Operations Research Analyst

Duties

WHAT IS THE TAXPAYER SERVICES DIVISION?

A description of the business units can be found at: https://www.jobs.irs.gov/about/who/business-divisions

Vacancies will be filled in the following specialty areas:

Taxpayer Services Operation Support

The following are the duties of this position at the full working level:

• Leads complex studies and is responsible for defining the problems involved, formulating the overall concepts, evaluating findings and recommending solutions.

• Recommends areas of activity requiring research and undertakes such research.

• Oversees the selection and application of mathematics, economics, econometrics and/or statistics appropriate to solving operations research problems, such as the development of computerized mathematical resource allocation models (e.g.simulation), regression models, econometric projections or workload forecasting models.

• Conducts operations research using well established as well as innovative methods for identifying the probable causes of cost/workload variances and procedures for resolving variances.

• Ensures that staff comprising the project and study teams used appropriate operations research and analytical techniques, and that each employee has been provided the requisite training.

Help

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

STANDARD POSITION DESCRIPTIONS (SPD):

PD93386

Visit the IRS SPD Library to access the position descriptions.

• Telework Eligible Positions: Telework eligible positions do not guarantee telework. Employees must meet and sustain IRS telework eligibility requirements (e.g., reporting at least twice a pay period to your assigned Post of Duty (POD)) and supervisor's approval to participate in the IRS Telework Program. Employees must also be within a 200-mile radius of their official assigned post-of-duty (POD) while in a telework status. As a reminder

• If you are selected for a position, you are responsible for reporting to your designated POD (location) on the negotiated start date or as directed by management.

• Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.

Qualifications

Federal experience is not required. The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement:

BASIC REQUIREMENT:

A degree in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics and at least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.

Evaluation of Education: The primary requirement of operations research work is competence in the rigorous methods of scientific inquiry and analysis rather than in the subject matter of the problem. Therefore, applicants should have sufficient knowledge of applied mathematics to understand and use the fundamental concepts and techniques of operations research methods of analysis. In addition, some positions may require knowledge of a specific subject area.

Courses acceptable for qualifying for operations research positions may have been taken in departments other than Operations Research, e.g., Engineering (usually Industrial Engineering), Science, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, or Management Science.

The following are illustrative of acceptable courses: optimization; mathematical modeling; queueing theory; engineering; physics (except descriptive or survey courses); econometrics; psychometrics; biometrics; experimental psychology; physical chemistry; industrial process analysis; managerial economics; computer science; measurement for management; mathematical models in social phenomena; and courses that involved application of operations research techniques and methodologies to problems of management, marketing, systems design, and other specialized fields; or other comparable quantitative analysis courses for which college-level mathematics or statistics is a prerequisite. Courses in theory of probability and statistics are highly desirable but are not specified as minimum educational requirements because to do so would possibly exclude some applicants who would otherwise be well qualified.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-14: In addition to the basic requirement, you will need to have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the grade 13 level that demonstrates the following:

• Professional knowledge of mathematical methods and scientific principles in order to accomplish complex studies, develop a variety of mathematical models, and provide management with viable solutions and recommendations.

• Extensive knowledge and skill of multivariate techniques and pertinent mathematical, simulation, economics, econometric, and statistical operations research techniques to use in the context of government policy decisions.

In addition, you will need comprehensive knowledge of the following:

• Internal Revenue Code, administrative provisions, OMB, Treasury regulations and procedures, and the IRM.

• Extensive experience using ADP equipment and statistical software applications such as Statistical Analysis System (SAS), Statistical Product in Service Solution (SPSS), database and spreadsheet programs.

At this level your experience should include identifying and explaining problems, operations, or questions with an adverse number of variables and complex underlying relationships for which standard methodologies and established techniques are inadequate.

AND

MEET TIME IN GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT: You must meet applicable TIG requirements to be considered eligible. To meet TIG for positions above the GS-05 grade level, you must have served at least one year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade (or equivalent) in the normal line of progression for the position you are applying to. Advancement to positions up to GS-05 is permitted if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade held within the preceding 52 weeks.

AND

TIME AFTER COMPETITIVE APPOINTMENT: By the closing date (or if this is an open continuous announcement, by the cut-off date) specified in this job announcement, current civilian employees must have completed at least 90 days of federal civilian service since their latest non-temporary appointment from a competitive referral certificate, known as time after competitive appointment. For this requirement, a competitive appointment is one where you applied to and were appointed from an announcement open to "All US Citizens".

For more information on qualifications please refer to OPM's Qualifications Standards.

Education

A copy of your transcripts or equivalent documentation is required for positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying based on education or a combination of education and experience. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. If the position has specific education requirements and you currently hold, or have previously held, a position in the same job series with the IRS, there is no need to submit a transcript or equivalent at this time. Applicants are encouraged, but are not required, to submit an SF-50 documenting experience in a specific series.

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click here for Foreign Education Credentialing instructions.

Additional information

• We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Additional jobs may be filled.

• The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the minimum locality pay up to maximum locality pay for all duty locations listed. The range will be adjusted for selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.

• This is a bargaining unit position.

• Tour of Duty: Monday-Friday, Day Shift

• Start and stop times between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

• Alternative work schedule, staggered work hours or telework may be available.

• In the event that a building is closed due to rent management, new hires may be placed in a local commuting location.

• Relocation expenses

• No

Please consider each location carefully when applying. If you are selected for a position at one of your location selections, that location will become your official post of duty.

Read more