Research Assistant

About the role

The Postal Regulatory Commission has an exciting employment opportunity for a highly motivated Research Assistant.

What you will do

• Assist in obtaining and compiling data from Postal Service and other sources into comparable formats to be used in analysis and evaluations.
• Identify, develop, and deploy technological solutions to data indexing and analysis problems.
• Verify the mathematical accuracy of financial, economic, marketing, and statistical data and statements submitted by the Postal Service.
• Research and analyze postal regulatory practices to identify practices and regulations that could inform the work of the Commission.
• Research and analyze studies on the postal sector to identify issues of interest to the Commission.
• Promote the exchange of best practices in postal regulation.
• Write reports and provide briefings on research findings with analyses of issues of potential interest to the Commission.
• Monitor and analyze documents on postal financial, regulatory, and policy issues.
• Assist in the response to special study requests from Congress.
• Identify trends and patterns within postal service data over time.
• Detect anomalies and discrepancies in postal service data, investigating the root causes and proposing corrective actions.

Education

Bachelors or Masters degree in Economics, Data Analysis, or Statistics

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated by a screening panel based on evidence of your ability to successfully perform the duties of the position according to the qualifications outlined in this announcement. The panel will forward the appropriate candidates to the Director of Accountability and Compliance for further consideration and possible interview.

Documents you must provide

• In order for your application to be considered complete, the following documents must be submitted: Cover Letter (no more than two pages) Resume: For each position listed on your resume, you must specify the following information: Start and end dates (month/year) Description of duties If the position was Federal, you must include the grade and step for each education Current and former Federal employees: Submit a copy of your most recent non-award SF-50, "Notice of Personnel Action" to indicate your current federal status.
• If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess the years of experience required for this vacancy.
• You must provide additional SF-50s that clearly demonstrate that you meet the years of experience required for this vacancy.
• The SF-50 must show your tenure, grade and step, and type of position occupied. [i.e., Excepted or Competitive] Performance award, Realignment, and Detail SF-50's will not be accepted as proof of grade or tenure.
• Veterans: If claiming Veteran's Preference, you must submit a Member-4 copy of your DD-214 Disabled Veterans Disabled Veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must submit: SF-15 Application for 10 Point Veterans Preference Member-4 DD-214 disability rating letter (if applicable) If you are currently on active duty to be released within 120 days, you may submit an armed forces certification in lieu of a Member-4 DD-214 Failure to provide this documentation will result in your application not receiving 10-point preference.
• Military spouse of an Active-Duty Military Member: Marriage license A copy of your spouse's active military orders Military Spouse of Separated Veteran: A copy of your marriage license A copy of the Member-4 DD-214 A copy of your spouse's 100% service-connected disability letter OR document of death during active duty You are not eligible for Military Spousal benefits if you were not married to the veteran at the time of death or have since remarried.
• Failure to provide required documentation will result in your application not receiving preference.
• Schedule A, Persons with Disabilities: Submit a copy of your Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u).
• For more information on your eligibility, please visit: ***

What to expect next

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive the application package (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met.

Please ensure that your application includes all required documents as we will not process applications missing a cover letter, etc. After the review is complete, the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview.

Applicants will be notified of their status by email, referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants will receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

Additional information

Ethics Requirements: The Commission is committed to government ethics. As a Commission employee, you will be subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch and the criminal conflict of interest statutes.

Commission employees are also subject to Commission-specific ethics rules (39 C.F.R. subpart A of part 3001 and supplemental standards of ethical conduct [5 C.F.R. part 5601]).

The supplemental standards prohibit Commission employees, as well as their spouses and dependent children, from owning any securities issued by entities that are identified on the Commission's annually published prohibited securities list.

As an employee of the Commission, you must complete initial ethics training within three months of your appointment and, depending on your position, complete required financial disclosure forms within 30 days of your appointment.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. The Commission may offer Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service.

This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. Work Environment: This position is in the Office of Accountability and Compliance (OAC).

This Office is responsible for promoting United States Postal Service transparency and accountability by establishing and maintaining a modern system to regulate rates, ensuring Postal Service compliance with the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA), making recommendations based on the analysis of financial reports from the Postal Service, and by preparing annual and periodic reports to Congress.

The Office of Accountability and Compliance serves the Commission and Commissioners, the Postal Service, mailers, the U.S. Department of State, and the American public. This position is eligible for telework.