Overview - Careers at the Joint CommitteeFor anyone interested in tax law and policy and the tax legislative process, serving as a staff member of the Joint Committee can be extremely rewarding. Our staff is a closely-knit group of several dozen lawyers, accountants, economists, information technology specialists, and administrative support personnel. We work in teams, and we bring to every project the perspectives of professionals from different disciplines. Our aim in taking this collaborative, interdisciplinary approach is to provide a careful, informed analysis of each issue that we are asked to consider. Legislation Counsel / Staff AccountantJoint Committee attorneys and accountants are involved in every aspect of the tax legislative process. They work closely with the staffs of the two tax-writing committees, the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, to design and implement federal tax legislation, and they serve as an important resource to members of Congress and their staffs on present law and policy alternatives. The particular responsibilities of a Legislation Counsel and a Staff Accountant, and the qualifications necessary for those positions, are described more specifically below. A Legislation Counsel or Staff Accountant is expected to develop expertise in one or more substantive areas of the tax law and to undertake the following responsibilities within those areas:
A Legislation Counsel or Staff Accountant may have additional responsibilities, depending on his or her particular areas of expertise. These may include, for example, assisting the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in its consideration of tax treaties or working with the Internal Revenue Service to review proposed tax refunds in excess of $2 million (in accordance with Code section 6405). To fulfill these responsibilities, a Legislation Counsel or Staff Accountant must have excellent written communication, oral communication, analytic, and interpersonal skills. He or she must be able to work efficiently in an open office environment under tight deadlines and with minimal supervision. In addition, a Legislation Counsel or Staff Accountant must be proactive, creative, and possess imaginative problem solving skills. A Legislation Counsel or Staff Accountant must be able to treat all Members as clients, and to put aside any personal policy preferences in the service of the policy goals of a Member or a tax-writing committee. Qualifications. For the position of Legislation Counsel or Staff Accountant, the Joint Committee generally hires attorneys or accountants, as applicable, with a strong academic record and four or more years of federal tax experience, either with a private law or accounting firm or in a federal government tax position. For lawyers and accountants from the private sector, large firm experience is preferred. In evaluating candidates for employment, the Joint Committee looks for individuals who express willingness to work at the Joint Committee for two and a half years or more. This preference, however, does not change in any respect the employment-at-will status of Joint Committee employees. Because the Joint Committee Staff is nonpartisan and assists both the majority and minority parties in the House and Senate, Joint Committee attorneys, accountants and other professionals must be able to maintain strict confidentiality regarding the matters on which they are engaged. Salary range: Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. How to apply: Applicants should send a resume by electronic mail to JCTCareers@mail.house.gov. MacroeconomistThe Joint Committee on Taxation is seeking an experienced macroeconomist to assist in the development and implementation of macroeconomic analysis of major tax legislation. Candidates must have a Ph.D. or equivalent. Special consideration will be given to candidates who have built and used dynamic general equilibrium models. Excellent quantitative and analytic skills, writing ability, and interpersonal skills required. The ability to communicate technical material in a clear manner to noneconomists is a plus. Candidates must be able to work efficiently under tight deadlines and with minimal supervision. Salary range: Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. How to apply: Applicants should send a resume by electronic mail to Bernard.Schmitt@mail.house.gov. Economist -- Revenue AnalysisThe Joint Committee on Taxation is seeking an economist to assist in formulating estimates of the Federal budget impact of proposed Federal tax legislation and analyzing the possible economic and administrative implications of proposed changes in the Federal tax laws. Minimum qualifications include a Ph.D. (or equivalent) with training in public finance and taxation. Excellent quantitative and analytic skills, writing ability, and interpersonal skills required. The ability to communicate technical material in a clear manner to noneconomists is a plus. Candidates must be able to work efficiently under tight deadlines and with minimal supervision. Salary range: Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. How to apply: Applicants should send a resume by electronic mail to Bernard.Schmitt@mail.house.gov. The Joint Committee is an equal opportunity employer in accordance with the requirements of the U.S. Congress and applicable Federal law. All personnel actions taken by the Joint Committee are made free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including marital or parental status), age, sexual orientation, or disability. |