Agricultural Economist (Commodities Analyst)
What you'd do
This position is located in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of the Chief Economist (OCE), World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB). The incumbent serves as an Agricultural Economist (Commodities Analyst) responsible for monitoring markets, conducting economic analyses, and preparing commodity forecasts.
Major duties
Monitors agricultural markets and conducts economic analysis on supply, use, and price forecasts for crops and livestock products. Evaluates changing agricultural policies, programs, economic conditions, and other factors that influence current and future commodity supply and demand, and contributes to studies covering a wide range of domestic and global agricultural issues. Contributes to assessments on evolving supply and demand conditions among major producing and consuming countries and analyzes how these shifts influence global agricultural trade patterns. Contributes to analyses on how global supply, demand, exchange rates, and prices influence U.S. crop and livestock producers under current and alternative market conditions and technologies. Plans, directs, and guides commodity outlook analyses for major crop or livestock products, ensuring analytical rigor and consistency across outlook efforts. Plays a central role in shaping and coordinating commodity outlook activities, providing strategic direction, mentoring, and ensuring high quality, policy relevant economic insights. Maintains knowledge of commodity outlook work, executes analytical approaches, oversees evaluations, and represents the outlook function in internal and external engagements. Explains agricultural data and analysis—both in written products and verbal presentations—in clear, accessible formats that help diverse users understand key findings and support effective decision making. Provides timely, well researched, and objective information that contributes to producing reliable agricultural supply and demand estimates and supports decision making across relevant program and policy areas. Communicates with diverse audiences—both expert and non expert— clearly explaining agricultural estimates and analysis and making essential insights accessible to technical specialists and general audiences alike. Produces timely, well structured economic analysis and effectively manages assigned analytical tasks, ensuring work products are completed within established deadlines. Supports the development, monitoring, and maintenance of well structured market analysis data, helping ensure accuracy, clarity, and consistency across publications, datasets, and analytical workflows. Provides helpful and thoughtful feedback on colleagues’ work, supporting organizational standards and contributing to clear, reliable, and well coordinated market outlook products.
What you need to qualify
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including Basic Requirements and Minimum Qualification Requirements, as defined below. Basic Requirements: In addition to meeting the Minimum Qualification Requirements outlined in the following section, applicants MUST meet the following occupational series requirements: A. Economist Series, 0110 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 above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Minimum Qualification Requirements: In addition to meeting at least one of the Basic Requirements outlined above, applicants must also meet the specialized experience and/or education requirements shown below. If qualifying based on experience, your application or resume must clearly show that you possess the specialized experience requirements. Time in grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. Specialized Experience: GS-13: One year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service or equivalent responsibility in the private sector/pay systems that has equipped the candidate with the particular competencies to successfully perform as an Agricultural Economist. For this position specialized experience is having the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position: experience in using statistical and quantitative analysis techniques to evaluate and prepare forecasts and estimates of international and/or domestic agricultural commodities and providing policy makers and the general public with economically sound assessments of the agricultural commodity situation and outlook. 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Before you apply
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