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This position is located in the U.S. Department of Education (ED), Institute of Education Sciences (IES). IES provides scientific evidence on which to ground education practice and policy and to share this information in formats that are useful and accessible to educators, parents, policymakers, researchers, and the public.
Learn more about this agency05/09/2022 to 08/03/2022
$67,052 - $126,742 per year
AD 00
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Occasional travel - Occasional Travel May Be Required
No
Term - Term appointment for three years with possible three year extension
Full-time
Excepted
00
No
No
IES-2022-0012
652825900
We encourage you to read this entire vacancy announcement prior to submitting your application.
As an Associate Education Research Scientist, AD-1730-00, you will be responsible for:
• Assisting with developing, implementing and managing research, evaluation, data science, or statistics activities carried out or funded by the agency and overseeing research, evaluation, and statistics activities and programs carried out or funded by the agency.
• Assisting in conducting scientific reviews of research, evaluation, and statistics plans and products and analyzing data and synthesizing information from education and related research.
• Assisting with the preparation of written products to convey research to a variety of audiences, engaging in dissemination and outreach activities, such as publishing scholarly work and attending scientific conferences, and consulting with staff across the Department on issues related to research, evaluation, and statistics.
• Assisting with monitoring grants and contracts that support education research, evaluation, data collection, or statistics, managing national data collection, analysis, and reporting contracts, and managing the scientific peer review of research grant competitions.
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.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
You may meet the minimum qualifications for the Associate Education Research Scientist, AD-1730-00, if you possess the specialized experience below:
Specialized Experience
Specialized Experience for the Associate Education Research Scientist, AD-1730-00
One year of experience in either federal or non-federal service that is equivalent to at least a GS-09 performing two (2) of the three (3) requirements:
(1) Experience conducting graduate level, quantitative, multivariate research in the education sciences or related fields (e.g., instruction; cognition; historically under-served student populations, including students with disabilities; educator preparation and development; economics of education; education policy; program evaluation; statistical methods and measurement).
(2) Experience applying appropriate methodological and statistical approaches to answer research questions in the education sciences (e.g., experimental or quasi-experimental methods; analysis of complex survey data).
(3) Experience preparing and planning materials and events to convey research practices, procedures, and findings to audiences, such as through writing blogs or organizing in person or virtual conferences.
OR EDUCATION (see EDUCATION SECTION of the vacancy announcement)
OR A combination of both education and experience in which the total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level.
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 effectively manage research, evaluation, data science, or statistics activities that require the application of knowledge of contemporary issues in education policy and practice.
2. Knowledge of education research methods that yield internally and externally valid conclusions, statistical methods appropriate for the analysis of large complex sample survey, experimental, quasi-experimental, and descriptive data.
3. Ability to communicate scientific information in plain language and communicate effectively both orally and in writing and demonstrated ability to consult, mentor, or guide the design, conduct, or use of education research.
4. Ability to effectively hold self and others accountable to standard operating procedures defined in law, regulation, guidance, or equivalent.
Applicants must meet both the Basic Requirements A or B listed below and the specialized experience or education requirements.
Basic Requirements:
A. Degree that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours of coursework in a field related to the work of the position to be filled (as presented in the description of duties), of which at least one course was in research methods and at least two courses were in statistics.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience - (including at least 24 semester hours in a field related to the work of the position to be filled, including at least one course in research methods and two courses in statistics, plus appropriate experience or additional education). The experience must have demonstrated (1) a thorough knowledge of the principles underlying the work of this series, and (2) understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the methods and techniques applied in performing work in this series.
Education for the Associate Education Research Scientist AD-1730-00
Masters or equivalent graduate degree if related
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.
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 sro_recruiting@ed.gov 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.
Telework: This position is telework eligible. Telework must be requested and approved by the supervisor.
Bargaining Unit: This position is included in the bargaining unit.
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
We use a multi-step process to review and evaluate applicants:
1. Eligibility and Minimum Qualifications
Once the vacancy announcement closes, we will review your resume and documents to determine if you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements, including any required education, experience, and/or selective placement factors. You will be rated as ineligible if your application is missing any required documents. You will be rated as not qualified if you do not possess the minimum qualification requirements.
2. Rating and Ranking
If you are found to meet both the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements, we will assess the quality of your experience and the extent to which you possess the required KSAs by comparing your submitted resume and documents against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications and competencies listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials, the responses on the application questionnaire, and the result of the Monster Competency Based Assessment(s) required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies.
Oral Communications, Writing, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Technology Orientation, Customer Service, Attention to Detail and Self-Management
Based on the outcome of this evaluation candidates will be assigned a numerical score out of a possible 100 and be placed into one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. The three categories are defined below:
Best-Qualified Category – Applicants who have a score between 95 and 100. Demonstrates better overall or key knowledge, skills, or abilities for a specific position.
Well-Qualified Category – Applicants who have a score between 85 and 94.99. Possesses the KSAs which clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position but does not necessarily meet the definition of best qualified.
Qualified Category – Applicants who have a score between 70 and 84.99. Meets the minimum qualification standards for a specific position.
If your responses to the occupational questionnaire are not substantiated by your submitted resume, you may be eliminated from receiving further consideration.
Veterans’ Preference: Veterans’ preference eligibles will be ranked ahead of qualified non-preference eligibles within each category for which they are qualified. Qualified veterans’ preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more (CPS and CP) will be placed at the top of the Best Qualified category, except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 grade level or higher.
3. Referral and Selection
If you are found to be amongst the best qualified applicants, you will be referred to the selecting official. As part of the assessment and selection process, the selecting official may invite you to participate in a structured interview, check your references, and/or request a writing sample or complete a written assessment or exercise to further evaluate your qualifications for this position.
You must submit (REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICANTS):
1. A resume demonstrating your education, experience, training, and accomplishments as it relates to the qualifications for this position and substantiating your responses to the occupational questionnaire.
2. Letter of Interest.
3. Transcript: This position has a positive education requirement and requires proof of education for eligibility. You must submit an unofficial transcript that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, major(s), grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. If any required coursework is not easily recognizable on transcripts, or if you believe a portion of a particular course can be credited toward meeting an educational requirement, you must also provide a memorandum on letterhead from the institution's registrar, dean, or other appropriate official stating the percentage of the course that should be considered to meet the requirement and the equivalent number of units. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, if you are selected for the position, you will be required to produce the original official transcripts. This also applies to ED employees.
If you are claiming Veteran's Preference, you must submit: A copy of your DD-214 that shows active service and character of discharge (Separated Members only); OR
A certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days from the date of application (Current Active Duty Members only); AND/OR
The Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (SF-15) AND all documents indicated on the form as proof of type of preference; AND/OR
Proof of Sole Survivorship Preference (e.g., certificate of death or 100% disability as a result of serving in the armed forces).
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Step 1: Create a USAJOBS account (if you do not already have one) at www.usajobs.gov.
Step 2: Create a resume using the USAJOBS resume builder or upload a resume into your USAJOBS account. Ensure that your resume demonstrates your education, experience, training, and accomplishments as it relates to the qualifications for this position and substantiates your responses to the occupational questionnaire.
Step 3: Upload any required documents into your USAJOBS account (must be less than 3MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, or Word (DOC or DOCX)).
Step 4: Click "Apply Online" and follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire and attach any required documents. Verify that uploaded documents from USAJOBS transfer into the agency's hiring system. You will have the opportunity to upload any additional required documents in the agency's hiring system. Click “Finish” to submit your application.
NOTE: You may update your application or required documents at any time while the announcement is open by logging into your USAJOBS account, clicking on "Application Status," clicking on the position title, clicking "Update Application,” and following the prompts.
In order to receive consideration for this position, you must submit your complete application, including all required documents, by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. If the vacancy announcement has an application limit, we recommend that you submit your complete application at the time of initial application. We will not accept any required documentation after the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
If you have any questions regarding submitting your application, please contact the HR Specialist listed under the Agency Contact Information.
As an applicant, you may check your application status through your USAJOBS account at any time. We will also notify you via email of your application status at three key stages in the recruitment process.
1. Once the vacancy announcement closes, we will inform you that your application has been received.
2. After we review your submitted resume and supporting documentation, we will inform you if you are eligible and qualified, if your application was referred to a subject matter expert or panel of subject matter experts for further evaluation, and if you were amongst the most highly qualified candidates referred to the selecting official.
3. Finally, we will inform you of your final disposition for this announcement (e.g., if/when a selection is made, if/when the announcement is cancelled).
Predetermined cut-off dates monthly.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/652825900. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Learn more about
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is looking for the best and brightest to ensure equal access and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation. If you are a highly motivated individual who would like to work for an agency that establishes policies on federal financial aid for education, distributes as well as monitors those funds; collects data on America's schools and disseminates research; focuses national attention on key educational issues; and prohibits discrimination and ensures equal access to education, ED is the place for you!
o Provides national leadership on key educational issues.
o Awards more than $47 billion annually in grants, mainly to state education agencies, local educational agencies, and institutions of higher education.
o Manages a federal student loan portfolio of over $1.5 trillion, held by over 40 million borrowers.
o Makes available over $120 billion annually in student aid to help over 10 million students and their families afford college.
o Enforces the nation’s civil rights laws pertaining to education.
o Supports programs of research, statistics, and evaluation of education in order to identify effective instructional practices, track student achievement, and measure the impact of educational reform.
o Enforces federal educational laws regarding privacy.
o Employs approximately 3,600 individuals divided between its Washington, D.C. headquarters, 11 regional offices, and 13 field offices.
