Summary

**UPDATE Relocation Authorized**

This position is located in the United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Rural Economy Branch.

In this position, you will be responsible for formulating research plans, developing methodology, determining data needs, and defining resources needed to carry out complex social science research and analysis programs of great significance and difficulty.

Duties

Help

• Formulates research plans, develops methodology, determines data needs, and defines resources needed to carry out complex social science research and analysis programs of great significance and difficulty.
• Conduct analysis of demographic phenomena that have economic and social consequences on various areas within rural America.
• May serve as an expert on rural data sources and on definitions of rural necessary for both Federal research and policy applications.
• Produce authoritative technical advice and guidance on Departmental actions and policy decisions related to demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic analyses of rural America.
• Conduct analysis of population and migration change at both the overall rural level and in individual counties and regions.
• Use spatial analyses of various indicators of rural resident and community well-being.
• Report findings from analyses of complex and difficult demographic and economic research problems.
• Lead the development and reporting of analyses of population trends and migration patterns for rural US households.

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: Degree: A full 4-year degree of study in behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Related disciplines may include demography, sociology, geography, economics, and agricultural economics.

OR

A combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

AND

Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are:

GS-14

Qualifying experience for GS-14 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-13 level; or its non-Federal equivalent that includes experience conducting demographic research relevant to the role of rural or urban population change as it relates to the economic or social well-being of people or places; proposing research approaches and methods for testing hypotheses to include use of scientifically appropriate demographic or social theory, relevant data, and appropriate empirical methods; using statistical models in applied work; and developing and providing input and direction for regional or national rural and population research programs. Evidence of peer-reviewed journal publications or publications by a federal statistical agency or nationally recognized independent research organization is required.

GS-15

Qualifying experience for GS-15 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-14 level; or its non-Federal equivalent that includes experience in primary authorship of a number of important papers, models, theories, and/or techniques that impact the advancement of or are accepted as authoritative in the field of demography or rural population; conducting policy-related research on the drivers of economic and population growth and decline in rural areas; and participating in symposia that define the state of the discipline or introduce new areas in the field of rural economics.

COMPETENCIES: You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Research

• Formulates research plans, develops methodology, determines data needs, and defines resources needed to carry out complex social science research and analysis programs of great significance and difficulty.
• Conducts analysis of population and migration change at both the overall rural level and in individual counties and regions.
• Conducts spatial analyses of various indicators of rural resident and community well-being.
• Conducts analysis of demographic phenomena that have economic and social consequences on various areas within rural America.
• Develops sophisticated new methods, techniques, and/or instrumentation, or modifies and adapts established methods, techniques, and/or instrumentation necessary to carry out data development and analysis for rural socioeconomic research.

Communication

• Serves as an expert in rural population and migration studies.
• Serves as an expert on rural data sources and on definitions of rural necessary for both Federal research and policy applications.
• Formulates specific and definite conclusions that are presented to the agricultural and rural development community in a series of published contributions to social science knowledge.
• Reports findings that are expected to account for previously unexplained phenomena, and provides solutions to problems that have been particularly difficult and unyielding to analysis.
• Produces authoritative technical advice and guidance on Departmental actions and policy decisions related to demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic analyses of rural America.

Administration and Management

• Leads the development and reporting of analyses of population trends and migration patterns for rural US households.
• Applies a high degree of originality and analytical thinking to identify specific parameters and priorities for problems to be investigated and to formulate research hypotheses.
• Develops a comprehensive approach directed at the attainment of project objectives and establishing staffing and funding requirements.
• Establishes investigative procedures to be followed; determines the need for contracts and grants and follows progress through to completion.

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.

Education

Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

Additional information

**This Position is being filled through Direct-Hire Authority for this occupation and is open to all U.S. Citizens. Your application will be evaluated for basic eligibility and to determine if your experience and/or education meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and other basic requirements will be referred and are eligible for selection. **

Selections made under this authority will be processed as new appointments to the civil service

Current civil service employees would therefore be given a new appointment to the civil service.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

Help

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.