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.

Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following. GS-07: Perform entry-level duties in support of data analysis and methodological research. Assist with planning and coordinating the collection of economic data for BLS surveys to include developing and providing training, overseeing quality assurance activities, and preparing analytical reports on collection progress. Apply basic knowledge of computer capabilities and configurations. Completes routine aspects of research requiring the use of a computer. Prepare routine written responses, reports, and procedures documentation. Participate in activities to address program development needs, such as quality or process improvement initiatives. Write or edit economic analyses using plain language concepts and create or edit charts, maps, tables, and other data presentation tools for public access. Inform and educate the public about economic and statistical information through web postings, telephone, email, social media, conferences, and other means. Plan and coordinate organizational outreach to increase BLS brand awareness and assist with developing and implementing promotional plans for the Bureau's products and services. GS-09: Review, collect and analyze data primarily for the purpose of publishing economic statistics and/or improving the quality of the data and program outputs. Use computer software to analyze and communicate information in the appropriate format. Assist in the development, maintenance, and updating of databases and processing systems. Prepare clear and concise written responses, reports, and technical summaries. Identify underlying trends and apparent discrepancies in data and prepare summaries of findings, recommendations, and conclusions. Plan and coordinates the collection of economic data for BLS surveys.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• A writing sample may be required at time of interview.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet the Basic Requirements and the Minimum qualifications to qualify for each 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-7, Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-05 in the Federal Service. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Assisting with tasks related to one of the following: preparation of statistical surveys; tabulation and processing of economic data; or, visualization of economic data into charts and/or graphs. GS-9, Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-07 in the Federal Service. Qualifying specialized experience includes: Assisting with portions of investigations involving economic topics. An experience indicator at this level includes assisting and supporting senior economists and/or project leaders with portions of their research to prepare preliminary interpretative reports. Examples include collecting, compiling, and arranging economic data for the purpose of drafting preliminary analyses; or, analyzing and interpreting economic data for the purpose of drafting preliminary findings. OR Education Substitution: GS-7: 1 year of graduate-level education or superior academic achievement. Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. 1) Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses. 2) Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. 3) Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. A list of acceptable honor societies can be found at https://www.achshonor.org/. 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-7: Graduate education (less than one year) and specialized experience as required for GS-07 (less than one year) that when combined totals one year. 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.

Education

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum coursework requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

Contacts

• Address Bureau of Labor Statistics 200 Constitution Avenue NW Washington, DC 20210 US
• Name: Holly Huntsberger
• Phone: 312-353-4781
• Email: [email protected]