FINANCIAL ECONOMIST

These positions may be filled in either the Office of Economic Analysis (OEA) or the Office of Litigation Economics (OLE). Both offices perform economic analysis in support of the agency's mission; however, the specific duties of the position differ depending on the office in which the selection is made. The duties for each office are described separately below.

Qualifications:

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. 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. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the deadline. Please check the 'How You Will Be Evaluated' and 'Required Documents' sections carefully, as missing documents will render the application incomplete and ineligible for review.


BASIC REQUIREMENT:
A. Applicants 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--

B. An appropriate combination of education and experience----courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Examples of qualifying experience include individual economic research assignments requiring planning, information assembly, analysis and evaluation, conclusions and report preparation; supervisory or project coordination assignments involving a staff of professional economists, and requiring the evaluation and interpretation of economic information; or teaching assignments in a college or university in economic subjects in combination with one of the following: (1) personal research that produced evidence of results, (2) direction of graduate theses in economics, or (3) service as a consultant or advisor on technical economics problems.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS/SK-13 providing economic analysis which includes at least one of the following:

1. Success in conducting research in financial economics or industrial organization that is of comparable quality to peer-reviewed academic journals.
2. Experience conducting economic analysis for use in federal courts, regulatory actions, or settlements, including the quantification of damages, ill-gotten gains, or harm to investors.
3. Experience in analyzing the costs and benefits of regulations in financial markets, including effects on market efficiency, competition, and capital formation.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. All applicants are required to submit a complete application package by the specified cutoff dates. Incomplete submissions by the bi-weekly cutoff will not move forward in the hiring process. Certificates will be issued on a bi-weekly basis until the announcement's closing date.

Cut Off Dates:
March 26th; April 9th; April 23rd; May 7th; May 21st; June 4th

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities:

Office of Economic Analysis:

• Performing economic analysis of the benefits and costs of a SEC rule or policy, including the effects on efficiency, competition, and capital formation.
• Authoring economic analyses of SEC rules and policies, which incorporate research and comments by academics, lawyers, market participants, and other experts.
• Applying advanced economic concepts and methods to the analysis of the economic effects of a SEC rule or policy, including by leveraging economics related to corporate issuers, brokers, dealers, exchanges, asset managers, or other financial intermediaries.
• Conducting statistical analyses, including sensitivity analysis, that inform on the economic effects of a SEC rule or policy, and quantifying these effects where feasible.
• Planning, prioritizing, and adapting tasks when performing an economic analysis to meet timelines.
• Working flexibly within multi-disciplinary teams that include finance lawyers and policy experts, and demonstrating ability to communicate economics within such teams.

Office of Litigation Economics:

• Conducting economic analyses to evaluate specific violations of securities laws, including assessing stock-market impacts, measuring investor harm, and quantifying ill-gotten gains.
• Using statistical software and programming languages to analyze complex datasets for evidence of stock-price manipulation, insider trading, biased trade allocations, and other forms of misconduct.
• Researching emerging analytical techniques and developing sophisticated empirical methodologies that strengthen enforcement recommendations and inform investigative strategy.
• Providing objective and credible expert-witness testimony in litigation by presenting intricate economic concepts and analytical methods in an impartial and accessible manner.
• Preparing written reports and presentations that communicate complex economic findings to enforcement attorneys, investigative staff, and senior leadership.
• Prioritizing and coordinating multiple projects to ensure timely completion of economic analyses while adapting to evolving investigative needs, tight deadlines, and shifting enforcement priorities.

Salary : $144,037