Social Scientist

Duties

WHAT IS RESEARCH, APPLIED ANALYTICS, AND STATISTICS (RAAS) THE 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:

Research, Applied Analytics and Statistics Data Exploration and Testing

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

Works with senior social scientist performing work assignments in the areas of social economic and

social psychology and assumes technical responsibility in the assigned area for various phases of

initiation, formulation, planning, execution, and control of major social science studies or

continuous projects.

Assists higher graded scientists in determining the objectives of social science research projects

and the methodology to be used to obtain the objectives.

Provides limited technical advice in the development of specifications for all or a segment of the

social science research study, presenting the data and analytical materials in the form most

suitable to the end users.

Performs research to locate new sources of social science data, analyses and interpret pertinent

information, draws conclusions for use in social science research studies.

Resolves limited complex social science problems or errors requiring professional attention.

Help

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

STANDARD POSITION DESCRIPTIONS (SPD):

PD95250, PD95251, and PD95252

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.

• Sign a mobility agreement.

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 behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

A combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

OR

Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

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-9 LEVEL:

In addition to the basic requirements, you must have 1 year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: knowledge of standard methods and principles of social economics and social psychology and their application to tax return statistics, and related research projects; Experience using basic knowledge of social economic and social psychology research and study design and administration processes from the planning and formulation of concepts through specification and analysis of output to the presentation of conclusions and control of the studies; Experience using knowledge of standard statistical principles and practices sufficient to perform developmental assignments; Experience should include assisting in performing social psychology, and social economics research, and interpreting pertinent information and transforming research into statistical and tax literature for data and social psychology research methodology; Experience using knowledge of oriented computer programming languages and statistical software packages.

OR

You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: a master's or equivalent graduate degree in behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree in behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

A combination of experience and education equivalent to the amount required.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-11:

In addition to the basic requirements, you must have 1 year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: practical knowledge of technical methods and principles of social psychology and social economics in order to apply these methods, principles, and applications to research projects; Experience applying scientific methods, some methods include: structured and unstructured interviewing techniques, focus groups, social surveys, social psychological studies, behavioral analyses, ethnographic designs, and participant observation; Experience using knowledge of statistical principles and practices on social psychology and social economic research procedures and techniques to research, develop, analyze and present statistical information; Experience using knowledge of oriented computer programming languages and statistical software packages to provide research products and develop tables and graphical materials; Experience resolving a variety of conventional problems, questions, or situations and assistance in providing research conclusions.

OR

You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position. OR Three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position.

OR

COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. Options for qualifying based on a combination will be identified in the online questions.

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: 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.

Remain in POD: The vacancy will be filled at the selectee's official permanent position of record, post of duty (POD).

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.

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