Education Research Analyst, GS-1730-13/14, FPL 14 (DE)

Summary There are four positions located in the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics in Washington, DC. IPEDS Research Analysts (three positions) direct one or more surveys that are part of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The one Condition of Education (COE) Analyst directs the development and release of the COE and Digest of Education Statistics. Learn more about this agency Duties APPLICATION LIMIT: This vacancy announcement is limited to the first 200 applications received and will close at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the day that we receive the 200th application, or at 11:59PM Eastern Time on the listed closing date, whichever occurs first.  We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application. As a Education Research Analyst, GS-1730-13, you will be responsible for:•    Serving as a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) on one or more contracts. Contributing to the development of project technical specifications, preparing procurement requests, and assisting the Contracting Officer in proposal review, source selection, and other aspects of the procurement process. •    Contributing strategic planning associated with assigned program of work and the oversee the execution of data collection (from appropriate entities) or aggregation (from appropriate extant sources) efforts aligned to the program's desired outcomes. •    Providing technical consultation and routine guidance to IES leadership and other stakeholders on assigned program of work and fulfilling routine public inquiries regarding those reports' contents and related data. •    Knowledge of near-term issues in education associated with assigned program and via data collection or aggregation, create high-quality data products. As a Education Research Analyst, GS-1730-14, you will be responsible for:•    Leading strategic planning associated with assigned program of work and the oversee the execution of data collection (from appropriate entities) or aggregation (from appropriate extant sources) efforts aligned to the program's desired outcomes.•    Serving as a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) on one or more contracts. Developing project technical specifications, preparing procurement requests, and assisting the Contracting Officer in proposal review, source selection, and other aspects of the procurement process.•    Providing technical consultation and expert guidance to ED and IES leadership and other stakeholders on  assigned program of work and fulfilling high-profile inquiries regarding those reports' contents and related data. •    Provides data-informed recommendations to ED and IES leadership identifying opportunities for increased efficiency, enhanced impact, and continuous improvement in alignment with long-term strategic vision. Requirements Conditions of employment Must be a US Citizen Relocation will not be paid. Males 18 and over must be registered with the Selective Service. A background investigation and fingerprints will be required. You may be subject to serve a one-year probationary period. Condition of Employment: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a probationary period or trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: • your performance and conduct; • the needs and interests of the agency; • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period OR trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this vacancy announcement. 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. We will consider all qualifying experience, including any volunteer experience. Qualifications Minimum Qualification RequirementsYou may meet the minimum qualifications for the GS-13, if you possess the specialize experience.Specialized Experience for the GS-13One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-12 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments:1. Experience serving on teams responsible for the development and administration of data collection activities from relevant entities (i.e., postsecondary institutions) or data aggregation activities from extant sources (e.g., statistical collections from NCES or equivalent agencies) for the purpose of developing policy-relevant statistical assets (e.g., data files, reports, statistical abstracts).2. Experience supporting the acquisition of data collection, processing, analysis, or reporting services from vendors in the education or other social sciences.3. Experience communicating statistics about the condition of education relevant to assigned area of work to key stakeholders, including policymakers, families, and the media, effectively both orally and in writing.Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).1.   Knowledge to effectively monitor contracts that have been issued to procure work in the education sciences, so that the government’s requirements are fully met in a manner that is as efficient as possible. 2.   Knowledge of near-term issues in education associated with assigned program and via data collection or aggregation, create high-quality data products.3.   Ability communicating orally and in writing to formally present results while providing high-quality customer service. You may meet the minimum qualifications for the GS-14, if you possess the specialize experience.Specialized Experience for the GS-14One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-13 performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments:1. Experience leading teams responsible for the development and administration of data collection activities from relevant entities (i.e., postsecondary institutions) or data aggregation activities from extant sources (e.g., statistical collections from NCES or equivalent agencies) for the purpose of developing policy-relevant statistical assets (e.g., data files, reports, statistical abstracts). 2. Experience serving as the programmatic lead for the acquisition of data collection, processing, analysis, or reporting services from vendors in the education or other social sciences.3. Experience identifying the data and information needs of key stakeholders relevant to the assigned area of work, including policymakers, families, and the media, and communicating those data effectively via web-based and print reports.Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) The quality of your experience will be measured by the extent to which you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). You do not need to provide separate narrative responses to these KSAs, as they will be measured by your responses to the occupational questionnaire (you may preview the occupational questionnaire by clicking the link at the end of the Evaluations section of this vacancy announcement).1.    Ability to lead strategic planning associated with assigned program of work and the oversee the execution of data collection (from appropriate entities) or aggregation (from appropriate extant sources) efforts aligned to the program's desired outcomes. 2.    Knowledge of how to effectively monitor contracts that have been issued to procure work in the education sciences, so that the government’s requirements are fully met in a manner that is as efficient as possible.3.    Ability communicating orally and in writing to formally present results to critical stakeholders while providing high-quality customer service. Education  This position has a basic requirement.  All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions. Degree that included at least 30 semester hours in one or a combination of the following: sociology, psychology, economics, political science, or allied social science subjects that are especially pertinent to knowledge and understanding of employment and training programs. OR Courses in a college or university consisting of 30 semester hours as described in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must submit a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.  For further information, please click Foreign Education. Additional information Veterans’ Career Counseling: If you are a veteran interested in receiving tips on preparing a Federal resume and/or how to prepare for an interview, you may email [email protected] to schedule a session with a career counselor (“Veterans Counseling Session” should be placed in the subject line of the email). Student Loan Default: If selected for this position, we will verify that you have not defaulted on any loan funded or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are found to be in default, we will contact you to make arrangements for repayment prior to making an official offer of employment. Suitability and Investigation: If selected for this position, you will be required to complete the Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for federal employment and successfully complete a pre-appointment investigation/background check.Essential/Non-Essential: This position is considered non-essential for purposes of reporting to work during federal government closures.Financial Disclosure: This position does not require financial disclosure.Bargaining Unit: This position is included in the bargaining unit (American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 252).Selections: Agencies have broad authority under law to hire from any appropriate source of eligibles and may fill a vacancy in the competitive service by any method authorized. We may make additional selections from this vacancy announcement within 90 days from the date the selection certificates are issued, should vacancies occur. We may also share selection certificates amongst program offices across the agency. Expand Hide  additional information Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. As an ED employee, you will also benefit from our family-friendly work environment. As part of our commitment to maintain a work life balance, we offer excused leave for Parent/Teacher Conferences (3 hours); excused leave for annual health screenings (4 hours); and matching leave for community volunteer service. Other flexibilities that may be available to you include alternative work schedules. You may be eligible to receive a recruitment incentive for this position. To receive this incentive payment, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S. Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon. You may be eligible to receive a relocation incentive for this position. To receive this incentive payment, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S. Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon. You may be eligible to participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program as a recruitment incentive for this position. To receive student loan repayments, you will be required to sign a service agreement obligating you to remain with the U.S. Department of Education for a specified period as agreed upon. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.