that involved collecting detailed economic data.
  • Plan and prepare a quantitative analysis of data for a major program following standard procedures.

GS-13: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12). Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting at least 2 of 3 of the following:

  • Analyzing and evaluating current methods used to gather, analyze and evaluate information concerning mathematical, statistical, economic or other relevant factors for a major program.
  • Creating, performing and documenting economic analyses involving current and projected pricing, production supply and distribution patterns, conditions and problems where techniques or methodology used are new and unprecedented.
  • Planning and preparing an interpretive report, including current and historical economic data, that required a difficult search for sources and complicated and imaginative extrapolation techniques.

GS-14: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-13). Specialized experience for this position is defined as ALL of the following:

  • Initiating, formulating, developing, designing, performing, and documenting a broad range of economic analyses and assignments that provide systematic economic data collection, analysis, modelling, reporting and policy inputs, and associated timelines and costs, for current or continuing or projected programs in one or more areas of economic activity.
  • Documenting purposes, methods, assumptions and conclusions, and bases sound economic analyses on thorough parametric knowledge of subjects studied.

GS-15: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-14). Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting at least 2 of 3 of the following:

  • Providing analyses, interpretations, and opinions to officials internal and external on a broad variety of cases and issues that include economic and policy positions on very complex and difficult matters requiring a high order of original and creative economics endeavor that will broaden or restrict activities, or have a very important impact on the company or agency mission.
  • Assessing the readiness level, quality of output and outcomes, and the organizational support for the broad function of economics study necessary to create and maintain the highest level of professionalism and efficacy in the economics discipline.
  • Serving as a consultant and advisor to top-level company or agency officials including reviewing new or proposed legislation, rulemaking and regulatory activities related to the energy industry and assessing the impact on missions, programs, or policies.

NOTE: There is no substitution of education for specialized experience at the GS-12 through GS-15 grade levels.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

OPM Qualification Standards for the GS-0110 series can be found at the following website: 0110 Qualifications

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

This public notice may be used to fill multiple positions as needed; therefore, applicants must meet the qualifications at the time certificates are requested.

Education

This vacancy has a positive education requirement. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible".

If substituting education for specialized experience you must submit proof of your qualifying education. Failure to provide college transcripts may result in a rating of 'Ineligible'.

Education 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

The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

  • This public notice is to gather applications for current and future vacancies that may or may not result in a referral or selection.
  • Applications will expire 90 days after receipt.
  • Applicants are limited to 4 geographic locations.
  • There may or may not be promotion potential depending upon the actual position filled.
  • Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
  • Positions may be filled at varying levels of leadership, ie Team Lead, Manager, Supervisor.
  • Supervisory positions may require a 1-year probationary period, if not yet completed.
  • Hiring incentives may be authorized in accordance with regulation and policy.
  • For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov
  • Status and Non-Status applicants from outside DOE selected under this authority are required to serve a mandatory one (1) year probationary period. A DOE career status employee selected for this position may be required to serve a new one (1) year probationary period, pursuant to 5 CFR 315.802.
  • If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the OPM ICTAP/CTAP website for more information. In order to be considered under the ICTAP program, your application must score within the pre-established "well qualified" category as stated in the Qualifications section.
  • New employees to the Department of Energy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify
  • Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the FedsHireVets website.
  • All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.
  • Position may require you 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). For additional information and to obtain the form, please visit the Office of Government Ethics.
  • EEO Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/EEO_Policy_Statement
  • Reasonable Accommodation Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Reasonable_Accommodation_Policy_Statement
  • Veterans Information: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Veterans_Information
  • Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/

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.


This position is announced under a government-wide Direct Hire Authority (DHA) for Economist positions in the GS-0110 series. Under this Direct-Hire authority, applicants are required to meet minimum qualification requirements at the grade level(s) of interest. Veteran's Preference, Schedule A, Category Rating, and other methods of consideration DO NOT APPLY under Direct-Hire Authority regulations.

Appointments made under this authority will be processed as new appointments to the Civil Service. Current Civil Service employees would, therefore, be given new appointments to the Civil Service. Current Federal employees may be required to serve a new probationary period (5 CFR 315.802(b).

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.
You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (03/31/2024) of this announcement.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, clickhttps://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12139050.

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