Economist

Internal Revenue Service; United States; On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

IRS Chief Counsel is seeking an Economist at the GS-15 level. The position requires a 4-year degree in Economics with specified coursework and substantial specialized experience in economics, statistics, valuation, and transfer pricing.

The role involves working on highly complex litigation before Tax Court and other Federal Courts, advising trial attorneys, and coordinating with expert witnesses. Applicants must meet education/experience requirements; substitution of education for experience is

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Economics with at least 21 semester hours in Economics and 3 semester hours in Statistics, Accounting, or Calculus.

Responsibilities

• Apply economics, statistics, valuation, and transfer-pricing principles to highly complex litigation before the Tax Court and other Federal Courts.
• Analyze intricate methodologies and review extensive documentation.
• Advise trial attorneys on technical conclusions and recommended approaches.
• Collaborate with outside expert witnesses and evaluate expert reports for accuracy.
• Prepare witnesses for deposition and trial and produce written and oral work products.

Skills

Economics

Statistics

Valuation

Transfer pricing

Education

Bachelor's in Economics

Job description

With nearly 1,700 attorneys, IRS Chief Counsel is the largest tax law firm nationwide. Our attorneys are among top tax law practitioners and some of the very best legal minds found anywhere. Together with the IRS, we serve the public by applying the tax code with fairness and integrity. After pausing hiring in 2025, we are seeking administrative professionals to support our legal work.

Who May Apply

Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories selected. See "Required Documents" for a list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

Career Transition Assistance Program
Current Chief Counsel Employee
Current IRS Employee

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. To qualify for this position Economist of you must meet the qualification requirements listed below by the closing of this announcement:

Basic Requirement for an Economist: Completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in Economics, that includes 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 A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

For GS-15: Specialized Experience: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-14 grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience for this position includes expert-level application of economics, statistics, valuation, and transfer-pricing principles to highly complex litigation before the Tax Court and other Federal Courts. The role demands substantial experience analyzing intricate methodologies, reviewing extensive documentation, and advising trial attorneys on technical conclusions and recommended approaches. It requires demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with outside expert witnesses, evaluate expert reports for technical accuracy, and prepare witnesses for deposition and trial. Additionally, the work involves producing comprehensive written and oral work products, developing trial demonstratives, and conducting in-depth research and analysis on tax issues spanning diverse industries and economic concepts.

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

Time in Grade Requirement for GS-15

Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-14).