Actuary

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Woodlawn (MD); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Pathways Recent Graduates Program seeks an Actuary to apply professional principles to assigned actuarial work. The position, GS-1510-7/9, focuses on analyzing Medicaid managed care rates, developing projections, and supporting Medicare budget materials.

Eligibility requires recent graduate status with appropriate GPA, and success will involve collaboration with senior actuaries on cost estimates and program analyses.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with actuarial science, mathematics, statistics, business, finance, economics or computer science.
• GPA 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and eligibility as a Recent Graduate per program guidance.

Responsibilities

• Assist with actuarial review of Medicaid managed care rates and payment arrangements.
• Prepare actuarial analyses for projection development and testing of new payment models.
• Evaluate Medicare trust fund operations; prepare cost estimates and related study materials.
• Prepare input for segments of the annual Medicare Trustees Reports and budget-cycle materials.

Job description

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Pathways Recent Graduates Program (OACT). As a Actuary, GS-1510-7/9, you will apply professional principles and practices to the actuary work assigned.

Duties

Assist with the actuarial review of Medicaid managed care rates and payment arrangements.Work with senior Actuaries to prepare actuarial analysis on the development of projections related to the testing of new payment models.Evaluate Medicare trust fund operations; prepare cost estimates; and participate in studies on prices, utilization, and costs related to health care costs and national health care programs.Prepare input for segments of the annual Medicare Trustees Reports and prepare cost estimates and support materials for segments of the Medicare program for each stage of the budget cycle.

Qualifications

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS: You must be ELIGIBLE and QUALIFIED in order to be referred to Hiring Managers. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: Am I considered a Recent Graduate? GPA Requirement: You must possess a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on the unweighted 4.0 scale upon completion of your academic degree or certificate program. (GPA 2.95 is rounded to 3.0 and 2.94 is rounded to 2.9.) To be eligible as a Recent Graduate: Individuals who, within the previous 2 years, completed a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution. Therefore, you must have completed your educational program no earlier than November 20, 2024. Veterans who were precluded from applying due to their military service obligation begin their 2-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty. Veterans' eligibility cannot exceed 6 years from the date they completed their degrees (or certification). Therefore, veterans must have completed your educational program no earlier than November 20, 2020. To verify your eligibility as a Recent Graduate, you must submit the following at the time of application: A copy of your unofficial transcripts from the educational institution you attended attesting to your possession of the required education. Your unofficial transcripts must reflect: (1) your name; (2) overall grade point average (GPA); (3) Degree Type (e.g., Bachelor's, Master's, etc.) and Degree Major; AND (4) the date your Degree was conferred. Failure to submit proof of degree/certificate completion at the time of application will result in the withdrawal of your application from consideration for this position. To be eligible as a Degree Candidate for Fall 2026: Individuals who are degree candidates for this current semester/term, i.e., Fall 2026, scheduled to complete a qualifying Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate, professional, vocational, or technical degree or certificate program, AND the degree/certificate has not been conferred at the time of application. To verify your eligibility as a Degree Candidate for Fall 2026, you must submit the following at the time of application: A copy of your unofficial transcripts from the educational institution you attended attesting to your education completed to date. Your unofficial transcripts must reflect: (1) your name; (2) overall grade point average (GPA); (3) current enrollment; AND (4) Degree Type (e.g., Bachelor's, Master's, etc.) and Degree Major. If referred and selected, you must submit an additional unofficial transcript that confirms the date your degree was conferred before an Official Offer can be made. Degree must be conferred by January 31, 2027. Failure to submit proof of degree/certificate completion will result in the withdrawal of your application from consideration for this position. Note: For those applying as Degree Candidates for Fall 2026, you will be required to submit an additional transcript that confirms the above major or course requirements and the date your degree was conferred. Degree requirements must be completed during the Fall 2026 semester, and the degree must be conferred by January 31, 2027. Failure to submit proof of degree/certificate completion will result in the withdrawal of your application from consideration for this position. QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: Do I qualify at the GS-07 or GS-09 Grade Level? In order to qualify for the GS-07, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector, to include: 1) Assisting in applying actuarial techniques (e.g., pricing, valuation, asset/liability management, or risk management); AND 2) Participating in the planning and preparation of reports, statistical material, and/or mathematical documentation. - OR - Substitution of Education for Experience: You may substitute education for specialized experience at the GS-07 grade level by possessing at least one full year of graduate-level education. One year of full-time graduate education is defined as the number of credit hours the school has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended - OR - Superior Academic Achievement: A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university AND one of the following provisions of superior academic achievement: A grade-point average of "B" (3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale) for all completed undergraduate courses or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. For example, 2.95 is rounded to 3.0, and 2.94 is rounded to 2.9. A grade-point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all required courses completed in your major field of study, or those required courses in your major completed in the last two years of your undergraduate study. Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision. Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. - OR - Combination of Experience and Education: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements at the GS-07 grade level. The percentage of your total qualifying experience and education must equal 100% to qualify for this grade. -OR- Special Alternate Means (See Education section) In order to qualify for the GS-09, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector, to include: 1) Applying actuarial techniques (e.g., pricing, valuation, asset/liability management, or risk management) to perform work or exercises assigned; 2) Providing assistance and support in the planning and preparation of actuarial health care reports, cost estimates, and/or health care program rates; AND 3) Assisting in the interpretation of data and explaining the mathematical or statistical techniques and/or limitations. - OR - Substitution of Education for Experience: You may substitute education for specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level by possessing a Master's Degree or equivalent graduate degree or at least 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D. - OR - Combination of Experience and Education: Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the GS-07 grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at the GS-09 grade level. Therefore, only education in excess of one full year of graduate-level education may be used to combine education and experience. - OR- Special Alternate Means (See Education Section)

Education

A bachelor's degree that includes courses in actuarial science, mathematics, relevant statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science, totaling at least 24 semester hours. This coursework must have included a minimum of 12 semester hours of mathematics, including differential and integral calculus, and one or more courses in mathematics for which these calculus courses were prerequisites. Qualifications, continued: Special Alternate Means: GS-7: Special Alternate Means: Successful completion of one of the Society of Actuaries (SOA) or Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) examinations, or credit for one of the Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries (JBEA) Examinations (SOA/CAS/JBEA TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION); AND completion of a minimum of 24 semester hours of courses in actuarial science, mathematics, relevant statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science at a four-year college or university. This coursework must have included at least 12 semester hours of mathematics, including differential and integral calculus, and one or more mathematics courses for which these calculus courses were prerequisites. GS-9: Special Alternate Means: Successful completion of two of the Society of Actuaries (SOA) or Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) examinations, or credit for two of the Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries (JBEA) Examinations (SOA/CAS/JBEA TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION); AND completion of a minimum of 24 semester hours of courses in actuarial science, mathematics, relevant statistics, business, finance, economics, insurance, or computer science at a four-year college or university. This coursework must have included at least 12 semester hours of mathematics, including differential and integral calculus, and one or more mathematics courses for which these calculus courses were prerequisites. ALL TRANSCRIPTS are required at the time of application to verify satisfactory completion of the educational requirements related to the substitution of education for experience and the combination of experience and education. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for what documentation is required. NOTE: If you are using specialized experience to qualify for this position, your resume must include detailed information as it relates to the responsibilities and specialized experience for this position. Evidence of copying and pasting directly from the vacancy announcement without clearly documenting supplemental information to describe your experience will result in an ineligible rating. This will prevent you from receiving further consideration. NOTE: A certificate program is defined as post-secondary education at a qualifying educational institution, equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study (30 undergrad credits/18 grad school credits), that is part of an accredited college-level technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum.