Summary The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures labor market activity, working conditions, price changes, and productivity in the U.S. economy to support public and private decision making. The position is located in the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Survey Methods and Research. This position is inside the bargaining unit. Responsibilities The BLS headquarters is currently located in Washington, D.C. but is in the process of relocating within the National Capital Area to the Suitland Federal Center in Suitland, Maryland. If selected for this position, your assigned duty station will be Washington, D.C with the option to telework from an approved telework site within the locality pay area of Washington, D.C./Baltimore/Arlington while the future headquarters is being built. Upon completion of the new headquarters offices in Suitland, MD, you will be required to report onsite to the Suitland Federal Center for some portion of each pay period after receiving notification to do so. The mission of the Office of Survey Methods Research (OSMR) is to plan and direct a continuing program of research by evaluating statistical and behavioral science aspects of survey programs, suggesting improvements, and conducting statistical development studies with the aim of providing sound and effective survey techniques for BLS programs. OSMR is comprised of the Mathematical Statistics Research Center (MSRC), the Behavioral Science Research Center (BSRC), and the Data Science Research Center (DSRC). The mission of the BSRC is to improve the accuracy of survey data, improve the usability of BLS data-collection instruments, improve response rates, and increase the ease of survey administration for interviewers and respondents. A broader goal is to further the development of behavioral scientific theory and an understanding of the application of this theory to survey methodology. The primary responsibilities of the BSRC are (1) planning, developing, conducting, and evaluating nonsampling-error research activities, (2) planning, conducting, and evaluating usability tests, and (3) responding to special requests for research support (for example, focus groups, surveys of data users) from BLS management. The duties described are for the GS-14 level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope and performed with less independence and complexity. Duties include, but are not limited to the following: Plans, initiates, and directs a continuing research and evaluation program in the area of statistics, the results of which are used to set standards for Bureau publications Prepares technical reports on methodological and behavioral science methods and procedures and presents research methods and evaluations results at technical seminars and professional meetings Assists the BLS program offices with the solution of technical problems related to the development of survey forms Maintains liaison with representatives of other agencies and research organizations to keep abreast of developments in the application of methodological and behavioral science techniques Represents the Bureau in statistical exchanges with researchers in academic, government, and other research institutions Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications You must meet the Basic Requirements listed in the Education Requirements section and the Specialized Experience to qualify for Research Statistician, as described below. Basic Requirement Statistician, 1530: A) Degree: that included 15 semester hours in statistics (or in mathematics and statistics, provided at least 6 semester hours were in statistics), and 9 additional semester hours in one or more of the following: physical or biological sciences, medicine, education, or engineering; or in the social sciences including demography, history, economics, social welfare, geography, international relations, social or cultural anthropology, health sociology, political science, public administration, psychology, etc. Credit toward meeting statistical course requirements should be given for courses in which 50 percent of the course content appears to be statistical methods, e.g., courses that included studies in research methods in psychology or economics such as tests and measurements or business cycles, or courses in methods of processing mass statistical data such as tabulating methods or electronic data processing. OR B) Combination of education and experience -- courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. The experience should have included a full range of professional statistical work such as (a) sampling, (b) collecting, computing, and analyzing statistical data, and (c) applying statistical techniques such as measurement of central tendency, dispersion, skewness, sampling error, simple and multiple correlation, analysis of variance, and tests of significance. Specialized Experience Specialized experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. GS-12: In addition to the basic requirements above, applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-11, in the Federal Service. This experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Examples include the following: Conducting research, or participating as a team, that contributed to the cognitive or behavioral aspects of survey methodology. Areas of research include at least one or more of the following: cognitive interviewing or research, questionnaire development, data collection or interviewing procedures, user experience research, research informing on the sources or causes of survey nonresponse, or qualitative or quantitative data analysis to assess data quality or the result of laboratory experiments, such as categorical, univariate, and multivariate statistical analyses; AND Contributing to the reporting of findings from research projects that resulted in a published technical report or a peer-reviewed journal generally as a co-author or contributing author. Education Substitution: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree. Completion of graduate level education is qualifying if it provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. GS-13: In addition to the basic requirements above, applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-12, in the Federal Service. This experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Examples include the following: Designing and conducting research independently, and/or leading a research team or project that addresses a key research question related to the cognitive or behavioral aspects of survey methodology. Areas of research include at least one or more of the following: cognitive interviewing or research, questionnaire development, data collection or interviewing procedures, user experience research, research informing on the sources or causes of survey nonresponse, or qualitative or quantitative data analysis to assess data quality or the result of laboratory experiments, such as categorical, univariate, and multivariate statistical analysis; AND Disseminating and reporting findings from complex research projects as a lead author in a published technical report, or submission as a lead author to a peer-reviewed journal. Education Substitution: There is not an education substitution at the GS-13 level. Education Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service. If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum coursework requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information. Additional Information This position is inside the bargaining unit. The duty location is within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and the position will be included in the Local 12, AFGE bargaining unit. The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers, improve working conditions, expand high-quality employment opportunities, and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers. As such, the Department is committed to fostering a workplace and workforce that promote equal employment opportunity, reflects the diversity of the people we seek to serve, and models a culture of respect, equity, inclusion, and accessibility where every employee feels heard, supported, and empowered. Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES As a condition of employment, all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities, systems, information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION Click here for Career Ladder Promotion Information Click here for Telework Position Information Based on agency needs, additional positions may be filled using this vacancy. The Department of Labor may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government to attract highly qualified candidates. Click here for Additional Information. The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA, you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agency's complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act. Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act, such as law enforcement or national security positions.