Forest Service Logo
Position Title
Regulatory Economist
Agency
Forest Service
Announcement Number
23-NFS-11841387-G-DRW Opens in new window
Open Period
Tuesday, March 7, 2023 to Tuesday, March 21, 2023
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS CAREFULLY. Your answers will be used to determine your eligibility to apply to this job opportunity announcement. You will be considered under the eligibility option(s) to which you answer YES. Select YES to all eligibility options for which you want to be considered. If you respond NO to meeting the criteria for all the eligibilities, you will not be considered for the position(s) under this announcement.

NOTE: You must submit the required supporting documentation to receive consideration for EACH selected eligibility. Failure to provide the required documents will result in an ineligible rating and your application will be excluded from consideration.
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1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2.
Are you a veteran who separated from active duty under honorable conditions (this means an honorable or general discharge) AND you either:
• retired from active military service with a disability rating of 30 percent or more; OR 
• rated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) since 1991 or later to include disability determinations from a branch of the Armed Forces at any time, as having a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more. 

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.
 
 
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3.
Are you a current USDA employee who meets the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee, in which received official notice that your job is no longer needed or that you will lose your job by Reduction-in-Force (RIF)? If yes, confirm:

• you are located in the same local commuting area as the vacancy;  AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.

For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
 
 
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4.
Are you the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces on active duty?

-OR-

Are you the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who retired with a disability rating of 100 percent at the time of retirement or the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who retired or separated from the Armed Forces and has a disability rating of 100 percent from the Department of Veterans Affairs?

-OR-

Are you the un-remarried widow or widower of a member of the Armed Forces killed while in active duty status?

 For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.
 
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5. Are you a current or former permanent Farm Service Agency County employee?  (limit characters)
6. Are you a current Federal employee who currently holds a career or career conditional appointment?  (limit characters)
7. Are you a Federal employee who currently holds a career or career conditional appointment AND you have held or currently hold a position on a permanent basis in the competitive service with the same or higher promotion potential of the position being advertised? (limit characters)
8.
Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a Federal agency other than USDA? If yes, confirm:

• you are located in the same local commuting area as the vacancy;  AND,
• you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
• your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.

 For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
 
 
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9. Are you a Peace Corps Volunteer or AmeriCorps VISTA Alumni who completed your service within the past 12 months; OR,

Are you a Peace Corps Volunteer or AmeriCorps VISTA Alumni who completed your service within the past 36 months AND you are requesting an extension of your non-competitive appointment eligibility due to your military service; study at a recognized institution of higher learning; or involvement in another activity, which the hiring agency may view warrants extension?  OR,

 Are you a current or former Peace Corps employee who completed at least 36 months of continuous service without a break in service of 3 days or more AND has been separated from the Peace Corps for less than three years?
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10.
Do you have a severe intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability that qualifies you for a Schedule A Disability appointment?

For more information, review USAJOBS Individuals with Disabilities resources.
 
 
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11. Have you registered for reemployment consideration AND meet one of the below: 

• Are you a current or former competitive service USDA employee who will be or was separated by Reduction-In-Force (RIF) and received a rating of satisfactory or above as your last annual performance rating? 
OR 
• Are you a former USDA competitive service employee who separated due to a compensable injury or disability?
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12.
Are you a former Federal career or career-conditional employee AND

• has reinstatement eligibility; AND 
• has not held a position on a permanent basis in the competitive service with the same or higher promotion potential of the position being advertised?
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13.
Are you a former Federal career or career-conditional employee AND  

• has reinstatement eligibility; AND 
• has held a position on a permanent basis in the competitive service with the same or higher promotion potential of the position being advertised?
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14.
Are you:

• a veteran whose latest discharge was under honorable conditions AND you served three or more years of continuous active duty service in the military (Note: if released shortly before completing a 3-year tour, you are considered to meet the eligibility); OR,
• eligible for veterans' preference?

Note: If you are currently on active duty you may be considered under the two provisions above provided you submit  a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. 

For more information, review USAJOBS Veterans resources.
 
 
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Preferences
1. Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position. (limit characters)
2. Please enter at least 3 references below. Include first and last name, phone number and email address.
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Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in this Economist position with the USDA Forest Service. Your resume and the responses you provide to this assessment questionnaire will be used to determine if you are among the best qualified for this position. (limit characters)
Basic Requirements for Economist (limit characters)
1. From the descriptions below, select the one response that best describes how your background meets the basic requirements for this position.
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Specialized Experience Requirements (limit characters)
2. From the descriptions below, select one response that best describes how your background meets the specialized experience requirements for the GS-12 level. Read all responses before making your selection. If you do not meet these minimum qualifications, you will be considered not qualified and will not receive consideration for this position. (limit characters)
3. From the descriptions below, select one response that best describes how your background meets the specialized experience requirements for the GS-13 level. Read all responses before making your selection. If you do not meet these minimum qualifications, you will be considered not qualified and will not receive consideration for this position. (limit characters)
For each of the following questions, choose the response that best describes your experience and training. Mark only one response for each question. Please note that your answers will be verified against the information you provide in your resume or application, as well as information provided by your references. Failure to respond to these questions will result in an ineligible rating. (limit characters)
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided. (limit characters)
4. Provide recommendations to incorporate measures to address economic concerns in land, natural resource, or environmental management and planning (limit characters)
5. Serve as a member of interdisciplinary teams to provide expertise to assess economic analysis needs to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, National Forest Management Act, or similar natural resource or environmental legislation, regulation, or policy. (limit characters)
6. Provide advice and direction in the use of economic theory and analysis for a National Forest or other natural resource or environmental management initiatives or applications. (limit characters)
7. Consult with other economic experts at various levels of federal, state, or local government to contribute to economic initiatives or decision-making involving economic input. (limit characters)
8. Provide guidance and recommendations for the consideration of economic concerns to lower graded specialists and to non-specialists. (limit characters)
9. Collaborates in the development of products and tools to further and improve the consideration and incorporation of economic issues and concerns in agency decision making processes. (limit characters)
10. Identify relevant economic issues and concerns to ensure quality analytical products. (limit characters)
11. Plans and designs complex economic analyses for assigned projects or plans, including a framework for collection and analysis. (limit characters)
12. Ensures that methods of collection processes are compliant with current professional standards. (limit characters)
13. Develops written reports which describe findings and recommendations for a wide variety of audience (limit characters)
14. Develop technical training materials for use by specialists and non-specialist users throughout a government agency or institution (limit characters)
15.

Describes technical data and analyses in written form.

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16. Provide recommendations to incorporate measures to address economic concerns in land, natural resource, or environmental management and planning (limit characters)
17. Lead and advise one or more interdisciplinary teams tasked with assessing economic analysis needs (and conducting analyses) to support regulatory development or compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act or National Forest Management Act (limit characters)
18. Provide professional advice and direction in the use of economic theory and analysis for a National Forest or similar natural resource management entities. (limit characters)
19. Collaborate, and consult with other economic experts at various levels of the agency to contribute to economic initiatives. (limit characters)
20. Provide briefings of economic activities, products, services, and initiatives to national, regional, and local partners. (limit characters)
21. Manages the development of products and tools to further and improve the consideration and incorporation of economic issues and concerns in agency decision making processes. (limit characters)
22. Identify and resolve relevant and sometimes controversial economic issues and concerns to ensure quality analytical products. (limit characters)
23. Plan and design economic analyses for assigned projects or plans. (limit characters)
24. Ensures that methods of collection and analysis processes utilized are compliant with current professional standards. (limit characters)
25. Develops and review written reports of analyses which describe findings and recommendations, including providing technical revisions to analyses. (limit characters)
26. Develop technical guidance and training materials for the use of specialists and non-specialist users throughout the agency (limit characters)
27. Describe technical data and analyses in written form. (limit characters)
28. Your responses to the Announcement and Assessment Questionnaires, along with your resume and all supporting documentation are subject to evaluation and verification to ensure accuracy. Submitting false information or attempts to falsify information may be grounds for disqualifying you or for terminating you after you have been hired. Please take this opportunity to review your responses to ensure their accuracy.
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