Personnel Research Psychologist - Washington, United States - US Merit Systems Protection Board

Description

Duties:

This is a non-supervisory, senior research analyst position with a well-respected research organization, MSPB's Office of Policy and Evaluation, which has Governmentwide impact on how the Federal workforce is managed.

You will work individually and on teams with other research professionals to design, conduct and report on studies of the Federal merit systems and human capital management policies and practices.

These studies are conducted to ensure that Federal civil servants are well qualified to perform their jobs and are able to serve the public free from management abuse and partisan political pressure.

Your primary responsibilities will also include managing and processing large employment-related datasets and planning, conducting, documenting, and interpreting the results of statistical analyses.

In this role, you will:

• Conduct analytic research studies, including:
• designing the study methods, such as surveys or other research strategies;

- qualitative or quantitative data collection;
- managing and analyzing large datasets of qualitative and/or quantitative data
- drawing conclusions based on sound analysis; and
- writing the study report and other research-based documents
- making presentations to share findings and to make recommendations about Federal human resources policies and programs based on research findings.

• Manage the overall study project including developing the project plan, objectives and milestones, implementing the plan, controlling scope, meeting milestones, overcoming barriers and obtaining support and cooperation from management and other participants.
• Provide research design, data management, methodological, and programming advice for other OPE research analysts.
• Consult with and advise the office director and staff and other senior MSPB staff members about the meaning and significance of a variety of data sources and analyses and on data reliability, validity, and quality.
• Work closely with OPE research analysts to manage and analyze large data sets, such as related to workforce issues or from databases of survey results.
• Monitor and analyze Federal human resources issues on a continuing basis and recommending special studies of HR programs or issues of current interest.
• Develop and maintain continuing professional contacts with senior staff of Federal agencies, professional associations and societies, employee and management organizations, and other parties with an interest or a stake in Federal personnel management and research methods.
• Represent MSPB before such groups to obtain information and advice, and to discuss study findings and recommendations.

IS THIS JOB FOR ME?
The work of an MSPB Personnel Research Psychologist is very different from the work of other Personnel Research Psychologists.


This job might be for you if:

This job might NOT be for you if:

• You like working on long-term projects that have a broad impact on Government operations.
• You thrive in a highpressure work environment where you can see the results of your work on a daily basis.
• You enjoy taking on new projects every year or two that cover a variety of topics.
• You like to pursue a line of research on the same topic over a long period of time.
• You enjoy writing for and presenting to nontechnical audiences such as Federal policymakers, managers, and HR Specialists.
• You prefer writing for and presenting to technical audiences and other researchers.
• You enjoy the challenge of analyzing data to identify trends, patterns, and useable insights to drive agency performance and support continuous improvement.
• You prefer to work on data that are stable and predictable and doesn't require much interpretation.
• You like working on projects that are driven by stakeholder needs.
• You prefer to set your own project topics and deadlines.
• You enjoy working both as a member of a team and individually.
• You prefer to always work alone or always work on a team.

Requirements:


Conditions of Employment:

• You must be a US Citizen.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Successful completion of a oneyear probationary or trial period (if new hire to the Federal service).
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Direct Deposit : Per Public Law all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.

Qualifications:

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including the following specialized experience and/or education, as identified by grade level.

Minimum Education Requirement:

Bachelor's degree with a major or equivalent in psychology from an accredited college or university is required. A graduate degree (e.g., M.A., M.S., or Ph.
D.) in psychology is preferred.


Education and Specialized Experience:

In add