Job Title: Agricultural Economist

The Economic Research Service (ERS) seeks economists for positions 
involving economic research, information, and market analysis for 
food and feed grains and oilseeds, livestock products, and/or sugar 
and sweeteners. The Market and Trade Economics Division (MTED) of 
ERS plays a leadership role in market analysis and projections for 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture. MTED publishes a series of 
commodity newsletters, yearbooks, data products, and special 
articles (the 'e-outlook' series) as part of an extensive list of 
ERS publications that focus on commodity markets. MTED also provides 
leadership and modeling support for the Department's baseline 
analysis, an annual effort to develop long-term projections for 
commodities, which is a mandated as part of the President's budget 
analysis. The individual will participate in the design, 
development, write-up, and publishing of a wide variety of economic 
and policy-relevant topics for Department information and external 
publication.

For the GS-09 grade level:  You must meet the Basic Qualifications 
as described above, and have a Master's degree or equivalent to a 
Master's degree in a related field 

OR 

1 year of specialized work experience (work experience related to 
one or more of the specialty areas as described under Major Duties) 
equivalent to the GS-07 in the Federal service.

For the GS-11 grade level:  You must meet the Basic Qualifications 
as described above, and have a Ph.D degree or equivalent to a Ph.D 
degree in a related field 

OR 

1 year of specialized work experience (work experience related to 
one or more of the specialty areas as described under Major Duties) 
equivalent to the GS-09 in the Federal service.

THIS POSITION HAS A POSITIVE EDUCATION REQUIREMENT.
You must submit a copy of your academic transcripts OR a list of 
college courses with credit hours, dates completed and grade point 
average or class ranking to verify education when applying for this 
positions.  If this information is not provided, your education may 
not be appropriately evaluated and you may lose consideration for 
this position.  If you are selected for this positions, you will 
have to provide a sealed official copy of your transcripts prior to 
entering on duty.  Application materials will not be returned.

Applicant must possess a degree in 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.

Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements within 30 days of 
the closing of this vacancy annoucement.

Your application will be evaluated to determine if you meet the 
minimum qualifications required for this job.  If you meet the 
required qualifications, your responses to the Quality Ranking 
Factors (QRFs)will be further rated by a panel of subject-matter 
experts.  Be very specific about documenting and describing the 
Quality Ranking Factors since your education and work experience 
will be evaluated based on these descriptions.

1.  Ability to plan and implement economic research studies.

2. Ability to collect and integrate economic data for economic 
studies.

3. Ability to examine and analyze agricultural economic issues,     
particularly with respect to food and feed grains and oilseeds, 
livestock products or sugar and sweeteners.

A Benefits Package is authorized for this position. CLICK 
HERE for more information concerning federal benefits.

Veterans Preference:
To determine your eligibility for Veterans Preference, 
For further details, call the U.S. Office of Personnel Management 
(OPM) at (703) 724-1850.  Select Option 2 initially.  Then select 
Option 2 again for "General Information on Federal Employment 
Policies and Procedures."  Select Option 2 once more for "Veterans 
Preference and Special Appointing Authorities for Veterans."  Then 
select which item you wish to hear more about:  Veterans Employment 
Opportunities Act of 1998, Veterans Preference, Special Appointing 
Authorities, etc.  

CLICK HERE to visit the VetGuide website.


Selective Service System:
Males over age 18 who were born after December 31, 1959, 
must have registered with the Selective Service System (or 
have an exemption) to be eligible for Federal employment.  

CLICK HERE for further information.


Optional Form 306, (Declaration for Federal
Employment):  If you are selected for this position, 
you will be required to complete this form before an offer 
may be made.  CLICK HERE to access this form.


Relocation Expenses:
Payment of relocation expenses will be determined in 
accordance with P&P 412.5, Recruitment and Retention 
Incentives and Other Special Pay, Sections 6 and 7, as 
amended by Bulletin 03-402.  CLICK HERE for specific information 
concerning these items.


Financial Disclosure Requirement:
Federal employees are subject to prohibitions against 
officially dealing with outside organizations in which they 
have a financial interest.  You may be required to submit a 
financial disclosure report if hired for this position.


False statements:
If you make a false statement in any part of your 
application, you may not be hired; may be fired after 
beginning work; or may be fined or jailed.


Reasonable Accommodation:
Reasonable accommodation is provided to applicants with 
disabilities.  If you need a reasonable accommodation for 
any part of the application and hiring process, or have 
questions regarding reasonable accommodation and/or 
accessibility for any part of the application and hiring 
process, please contact the Disability Program Manager on 
202-720-6161 or through the DC Relay Service on 202-855-
1234 (TDD).  The decision to grant reasonable 
accommodation is made on a case-by-case basis.


Civil Rights Policy Statement:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an equal 
opportunity employer and provider.  Discrimination is 
prohibited in all USDA programs and activities on the basis 
of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, 
disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or 
family status.  (Not all prohibited bases apply to all 
programs.)  Persons with disabilities who require alternative 
means for communication of program information (Braille, 
large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's Target 
Center on 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, 
Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C.  20250-9410 
or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TDD).


Economists who are newly appointed to Federal service. To those 
meeting this qualification, ERS will prove one of two of the 
following options: (1) a one-time recruitment bonus of $16,000; or 
(2) a payment toward the new hire's student loans with a maximum 
payment of $15,000.

Your application and all required supplemental documents must be 
submitted in the manner specified in this section. Applications may 
be submitted by other means, but only in cases involving reasonable 
accommodation or extreme hardship. To request this service contact 
Lakeshia Rose at (202) 647-7657 or TDD (202) 855-1234, PRIOR TO THE 
CLOSING DATE, for assistance.

Please be advised that your application will be regarded as 
incomplete and will not be considered if the Human Resources Office 
does not receive your application and all required supplemental 
documentation, as specified in the "Required Documents" section of 
this vacancy announcement, by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on the 
closing date of this vacancy announcement.  If you are having 
problems submitting any part of your application, please call or 
email the contact noted above during regular business hours.  

To submit your application, you must complete the following 
steps:

Click the "Apply Online" button at the bottom of this vacancy 
announcement and follow the instructions to become a USAJOBS member, 
or to log in to your account if you are already a USAJOBS member. 
Please select a stored resume or create one if you have not already 
done so.  Your resume will become part of your application and will 
automatically be transferred to the USDA QuickHire system. After you 
submit your resume on USAJOBS, you will automatically be taken to a 
Welcome Screen and asked to complete additional steps in the 
application process.

If you are new to the USDA QuickHire system, you will be asked to 
complete additional registration information, and then taken to a 
screen entitled "Generate Auto-Requested Fax Cover Sheets."  From 
this point, please follow the instructions in the next paragraph.

If you have used the USDA QuickHire system before, you will have two 
options: "Update my information that is on file" or "Take me to the 
Assessment."  In order to generate Fax Cover Sheets for your 
supplemental documents, you must select "Update my information that 
is on file."  Please review each screen and update your information 
as needed.  Once you have reviewed your information and it has been 
saved, you will see a screen entitled "Generate Auto-Requested Fax 
Cover Sheets."  We recommend that you review the "View Fax 
Instructions" tab.  

Please do the following:

1. Choose the document coversheet(s) you would like to print by 
selecting the appropriate check boxes in the "Select Cover Sheet" 
column.

2. Click the "Print Cover Sheets" button. A new window will pop up 
containing the fax cover sheet(s) that you selected, enabling the 
cover sheet(s) to be printed. Please be sure to fax to the number 
pre-printed on all of your fax cover sheets.

3. Before faxing your document(s), take care to ensure that it is 
legible and that all information is complete and signed, if 
necessary.

4. Place the corresponding cover sheet on top of the document and 
fax the cover sheet and document together to the fax number that is 
specified on the cover sheet. NOTE: If you are faxing more than one 
document type, EACH DOCUMENT MUST BE FAXED SEPARATELY under its 
corresponding cover sheet to the fax number specified on the cover 
sheet. PLEASE DO NOT FAX ALL DOCUMENTS UNDER ONE COVER SHEET.  

5. Be sure to save these cover sheets in the event that you need to 
re-fax your supporting documents for this vacancy announcement at a 
later time. Each fax transmission includes a unique identification 
number, which ensures that your document is processed correctly.

6. You should receive an e-mail stating that your fax has been 
received. This EMAIL CONFIRMATION is your official receipt of 
submission. The fax confirmation generated by the fax machine is NOT 
your official receipt of submission.  Please keep the confirmation 
for your records.

7. Once you have printed your cover sheets, select the "Done" tab 
and you will be taken to the Vacancy Specific Questions 
(the "Assessment").

The Assessment questions are necessary to evaluate your 
qualifications for the specific job to which you are applying. 
Please be sure to allow yourself adequate time to apply for this 
position. The system will not save your responses unless you finish 
all of the questions for the specific grade level for which you are 
applying. Please save your work often to avoid losing information. 
When you have completed the Assessment, please make sure that you 
select "Finished" to submit your application.  We also recommend you 
select the option to have a copy of your application emailed to 
you.  You may return and update your application anytime up to 11:59 
ET on the closing date.

In addition to electronically submitting your resume and completing 
the vacancy specific questions by the closing date of this 
announcement, you may also need to submit supplemental 
documentation.  Please submit these documents by fax, in accordance 
with the instructions listed in Step 3 under 'How to Apply'.  Your 
failure to submit supplemental information by the closing date of 
this announcement may result in the loss of the particular 
consideration you are requesting.
Special Hiring Authorities
To be considered under Special Hiring Authorities (e.g., Schedule A, 
VRA, 30% or More Disabled Veteran's Program, etc.), you must submit 
documentation that provides evidence of this eligibility.  Please 
also indicate your eligibility in Core Question section.  


Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and Interagency Career 
Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Applicants:
Applicants requesting consideration under the CTAP or ICTAP programs 
must submit documentary evidence of eligibility.  Well qualified 
CTAP and ICTAP applicants within the local commuting area will 
receive selection priority as provided by OPM regulations.  Well-
qualified means the applicant meets the basic qualification and 
eligibility requirements; is rated above minimally qualified based 
upon your resume/application and responses to the vacancy specific 
questions; and is able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the 
position upon entry.  If you are requesting consideration as a CTAP 
or ICTAP applicant, you must submit the following:

1) A copy of your RIF Separation Notice or Certification of Expected 
Separation or other documentation indicating that you are a surplus 
employee;
2) Evidence of full performance level of current position;
3) A copy of your most recent performance appraisal; and
4) A copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel 
Action.

Transcripts
If you indicate that you possess any form of postsecondary 
education, submit transcripts detailing your coursework and/or degree
(s).  At the time your education was obtained, the entire 
institution, applicable school within the institution, or the 
applicable curriculum must have been appropriately accredited by an 
accrediting organization recognized by the Secretary, U.S. 
Department of Education.  
CLICK HERE for more information on this topic.

Foreign Education
To receive credit for education outside the U.S., you must show 
proof that the education has been submitted to a private 
organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign 
educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to 
be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education 
programs.  There is normally a fee associated with this service.  
For a list of private organizations that are accredited to evaluate 
education, visit National Association of Credential Evaluation 
Services.

Lakeshia Rose Phone: 202-720-7657 Fax: 000-000-0000 Email: Lakeshia.Rose@ars.usda.gov

Or write: Economic Research Service Please read entire announcement. Please apply online. Washington, DC 20250 Fax: 000-000-0000

Applicants will receive written confirmation from this office when 
their application package is received.

Once your complete application is received, you will be evaluated to 
determine if you meet eligibility and minimum qualifications 
required, and on the extent to which your application shows that you 
possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with 
this position as defined above under "Specialized Experience". The 
eligible applicants will be further evaluated by a subject-matter 
expert (Ranking Official) or a Rating Panel of subject-matter 
experts.  The best qualified candidates will be referred to the 
Selecting Official for consideration and possible interview.

After the application has been received, applicants will not be 
notified of the status of their paperwork until a final selection 
has been made.