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 a Senior Agricultural Economist (Commodities Analyst) responsible for leading major analytical components of USDA's market outlook program.
Major duties
Monitors agricultural markets and conducts economic analyses on supply, use, and price forecasts for crops and livestock. Evaluates changing agricultural policies, programs, and economic conditions affecting commodity supply and demand; and performs studies covering a wide range of domestic and global agricultural issues. Leads assessments on evolving supply and demand conditions among major producing and consuming countries and analyzes how these shifts influence global agricultural trade patterns. Independently evaluates how international supply, demand, exchange rates, and price relationships affect U.S. crop and livestock producers under current and alternative structures and technologies. Leads planning, directing, and guiding commodity outlook analyses for major crop or livestock products, ensuring analytical rigor and consistency across outlook efforts. Leads shaping and coordinating commodity outlook activities, providing strategic direction, mentoring, and ensuring high quality, policy relevant economic insights. Serves as a lead authority in commodity outlook work, capable of initiating analytical approaches, overseeing complex evaluations, and representing the outlook function in internal and external engagements. Communicates complex agricultural data and analysis—both in written products and verbal presentations—in clear, accessible formats that distill key insights for a wide range of users. Delivers timely, objective information that supports reliable agricultural supply and demand estimates and informs decision making across programs and policy areas. Leads engagement with diverse audiences—including senior decision makers, agricultural specialists, economists, and public stakeholders—to clearly explain agricultural estimates and analysis to both technical experts and non specialists. Consistently produces high quality economic analysis under tight deadlines and efficiently manages multiple, concurrent analytical tasks for assigned market areas. Independently develops, monitors, and maintains well structured market analysis data, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and consistency across publications, datasets, and analytical workflows. Provides thorough and constructive reviews of colleagues’ work, helping maintain organizational standards and contributing to clear, reliable, and well coordinated market outlook products. Mentors junior outlook staff within WAOB and across USDA.
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-14: One year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-13 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 a Agricultural Economist, the specialized experience is having the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position described as experience in using advanced 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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