Economic Assistant (Part-time)

Bureau of Labor Statistics • Moses Lake, WA

3d

About The Position

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the federal government’s principal fact-finding agency in labor economics and statistics, collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates statistical data for the public, Congress, government agencies, businesses, and labor. Economic Assistants collect prices and related information on commodities, services, and housing for the Consumer Price Index. The role is based primarily in Moses Lake, Washington, and includes travel throughout Grant County. It is part-time only and does not lead to full-time employment. Initial hours average 16 to 32 per week, depending on workload and training needs; the schedule varies and may include day, evening, and weekend work. The position requires visits to businesses, retail establishments, and residences, as well as occasional travel for training, meetings, and fieldwork.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Must have a valid driver's license; driving may involve highways and local streets, nighttime driving, and adverse weather.
• Must be able to work a variable schedule that may include day, evening, and weekend hours, and be available when required.
• Must be able to make personal visits to housing units, including walking or standing for long periods and walking on uneven surfaces.
• Must be able to travel temporarily outside the duty station by various modes of transportation.
• Must obtain the required security or investigation level and undergo a background investigation as a condition of employment.
• For GS-06, must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level.
• Qualifying specialized experience may include using computers and software to collect, compile, analyze, or report primary data; initiating contacts with establishments and professionals to price goods and services; or interviewer/intake work involving detailed record-keeping or oral persuasion with public contact.

Responsibilities

• Visit retail and service establishments, including department stores, supermarkets, medical offices, and hotels, to collect retail price data.
• Collect retail price data from e-commerce websites and, to a limited extent, by telephone, fax, email, and video.
• Interview store managers, buyers, auto dealership managers, doctors, pharmacists, and other professionals to collect commodities and services data.
• Contact homeowners, renters, and apartment management companies through neighborhood visits and follow-up telephone interviews to collect housing data.
• Collect and enter data using a handheld computer.
• Review electronic collection forms completed on a Tablet PC for internal consistency and compliance with survey requirements.
• Obtain voluntary cooperation from survey respondents.
• Travel to a field office for on-the-job training and periodic meetings.
• Attend mandatory classroom training when scheduled, which may require travel to Washington, D.C., or another location.

What This Job Offers

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