Research Agricultural Economist

Summary

This position is located with the USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS), Office of Food Markets, Kansas City, MO. in this position, the selectee will lead policy and data driven research on the organization and behavior of the retail food sector with implications for consumers and food prices.

Duties

• Participate in research projects and cooperates with other team members in the preparation and publication of policy-relevant research topics.
• Plan and conduct complex and difficult economic analyses and research related to food markets and food access.
• Probe and analyze primary and secondary data and information collected from a wide variety of sources to determine their validity and sufficiency; data and information may contain significant gaps and vary greatly in reliability.
• Refine and use forecasting methods similar to those used in ERS's Food Price Outlook and monitor current trends in both retail and upstream markets to best understand drivers of food price changes.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement 11/13/2026 including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Basic Requirements Degree: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 in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. AND In addition to the basic requirements above, all applicants must also meet the following minimum qualification requirements: GS-12 Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-12 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-11 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience producing published or unpublished formal written materials (e.g., memoranda, reports, briefing materials, manuscripts, or research papers) in economics, statistics or public policy; conducting microeconomic or micro econometric research and identifying and collecting appropriate information and/or data to analyze economic theories, issues, or hypotheses. OR Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, if related. Related degrees may include Agricultural Economics, Applied Economics, or equivalent doctoral degree in related disciplines. OR A combination of Ph.D. education and specialized experience as described above. 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Please see above for education qualification requirement information. How You Will Be Evaluated

Due to the Direct-Hire Authority (DHA), applicants are not rated and ranked numerically, and Veteran's preference does not apply. Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide complete information about their job-related experience and education. Your resume must document that you meet the Qualification Requirements detailed above. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be placed in the Eligible category. Although Veteran's preference does not apply due to the existence of the DHA for this position, applicants are still encouraged to provide documentation related to veteran's preference. Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy. You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning Attention to Detail Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Self-Management Teamwork Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Those determined to be qualified will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service. Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right. To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13103660 Other Information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. The Office of Personnel Management has granted Direct Hire Authority for Research Agricultural Economist positions. There is a critical hiring need, and these positions play an important role in research. The USDA Department of Agriculture has authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional) positions under Direct Hire Authority. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply. For more information on the Government-wide Direct Hire Authority positions click here Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. The final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at the time of job offer. If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.