ECONOMIST

To qualify for an Economist position, you must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

01Basic Requirements

1. Degree: Economics, that included 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 in 1 above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to the above, you must meet the requirements described below: To qualify for an Economist at the GS-15, you must meet the following Additional Requirements: You must demonstrate in your resume at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: Independently or as a lead producing formal written materials (e.g., memoranda, reports, briefing materials, manuscripts, white papers, or research papers) based on economic analysis that is of publication-level quality in a leading field journal analyzing antitrust issues, mergers, competition policy, competitive effects of firm conduct, consumer protection enforcement, regulatory impacts, and/or deceptive or unfair business practices. Leading a collaborative team with other researchers, students, or colleagues in a university, research institute, business, non-profit, or government setting on a microeconomic or microeconometric research project, demonstrating an ability to identify and collect appropriate information and/or data to analyze economic theories, issues, or hypotheses. Applying at least graduate-level knowledge of microeconomics and/or microeconometrics to lead novel economic research and/or analysis of antitrust issues, mergers, competition policy, competitive effects of firm conduct, consumer protection enforcement, regulatory impacts, and/or deceptive or unfair business practices in formal written material of publication-level quality. 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, 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. Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

As an Economist at the Federal Trade Commission you will perform the following duties: Apply statistical, mathematical, and econometric techniques to the analysis of data to empirically analyze economic theories and test hypotheses in support of policy recommendations. Provide analysis and interpretation of economic and related information collected from companies to support policy and program decision-making. Identify and collect the appropriate data needed to analyze the validity of competing economic theories.

Conduct investigations, reviews, and studies that apply a thorough knowledge of microeconomic theory to study the behavior of individual consumers, firms, and industries in order to analyze how markets establish relative prices among goods and services and thereby allocate limited resources among alternative uses. Analyze the likely effects on consumers and firm competition of mergers, agreements between firms, and individual firm business practices.

Prepare economic impact assessments under the laws that govern federal rulemaking to ensure adequate considerations of the costs and benefits of proposed rules. Develop oral and written products, tailored to the needs of the audience, in support of recommendations involving issues such as the economic aspects of new or proposed investigations, policies, or rules affecting FTC programs.

Undertake research aimed at addressing unresolved theoretical or empirical questions in topics related to competition, consumer protection, and general understanding of consumer and firm behavior. Draft, present, and defend positions for policy, enforcement decisions, and education of other competition and consumer protection agencies.

Lead teams of economists and statisticians conducting complex economic analysis; provide technical guidance and oversight; and ensure the quality and relevance of analytical work in support of enforcement, policy, or regulatory initiatives.