Summary
This position is located in the Risk Management Agency (RMA), Deputy Administrator for Product Management, Actuarial, Prices & Filling Division, Prices Branch. The incumbent will serve as professional economist in the Actuarial and Product Design Division, Prices Branch. As such, the employee is responsible for applied and theoretic research pertaining to the crop insurance programs and serves as team leader on special projects and offers professional guidance to lower level personnel.
Duties
Identify, analyze, and interpret supply and demand factors for federally insured crops to develop price projections (price elections) for the upcoming crop year.
Develop relationships and collaborate with universities, research organizations, commodity groups, handlers, other government agencies, producers, and processors to gather data and information about crops and crop markets.
Plan and direct special studies on price elections quality adjustment factors, distribution of liability for various crops, and other factors needed to evaluate actuarial adequacy and equity.
Serve as a resource and spokesperson of the Prices Branch at Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), senior management, producer group, and insurance and agricultural lenders meetings
Ensure that price elections and corresponding data for insured crops are entered into databases accurately to guarantee accurate population of all relevant insurance offers. This will require developing knowledge of large and complex databases
Write reports containing background research, program analysis, data and information sources, relevant agricultural economic principles, market structure and dynamics, price projection methodologies, and results of any statistical analysis.
Reports will also include conclusions regarding how all this information culminates in expectations for the future and the expected impact on prices. Submission of reports must adhere to strict deadlines.
Requirements
You must be a US Citizen or US National. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt. Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected, you may be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are unable to reimburse for any fees incurred. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period unless previous federal service is creditable. During this time your employment will be evaluated, and 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 your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov. This position is designated as mobile work. Mobile work is a condition of employment and is characterized by routine and regular travel to conduct work in customer or other worksites as opposed to a single authorized alternative worksite.
Education
College Transcript: If qualifying based on education, you must submit a copy of your college transcript with course number and department (i.e., Bio 101, Math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours, and grade earned. If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g., special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college to ensure proper evaluation. Your education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited toward qualifications. You may verify accreditation by visiting the U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs website. We will verify your education accordingly. Foreign Education: You must submit verification that education completed in a foreign institution, was recognized by an accreditation body accepted by the U.S. Department of Education. You must include a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website. Your transcripts must be in English or include an English translation. You may submit an unofficial copy of your transcript at the initial phase of the application process. However, if selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Please refer to the "How to Apply" section for instructions on submitting transcripts.
How you will be evaluated
Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy. This means 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 to 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 The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form. 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/13037728