AGRL ECONMST

Full Job Description

The positions are located with the Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Market and Trade Economics Division, Crops Branch in Washington, D.C.

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Basic Requirements: Degree: A bachelor's (or higher) degree in economics that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.

OR Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

AND Specialized Experience for GS-14 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-13 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Specialized experience requirements for the GS-14 level of this position are: experience planning and performing technical, applied economic research or outlook studies related to the commercial agricultural sector; interpreting economic concepts as they relate to food or agricultural commodity markets, and disseminating economic research data through presentations and publications in peer-reviewed journals or equivalent government or industry publications related to current global or domestic food or commodity issues.

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. Major Duties:

• Develops and executes a market outlook and analysis program for rice. Conducts outlook and research programs related to rice that deal with current and emerging issues and problems.
• Conducts complex economic research on issues that are relevant to markets both domestically and internationally, especially the rice sector.
• Demonstrates ability to plan and coordinate a program of complex economic research, analysis and outlook for crop markets.
• Responsible for coordination and integration of the team's program of research and analysis with those of other teams and other Branches in the Division and the Agency.
• Leads a team of lower graded economists and support people but may independently perform some major studies.
• Conducts complex economic research and analysis on the rice sector.
• Provides short- to long-term forecasts of domestic and international agricultural market conditions.
• Responsible for identifying research activities and staff required to complete the work associated with analysis of the rice sector.
• Assumes full technical responsibility for formulating and carrying out research plans and is responsible for the validity and application of the economic results produced.
• Assesses current economic assumptions and explore alternative scenarios to continually improve the state of the art.
• Maintains large databases and oversees data collection, economic analysis and research, and publication and communication of results and findings.
• Serves on Division and ERS committees and task forces as the expert on rice and serves on interagency committees. Expert on research and analysis performed within his or her area of expertise.
• Responsible for preparing briefings, working papers, position papers, and national and international meetings for the Secretary of Agriculture, Under Secretary, and/or the Chief Economist.
• Represents the Branch, Agency, and Department in various high-level meetings concerning the rice sector.
• Representing the Department at economic and trade conferences, at working-level contacts with foreign diplomatic missions, and on inter-agency and intergovernmental committees.