Economist

Full Job Description

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) measures labor market activity, working conditions, price changes, and productivity in the U.S. economy to support public and private decision making.

This position is with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Division of Price Programs or Division of Compensation and Occupational Requirements.

Applicants must meet the Basic Requirements and the Minimum qualifications to qualify for each series and grade they wish to be considered for.

Basic Requirements: Economist, GS-0110: A) Degree in economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting or calculus.

OR B) A 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 Basic Requirement above, applicants must also meet the Minimum Qualifications to be considered: Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Specialized experience should include a thorough range of complex economic professional work.

GS-09: Contacted sampled establishments to schedule appointments and conduct interviews; Secured voluntary cooperation and interviewed company officials to collect data from businesses or other survey respondents for timely survey results; Made follow up contact to respondents for necessary clarification to ensure accuracy of data provided.

OR Education Substitution: GS-9: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

OR Combination of Education and Specialized Experience: GS-9: Graduate education (more than one year but less than two) and specialized experience as required for GS-09 (less than one year) that when combined totals one year.

Only graduate education beyond the first year (18 semester hours or quarter hour equivalent) can be combined with experience to total one year.

For additional information, refer to the Office of Personnel Management Operating Manual for Qualification Standards, Group Coverage Qualification Standards for Professional and Scientific Positions: Individual Occupation Requirements for Economist Series GS-110.

Major Duties:

Duties include but are not limited to: Plans, schedules, and conducts data collection assignments using fairly complex economic or statistical techniques which are covered by established methods and procedures.

Makes arrangements preparatory to obtaining voluntary data from enterprises for which the collection of data is expected to present relatively few complexities and for which precedents exist.

Applies standard practices and techniques to the solicitation of data and reports information in accordance with survey requirements.

Evaluates the data collected and makes adjustments to ensure reliability and comparability as well as reasonableness and conformance to survey requirements.

Makes follow-up contact to respondents providing data to ensure accurate and timely survey results.

While most data requirements are straight forward, some analysis is necessary to ensure that the data reported are accurate.

Critically evaluate collection experiences in relations to survey design and specifications, survey materials, economic conditions affecting the industry and area studied, and trends in the industry and area.

Recommends modifications in survey methods oriented toward improvements in the survey plan. Performs other duties as assigned.

For training and development purposes, assignments may include some segments or aspects of work that are typically at a higher level.

Duties at the GS-09 are development leading up to the full performance level of the GS-12