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Economist (Microeconomics)

Department of the Treasury
Treasury, Departmental Offices

Summary

This position is located at Departmental Offices, Office of Economic Policy.
As an Economist (Microeconomics), you will be responsible for in-depth economic evaluation and analysis of the developments and issues covering a broad range of policy areas, including financial market policy, Social Security and Medicare, pensions and retirement security, health, regulatory reform, labor and education, homeland security, agriculture, energy, and the environment.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
01/23/2026 to 02/01/2026
Salary
$102,415 to - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 14
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
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
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
26-DO-12872092-DH
Control number
855387200

Duties

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The following are the duties of this position at the GS-14. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

As an Economist (Microeconomics), you will:
- Analyze and assess, using appropriate economic tools and models, the potential impact of proposed or existing policy changes or global economic developments.
- Work with other analysts both within and outside MA to monitor and assess the significance of current and future economic developments, including producing memos, papers, and briefings, under tight time constraints for senior Treasury policy-making officials.
- Study highly technical and complex problems/issues assigned by the Office Director, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Microeconomic Analysis and the Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy.
- Serve as an expert in specific issue areas, which may include income distribution, pensions, entitlements, education, health care, energy, the environment, demography, and fiscal policy.
- Provide oral and written briefings to senior Treasury Department and other U.S. government officials with sound, timely briefings on significant issues related to current and future microeconomic developments.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Key Requirements:

  • Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
  • All newly appointed employees to the competitive (or excepted) service are subject to a probationary (or trial) period. During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the probationary (or trial) period. Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service. If no certification is made before the probationary (or trial) period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations. Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding.
  • Must successfully complete a background investigation.
  • All new hires will be required to comply with federal ethics laws. A review of financial or other interests may be conducted to determine if they create any real or apparent conflict of interests with official Treasury duties.
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
  • Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
  • Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
  • Please refer to the "Additional Information" section for additional Conditions of Employment.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:

For the GS-14, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service.
Specialized Experience for this position includes ALL of the following:
- Conducting independent research into questions of economic significance and using advanced statistical and econometric techniques; AND
- Published independent research in peer-reviewed journal articles, doctoral dissertation chapters, or equivalent publications; AND
- Planned and implemented applied microeconomic and/or economic policy-driven modeling; AND
- Led intra-office or interagency work groups to study questions of applied microeconomic and/or economic policy significance; AND
- Developed and advanced applied economic and/or policy ideas through the use of economic research.

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For the GS-13, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service.
Specialized Experience for this position includes ALL of the following:
- Conducted independent research into questions of economic significance and using advanced statistical and econometric techniques; AND
- Published independent research in peer-reviewed journal articles, doctoral dissertation chapters, or equivalent publications; AND
- Planned and implemented applied microeconomic and/or economic policy-driven modeling; AND
- Participated in intra-office or interagency work groups to study questions of applied microeconomic and/or economic policy significance.

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For the GS-12, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service.
Specialized Experience for this position includes ALL of the following:
-Conducted independent research into questions of economic significance and using advanced statistical and econometric techniques; AND
-Published independent research in peer-reviewed journal articles, doctoral dissertation chapters, or equivalent publications.

OR A related Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree
OR Combination of specialized experience and graduate level education. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.

Candidates who are in the process of completing the requirements for a Ph.D. will be considered for the GS-12 level as long as the requirements for a Ph.D. are completed within 9 months of application.



The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resumé.

Education

A. Degree: economics, that includes 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.


The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

Additional information


OTHER INFORMATION:

  • We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
  • This is a non-bargaining unit position.
  • A recruitment incentive may be offered.
  • Relocation expenses will not be paid.
  • We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
  • This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information about individual rights, Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov).


Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes:

  • Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards.
  • Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year.
  • Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire.
  • A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums.
  • A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions.
  • Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: USAJOBS Help Center - Benefits

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

This announcement is issued under the "direct-hire" authority. Consistent with 5 U.S.C. 3304(a)(3) and OPM regulations (5 CFR 337 Subpart B) on direct-hire: All candidates who meet all the qualifications and other eligibility requirements may be referred for consideration. Competitive examining rules providing for rating and ranking and veterans' preference do not apply.

Your application includes your resumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your resumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resumé may result in a "not qualified" determination.

Referral: All candidates who meet all the qualifications and other eligibility requirements may be referred for consideration. Competitive examining rules providing for rating and ranking and veterans' preference do not apply.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)) you must meet the following "well qualified" definition listed below and any education requirement to receive special selection priority.

GS-14 or equivalent: To be found well qualified at this grade level, the applicant must demonstrate documented duties and responsibilities that include all of the following:
-structure and execute analytical projects addressing cross-cutting economic issues spanning multiple sectors, including financial markets, health, retirement security, labor, energy, demography, and regulatory policy.
-develop and recommend policy options through rigorous economic analysis, exercising judgment in conditions of uncertainty and limited time for deliberation.
-provide technical leadership, mentorship, and guidance to junior economists, contribute original analytical insights, and adapt or develop new analytical approaches to address emerging and policy challenges.

GS-13 or equivalent: To be found well qualified at this grade level, the applicant must demonstrate documented duties and responsibilities that include all of the following:
-apply advanced empirical methods, policy modeling, and economic statistics to evaluate the impacts of domestic and global economic developments and proposed policy changes, including energy policies.
-work collaboratively with economists across agencies, represent organizational positions in working groups, and demonstrate sound judgment, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage complex analytical workloads.

GS-12 or equivalent: To be found well qualified at this grade level, the applicant must demonstrate documented duties and responsibilities that include all of the following:
-conducted quantitative and qualitative analyses of proposed or existing policies, including energy policies, assessing economic impacts using established models, datasets, and academic literature.
-collaborate effectively with economists and analysts within and outside my organization to monitor current economic developments and contribute to interagency or cross-office projects.


Optional Essay Questions:
Applicants may choose to respond to four short essay questions (200 words max each) to help us better understand your alignment with the agency's mission. These responses are optional and will not affect the applicant's eligibility.

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