Economist

US Geological Survey; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 75,000 - 173,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Geological Survey in Salt Lake City seeks an Economist at the National Minerals Information Center to support assessment of mineral markets, supply risks, and material flows.

The role involves applying economic and econometric analyses to non-fuel minerals, performing life cycle assessments, and informing policy and program decisions with rigorous data.

Qualifications

• Experience in supply chain analysis or material flow analysis for non-fuel mineral commodities.
• Advanced economics knowledge with econometric modeling.
• Ability to provide transcripts and hours per week worked as required.

Responsibilities

• Assess mineral markets and supply risks.
• Analyze material flows and trade for non-fuel minerals.
• Develop and interpret economic analyses and models.

Skills

Supply chain analysis

Econometric modeling

Life cycle assessment

Material flow analysis

Education

Economics degree

Education + experience combo

PhD in economics

Job description

You will serve as a Economist at the National Minerals Information Center providing support to assess mineral markets, supply risks, and material flows.

Salary

The salary range is between $75,068 (GS-11 Step 1) - $172,980 (GS-13 Step 10) per annum based on the duty station, and the applicable locality pay table. For more information, please refer to the OPM Salary Tables at General Schedule.

First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/23/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part‑time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Basic Educational Requirement AND/OR Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying.

Basic Educational Requirements

In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one of the following:

• A. Degree: economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus. You must submit transcripts.
• B. Combination of education and experience: c courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

-AND-

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: examples of such experience may include supply chain analysis, economic and econometric modeling, industrial ecology, material flow and trade analysis, and/or life cycle assessment, that is specific to non-fuel mineral commodities. This work would have required the individual to select and make minor adaptations to procedures and accepted practices and handle unexpected conditions arising in the normal course of the work. At this level, economists have the ability to independently perform moderately difficult and responsible scientific work. You must include hours per week worked.

-OR-

• Education: Three years of progressively higher-level graduate education (54 semester hours, 81 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a Ph.D. degree in economics or other directly related field of study or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in economics or other directly related field of study if it provided the knowledge, skill and abilities necessary to do the work of the position to be filled. You must include transcripts.

-OR-

• Combination of education and experience: a combination of successfully completed graduate level education, as described, above that is beyond the second year of progressive graduate study and professional experience, as described above. To combine education and experience, first take the percentage of qualifying education required for the grade level. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include hours per week and transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Examples of such experience may include supply chain analysis, economic and econometric modeling, industrial ecology, material flow and trade analysis, criticality assessments, life cycle assessment, supply risk assessment, supply and demand scenario development, and/or uncertainty analysis that is specific to non-fuel mineral commodities. This work typically involved conventional methods and techniques though it required going beyond clear precedents and required adapting methods to the problems at hand and interpreting findings in terms of their scientific significance. At this level, economists have the ability to independently perform scientific work of considerable difficulty. You must include hours per week worked.

To qualify for this position at the GS-13 grade level:

• Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Examples of such experience may include supply chain analysis, economic and econometric modeling, industrial ecology, material flow and trade analysis, criticality assessments, life cycle assessment, supply risk assessment, supply and demand scenario development, and/or uncertainty analysis that is specific to non-fuel mineral commodities. The complexity of this work typically required extensive modification and adaptation of standard procedures, methods, and techniques, and the development of totally new methods and techniques to address novel or obscure problems for which guidelines or precedents were not substantially applicable. At this level, economists have wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment to perform scientific work of marked difficulty and responsibility. You must include hours per week worked.

Volunteer Experience

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.