Economist

Full Job Description

This position is located in Treasury, Consumer, & Financial Markets Branch in the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the Executive Office of the President (EOP).

More than one selection may be made.

OIRA leads the government-wide review of regulations, approval of information collections, and implementation of information, privacy, and statistical policy, focusing on team-based working relationships across OMB.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS All applicants must meet the qualification requirements outlined below to be considered minimally qualified for this position.

The qualification requirements are in accordance with the OPM Qualification Standards.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have a minimum of one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility comparable to the next lower grade or comparable pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector.

ALL QUALIFICATIONS MUST BE MET BY THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must meet one of the following criteria listed below in order to meet the basic requirement for Economist, 0110.

1) Degree: economics, that includes at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.

OR 2) Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Examples of qualifying experience include: individual economic research assignments requiring planning, information assembly, analysis and evaluation, conclusions and report preparation; supervisory or project coordination assignments involving a staff of professional economists, and requiring the evaluation and interpretation of economic information; or teaching assignments in a college or university that included both class instruction in economics subjects and one of the following (1) personal research that produced evidence of results, (2) direction of graduate theses in economics, or (3) service as a consultant or advisor on technical economics problems.

Experience in related fields that did not involve the use and understanding of economic principles and theories may not be used as qualifying experience for these positions.

-AND- You may qualify at the GS-13 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector, that demonstrates the following: (1) conducting or reviewing cost-benefit analysis, applied economic analysis, and/or regulatory impact analysis to address economic impacts so as to inform sound decision making; (2) documenting and evaluating the analytical objectives, methodologies, assumptions, and conclusions to identify implications found during research and analyses; and (3) utilizing foundational economic theories, research, and principles to evaluate the effectiveness of actions in furthering leadership goals.

You may qualify at the GS-14 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector, that demonstrates the following: (1) serving as a key member of a team, or leading a team, in conducting or reviewing cost-benefit analysis, applied economic analysis, and/or regulatory impact analysis for economically significant regulations, to address economic impacts so as to inform sound decision making (2) performing duties such as initiating, creating, developing, designing, executing, and documenting a wide array of economic analyses and tasks to facilitate systematic data collection, analysis, modeling, reporting, and high-level policy contributions for an office; (3) documenting, evaluating the analytical objectives, methodologies, assumptions, and conclusions to identify implications found during research and analyses, and briefing stakeholders on the results of this analysis; and (4) utilizing economic theories, research, and principles to evaluate the effectiveness of high priority actions in furthering leadership goals.

You may qualify at the GS-15 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector, that demonstrates the following: (1) leading a team conducting or reviewing cost-benefit analysis, applied economic analysis, and/or regulatory impact analysis to address economic impacts for economically significant, strategically important actions so as to inform sound decision making; (2) addressing economic matters related to national studies that affect the leadership level policy, guides, and procedures of an organization; (3) performing duties such as initiating, creating, developing, designing, executing, and documenting a wide array of economic analyses and tasks to facilitate systematic data collection, analysis, modeling, reporting, and leadership level policy contributions for an office; (4) documenting and evaluating the analytical objectives, methodologies, assumptions, and conclusions to identify implications found during research and analyses, and briefing organizational leadership on the results of this analysis and recommendations; or (5) utilizing economic theories, research, and principles to evaluate the effectiveness of the highest priority actions developed by their organization in furthering leadership goals.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).

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. Major Duties:

OIRA is seeking motivated, analytically rigorous, and collaborative individuals with a background in financial economics to join its team as economists.

In addition to this technical background, the position requires analytic, communication, and organizational skills, along with the ability to prioritize and be flexible.

Successful candidates will have economic experience, working toward the goal of ensuring that government regulations and information policy regarding banking, capital and financial markets, and related sectors are effective, efficient, informed by quality analysis, in the public interest, and consistent with Administration priorities.

OIRA anticipates Economists will work on matters pertaining to the regulatory and information policies of federal departments and agencies with tax policy/administration, financial services and capital markets, banking industry, and related consumer missions.

As an Economist, GS-0110-13/14/15, your typical work assignments may include the following: Engages primarily in regulatory impact analysis review and analysis within the Branch, including reviewing agency regulatory analyses for consistency with cost-benefit analysis principles and official OMB guidance and policy.

Coordinates and reviews regulatory analysis of actions submitted to OIRA under Executive Orders 12866, 14192, and 14215.

Examines the economic consequences of regulatory activities related to a portfolio focusing on the banking industry, tax policy/administration, capital markets and financial services.

The portfolio may also cover a subset of the following: transportation, homeland security, labor, food and health, climate, energy, education, consumer protection, anti-trust, telecommunications, agriculture, housing, justice, immigration, social security, environment, and federal benefits programs.

Works on a range of policymaking issues and participating in a variety of cross-cutting research studies, with other OIRA staff, divisions of OMB, EOP offices, and Federal agencies.

Reviews current economic and technical literature for relevant concepts, data, and conclusions.

Assesses the strengths and weaknesses of statistical methods, procedures, inference, and concepts involved in federal government surveys and other information collections by federal agencies.

Provides advice on the advantages and disadvantages of various data science approaches, as well as potential applicability of new techniques.