Economic Assistant (Spanish) - Part-time

Bureau of Labor Statistics • New York, NY

13d • Onsite

About The Position

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency for the federal government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other federal agencies, state and local governments, business, and labor. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the U.S. Department of Labor. This position requires the incumbent to be fluent in the Spanish language. Work will be performed primarily in New York, NY, which includes travel throughout Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Richmond counties. This position is part-time only and does not lead to full-time employment. This is not an entry-level position for an economist. The initial average hours per week will be 16 to 32 hours to start, depending on workload and training requirements. The work schedule will vary week to week depending upon work requirements. This is not a job for a person who needs full-time work or who cannot be available for work when required, which includes a mix of day, evening, and weekend hours as needed. Additionally, this position requires visits to retail stores, businesses, and residences to gather the required information. Selectees must travel to the Bureau of Labor Statistics training center in Washington, D.C., or another location if scheduled for mandatory classroom training such as: One (1) week introductory commodities and services (C&S) training and One (1) week of advanced data collection. Housing training and some C&S training are accomplished through distance learning. Notice will be given of planned training events that require travel. Economic Assistants collect prices and related statistical data on a wide variety of commodities, services, and housing for the BLS Consumer Price Index. Data for commodities and services are collected by conducting personal and telephone interviews with store managers and buyers, managers in auto dealerships, doctors, pharmacists, and other professionals. Data for the housing survey are obtained by personal visit or telephone interview with either property managers, tenants, or homeowners. The incumbent conducts the duties of this position in situations requiring written and verbal fluency in Spanish and English. They converse and write fluently in both languages to communicate with various customers, as well as read and analyze documents containing Spanish language.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE IS REQUIRED - Driving conditions include highway and local streets, driving at night and in adverse weather conditions.
• Temporary travel outside the duty station by various modes of transportation is required.
• Personal visits to housing units are necessary and require walking/standing for long periods.
• Collection from housing units is likely to include walking on uneven surfaces.
• 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level.
• Specialized Experience: Use computers and various computer softwares to collect, compile, analyze and/or report primary data; OR Initiate contacts with a full range of establishments, such as corporate authorizing officials, store owners, managers, merchandise managers, buyers, hospital administrators and/or various professionals to price goods and services; OR Interviewer or in-take experience that required detailed record-keeping and/or oral persuasion skills with public contact.
• Must be able to read, write and speak both English and Spanish fluently sufficient to communicate, interpret and translate from one language to the other and vice versa.
• Applicants will be required to interview in both languages.

Nice To Haves

• Fluency in Spanish is required for this position.

Responsibilities

• Visiting retail and service establishments such as department stores, supermarkets, medical offices, and hotels to collect retail price data.
• Collecting retail price data from E-commerce websites.
• Collecting a limited amount of data by telephone/fax, email, and video.
• Contacting homeowners, renters, and apartment management companies by personal visit to neighborhoods and follow-up telephone interviews.
• Collecting and entering data on a handheld computer.
• Ensuring the quality of data collection from each sample unit (establishment or renter) by reviewing electronic collection forms completed on a Tablet PC for internal consistency and for conformance to survey requirements.
• Obtaining voluntary cooperation from survey respondents.
• Traveling to a field office for on-the-job training and periodic meetings.
• Traveling to the Bureau of Labor Statistics training center in Washington, D.C., or another location for mandatory classroom training.
• Conducting duties in situations requiring written and verbal fluency in Spanish and English.
• Communicating and writing fluently in both Spanish and English to interact with customers and analyze documents.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed