Economist

Summary Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Trade, Regulations and Rulings, Economic Impact Analysis Branch, located in Washington, DC. Learn more about this agency Duties Help In this position you will serve as the principal economist, responsible for preparing comprehensive regulatory analyses for CBP regulatory actions. This position starts at a salary of $143,913.00 (GS-14, Step 1) to $187,093.00 (GS-14, Step 10) CBP Office of Trade is the architect of the most robust customs system in the world and the second largest revenue source for the U.S. Government. We facilitate legitimate trade, enforce U.S. laws, and protect the American economy as well as consumer health and safety. Collaborating with industry and government partners, we create a fair, competitive, and safe trade environment, and we enforce U.S. trade law to protect national economic security. Our expertise in the trade community allows us to lead the development of streamlined and efficient processes that provide certainty for legitimate importers, while combatting transnational crime. Major duties for this position include but are not limited to: Preparing comprehensive regulatory impact analyses that assess economic and societal effects, including baselines, costs, benefits, and alternatives, in accordance with EO 12866, OMB Circular A-4, RFA, PRA, and UMRA. Conducting research and analysis on regulatory issues affecting the secure movement of people through U.S. ports of entry, security of international cargo supply chains (truck, rail, air, sea), and international trade and customs revenue functions, and document results in detailed, reproducible reports for rulemaking dockets. Providing technical guidance and support to other economists, including reviewing their work, developing analytical approaches, and preparing and delivering briefings, policy papers, and other materials that translate complex economic concepts for technical and non-technical audiences. Reviewing regulations and supporting economic analyses from other DHS components; participating in intra- and interagency workgroups and committees to exchange information, coordinating positions, and contributing economic expertise on homeland security, customs revenue, and international trade policies. Requirements Help Conditions of employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below) All pre-employment processes will be conducted in English You may be required to pass a background investigation CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures. As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link . DHS uses E-Verify, an internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities. Bargaining Unit: This is a bargaining unit covered position, represented under the National Treasury Employees Unions - NTEU. For local chapter contact information see Chapter Websites - National Treasury Employees Union - NTEU . Qualifications Basic Requirement: You must provide supporting documentation in your application to show you meet the basic requirement below. Degree: economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus. OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. You qualify for this position if you possess one year of specialized experience as described below and meet the basic requirement listed above. Experience: You qualify for the GS-14 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Conducting independent cost-benefit and regulatory impact analyses of moderately to highly complex regulatory actions, including developing regulatory baselines, assessing quantitative and qualitative costs and benefits. Applying advanced economic theory and quantitative/qualitative research methods-using statistical/econometric software and other analytical tools-to collect, analyze, and interpret economic data related to border security, passenger and cargo movement, international trade, and customs revenue issues. Planning, organizing, and executing all phases of economic studies or segments of larger projects, from problem definition and hypothesis formulation through data collection, analysis, interpretation of results, and preparation of clear, well-documented, and reproducible reports suitable for inclusion in public rulemaking dockets. Reviewing proposed regulations and supporting analyses from other organizational components; contributing professional economic expertise in intra- and interagency workgroups; and helping to develop or standardize methods and best practices for regulatory analysis to support policy development and continuity. Communicating complex economic concepts, methods, and findings-both orally and in writing-to senior management, interagency partners, and non-technical stakeholders, including defending analytical approaches, addressing skepticism, and negotiating or building consensus among parties with differing interests. NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume requirements. 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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. You must: Meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process; and Meet all applicable Time in Grade requirements (current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the federal service) by 07/31/2026. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information on the preemployment process, review the following link: Applicant Resources | CBP Careers Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions: Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period. Education Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.