Summary

This position is located in the USDA, Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) which is responsible for conducting advanced economic analysis and analyzing policy options related to complex domestic and global agricultural issues. The position requires authoritative expertise in agricultural economics and substantial experience analyzing policy and legislative options for complex issues, particularly related to agricultural input markets, international agricultural trade, and/or biofuel markets.

Duties

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• Serves as a senior agricultural economist and principal authority on the economic analysis of policy options of complex issues, specializing in agricultural input markets, international agricultural trade, and/or biofuel markets.
• Responsible for developing appropriate research methods and analytical techniques for OCE analyses of the economic impact of relevant policy options.
• Applies mastery of advanced economic theory, quantitative methods, econometric techniques,
  and interdisciplinary analysis to resolve problems of exceptional difficulty and national significance.
• Plans, develops, organizes, and coordinates extensive analyses, which inform the development of policy proposals, legislative initiatives or regulations, related to commodity input markets, international trade and biofuels.
• Compares the likely economic impact of alternative proposals; independently initiates, plans, and executes analyses.
• Assists the Chief/Deputy Chief Economist in framing options in areas where differences of opinion may be sharp, political consequences great, and public understanding of the issue very limited, and may be asked to frame options acting alone.
• Coordinates personnel serving on committees, task forces and working groups assembled across agency lines to address agricultural inputs, agricultural profitability, trade, biofuels, and/or production issues.
• Analyzes and evaluates legislative proposals that cut across agriculture and trade areas for policy and program implications.
• Prepares/delivers authoritative papers, briefings, speeches and reports articulating economic and policy implications of key issues for leadership, interagency partners, Congressional audiences and external stakeholders.
• Communicates orally and in writing to convey complex technical results and applications for use by both technical and nontechnical personnel.
• Develops for the Chief/Deputy Chief Economist or the Office of the Secretary economic analyses and interpretations which may cut across established organizational and functional lines of the USDA.
• Responsible for adequacy of data and analytical methods and for the relevance, completeness and reliability of results.
• Responsible for the interpretation, coordination, and technical application of research and analysis.
• Provides authoritative advice so that interpretations and recommendations can be grounded in rigorous economic analysis.
• Provides authoritative guidance on data and statistical issues involved in analysis of agricultural policy, agricultural input markets, trade, biofuels, and/or production.

Qualifications

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:

In addition to meeting the Minimum Qualification Requirements outlined in the following section, applicants MUST meet the following occupational series requirements:

A. Economist Series, 0110

Degree: 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.

Minimum Qualification Requirements: In addition to meeting at least one of the Basic Requirements outlined above, applicants must also meet the specialized experience and/or education requirements shown below. If qualifying based on experience, your application or resume must clearly show that you possess the specialized experience requirements.

Time in grade:

Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

Specialized Experience:

GS-15: One year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-14 level in the Federal service or equivalent responsibility in the private sector/pay systems that has equipped the candidate with the particular competencies to successfully perform as a Senior Agricultural Economist. The specialized experience is having the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position: (1) experience in using advanced economic and statistical analysis and research techniques to analyze the economic impact policy of options on complex issues affecting domestic and foreign agricultural policy, commodity input markets, trade, biofuel markets, and production; (2) experience providing authoritative advice in developing, implementing and disseminating those analyses; and (3) a strong ability to communicate economic findings and concepts to non-technical audiences.

Education

All applicants must meet at least one of the Basic Requirements as outlined in the above Qualifications section.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.