Social Scientist

Federal experience is not required. Experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or through Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-timework is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume. You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: BASIC REQUIREMENTS: A Degree in behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position. 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. OR Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-14: In addition to the basic requirements, you must have 1 year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position includes: professional knowledge of the methods and principles of social economic and social psychology to identify behavioral segments and profiles of taxpayer behavior, to determine conclusions, solve complex problems within the assigned area, draw rational social economic statistical conclusions and prepare comprehensive reports.

Experience conducting quantitative and qualitative social science research and analyzing results to provide operational recommendations and inform future research for the stakeholders. Experience include developing, analyzing, and presenting social science information statistically, recognizing and adopting new techniques, preparing comprehensive reports and presenting key findings to stakeholders.

Your experience must demonstrate the ability to independently carry out research assignments using social science and statistical methods to define populations, profile and evaluate market segments to better understand taxpayer behavior for application to IRS service and taxpayer compliance.

Specifically, your experience must demonstrate technical responsibility for various phases of initiation, formulation, planning, execution, and control of social science studies and/or continuous projects to recognize and evaluate significant and critical factors as well as to understand taxpayer behavior.

Demonstrated experience reviewing internal and external research papers, articles and other reports that use social science data to provide comments on technical accuracy as well as proper application of social science methods and statistical analysis.

AND You must also meet the following requirement(s): TIME AFTER COMPETITIVE APPOINTMENT (TACA): By the closing date (or if this is an open continuous announcement, by the cut-off date) specified in this job announcement, current civilian employees must have completed at least 90 days of federal civilian service since their latest non-temporary appointment from a competitive referral certificate, known as time after competitive appointment.

For this requirement, a competitive appointment is one where you applied to and were appointed from an announcement open to "All US Citizens" TIME IN GRADE (TIG): For positions above the GS-05, applicants must meet applicable time-in-­grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the grade you are applying for.

For positions at the GS-05, you cannot advance to the GS-05 if you have held a GS-02 in the past 52 weeks. There is no TIG restriction for GS-02, 03 or 04 positions. For more information on qualifications please refer to OPM's Qualifications Standards.

The following are the duties of this position at the full working level. If this vacancy includes more than one grade and you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform these duties and receive training to help you grow in this position.

As a technical authority, the incumbent assumes full responsibility for the initiation, planning, implementation, controlling, modifying, and executing of all or part of an entire social economic and social psychology research project, specification of the methodology to be used, preparation of appropriate specifications and procedures, and review of computer system specifications and materials, and instructions needed for assuring the adequacy of the study's design.

In addition, reviews on an as needed basis the results of the social science research process.

Resolves very complex behavioral and social economic research problems requiring incumbent's in-depth knowledge to locate and explore the areas of research in relation to the agency's program and needs, to take complete responsibility for formulating and carrying through research plans, to assume full technical responsibility for the interpretation, and application of findings, and to develop and present recommendations to support these plans.

Provides management guidance in determining the scope, goals, and schedules for future social economic and social psychology programs. Troubleshoots major problems to resolve bottlenecks at any step in a social science program or research project. Serves as authoritative technical advisor, and participates in executive-level meetings within the large division as a representative of management to provide technical advice and counsel on policy responsibilities.

STANDARD POSITION DESCRIPTIONS (SPD): PD95236 Visit the IRS SPD Library to access the position descriptions.