Job Opportunities

The Budget Analysis Division seeks an analyst for the Natural and Physical Resources Cost Estimate Unit.

CBO’s budget analysts work closely with key Congressional staff on the development of the federal budget. Analysts in the Natural and Physical Resources Unit cover a wide range of federal programs including: agriculture, commerce, justice, energy and the environment, the management of federal lands and natural resources, and public investments in science, telecommunications, and transportation infrastructure. The analyst will prepare multiyear spending projections of spending for specific federal programs, analyze the Administration’s budget proposals, and prepare cost estimates for legislation being considered by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

The Congress relies on such analyses to prepare its annual budget plan, evaluate the President’s budgetary proposals, and measure the potential budgetary impact of policy proposals. Individual CBO analysts have wide-ranging responsibilities and often play a significant role in the legislative and budget process.

Qualifications: Applicants should have a graduate degree in public policy, public administration, economics, or a related field. This position requires a person with strong skills in quantitative methods who can accurately interpret and analyze legislative proposals and gather appropriate information to assess the cost of enacting those proposals. The analyst must have the ability to clearly explain and defend analytic results orally and in writing to colleagues, Congressional staff, Members of Congress, and the public. Applicants should have the ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, frequently under tight deadlines, and a commitment to making a visible and direct contribution to public policies in a nonpartisan setting.

Salary & Benefits: Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with related experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers an excellent benefits package and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Unofficial Academic Transcripts (if new or recent graduate)
• Contact Information for Three References
• Short Writing Sample

The Macroeconomic Analysis Division is seeking candidates for an entry-level assistant analyst position for a period not to exceed three years – ideal for those interested in substantive work experience before attending graduate school.

The Macroeconomic Analysis Division, with about 26 economists, is responsible for the macroeconomic forecasts that are used in the budget and for reporting to the Congress on the likely macroeconomic impact of its proposals. Assistant analysts provide support to other members of the division on a wide variety of topics. They help maintain models used in the development of the economic forecast and projections, and assist in the data manipulation and analysis for projects such as: the effect of taxation on labor supply, the macroeconomic effects of social security reform proposals, the determinants of long-term growth, the economic effects of fiscal policy, and financial analysis of federal credit and insurance programs.

Qualifications: Candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree with a major or minor in economics or a related discipline, a strong quantitative background, good communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to meet deadlines, regular use of personal computers and a variety of software packages, and an interest in and facility for quantitative work. An interest in federal policy issues is desirable. The position requires a person who can work well with a number of senior staff members.

Salary & Benefits: Salary range is $36,000 to $43,000 and is commensurate with experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers excellent benefits and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Unofficial Academic Transcripts (if new or recent graduate)
• Contact Information for Three References
• Short Writing Sample

The Microeconomic Studies Division (MSD) is seeking an assistant analyst to analyze potential mandates on the private sector that are contained in legislation and to provide research assistance on the division’s research projects.

MSD is responsible for researching and analyzing the economic effects of governmental policies and regulations on the private sector. Analytical areas include agriculture, commerce, energy and the environment, federal personnel, intellectual property, natural resources, public investment in infrastructure and science, telecommunications, transportation, and trade.

The candidate would be responsible for monitoring bills as they move through the legislative process and analyzing the impact of federal legislation on the private sector. The analyst also would help to maintain databases and other data collection systems for tracking CBO's activities under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. In addition, the analyst would work with senior economists in preparing studies to analyze the economic and budgetary impact of issues before the Congress. The successful candidate will provide the division’s analysts with spreadsheet and statistical analyses, graphics, literature reviews, and other research assistance.

Qualifications: The position requires a person who can accurately interpret and analyze legislative proposals and take initiative to gather suitable data to address policy questions. The candidate should have the ability to handle several analytic issues simultaneously and complete projects in a timely manner. The position also requires a person who can work well as a part of a team. Candidates also should have strong quantitative and writing skills and a desire to work on issues of current interest to the Congress.

Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in economics, public policy or a related field of study. Training or experience in industry or regulatory analysis, or experience with the legislative process, is desirable but not required

Salary & Benefits: Salary range is $36,000-$43,000 and will be commensurate with experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers an excellent benefits package and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Unofficial Academic Transcripts (if new or recent graduate)
• Contact Information for Three References
• Short Writing Sample

CBO is seeking to fill the senior executive position responsible for managing and directing the work of the Tax Analysis Division. That division is responsible for providing the Congress with analyses of the effects of past and proposed changes to federal tax policies and projecting federal revenues as part of the Congressional Budget Office’s official ten-year budget "baseline." The Assistant Director will supervise a staff of 17, most of whom have advanced degrees, mainly in economics, and extensive experience in preparing revenue projections or writing on issues of public finance. Members of the executive staff are also expected to comment on papers from other divisions and to offer advice and counsel on CBO-wide issues.

Qualifications: This position requires a Ph.D. or equivalent in economics or a related discipline with superior technical skills and experience in analyzing tax policy issues and a solid understanding of the Congressional legislative and budget process. Significant ability to undertake quantitative analyses is essential to guide and review analytical products. The ideal candidate would have experience in producing or overseeing revenue projections as well as economic analyses of tax policy proposals, and would be able to anticipate needs for providing support to the Congress, and to plan for research, modeling, and quantitative analysis of potential legislative initiatives in the tax area.

Candidates must possess outstanding leadership qualities and a proven track record of managing and motivating a diverse staff in a fluid, high-pressure environment. Exceptional communications skills are also necessary, especially the ability to articulate technical material clearly and concisely, both internally and for CBO’s Congressional clients. As well, candidates should be able to build effective working relationships with staff on Capitol Hill and across an organization.

To ensure consideration, external candidates should submit an application by March 8, 2009.

Salary & Benefits: Salary is competitive with Senior Executive Staff (SES) positions in the executive branch and will be commensurate with education, experience, and other qualifications. CBO offers an excellent benefits package and work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Unofficial Academic Transcripts (if new or recent graduate)
• Contact Information for Three References
• Short Writing Sample

The Financial Markets Unit of the Macroeconomic Analysis Division is seeking to hire a banking analyst to assist in monitoring and analyzing developments in the banking industry, and assessing the impact of planned or proposed government actions to address the problems currently facing that industry. CBO’s analysis plays an important role in Congressional deliberations on policy alternatives, and the banking analyst will work closely with other CBO staff in the preparation of studies, reports, and testimony for the Congress on current banking issues. CBO staff often have the opportunity to publish research results in professional journals.

The Financial Markets Unit, which has nine Ph.D.-level economists and financial analysts, has responsibility to support CBO’s analysis and reporting on Treasury use of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the recently enacted $700 billion program aimed at ameliorating the current financial crisis. In addition, it is broadly responsible for analyzing the implications for taxpayers of federal (or federally sponsored) financial programs and institutions, such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and student loan programs, and for analyzing developments in financial markets to support CBO’s economic forecast.

Qualifications: Candidates should have a solid understanding of finance theory, including option pricing models, and experience in analyzing bank performance and bank regulation. Experience with manipulating data for the banking industry is essential. Educational background should include a Ph.D. or MBA in finance or economics, or equivalent experience. CBO will be looking for the ability to write clearly for both technical and nontechnical audiences.

Salary & Benefits: Salary is competitive with public service positions and will be commensurate with related experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers an excellent benefits package and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Unofficial Academic Transcripts (if new or recent graduate)
• Contact Information for Three References
• Short Writing Sample

The Management, Business, and Information Services division—which provides support services, including editorial and publishing services—seeks an editor. The job involves making analytical and technical reports clear and accessible to a broad audience––including Members of Congress, Congressional staff, researchers, and other members of the public. The work entails substantive editing, copyediting, and proofreading, as well as occasionally reorganizing drafts, rewriting sections, and providing writing assistance.

Qualifications: Candidates must have several years of experience in editing professional publications and a bachelor’s or advanced degree, preferably in English, journalism, communications, or a related field. They must have broad editorial skills––from a demonstrated ability to make complex and difficult drafts clear and graceful, to a superior eye for detail when proofing. They must thoroughly understand English grammar and syntax and should be sensitive to style and to nuances of tone and meaning in writing and editing. Experience with technical subjects and quantitative information presented in tables and graphs is essential, as is success in interacting with the authors of such material. Strong interpersonal skills; the ability to handle pressing tasks under deadlines; and the flexibility to work some evenings and weekends, as necessary, are important––so is being able to work comfortably within a desktop publishing system (which uses FrameMaker, Word, Excel, DeltaGraph, and PowerPoint).

Please note - the writing sample we request as part of your application should be a sample of work you have edited.

Salary & Benefits: Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with related experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers an excellent benefits package and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Contact Information for Three References
• Short Writing Sample

The Microeconomic Studies Division conducts research and analyses on the impact of governmental policies and regulation. CBO seeks applications for an economist with experience in energy markets – especially markets for petroleum and petroleum products – to undertake research projects, and critically analyze current developments and forecasts in those markets.

Analysts prepare written studies and testimonies, and advise committee staff. The division’s research portfolio includes government regulation of industry; federal investment in physical infrastructure; science and technology; the benefits and costs of environmental, energy, and natural resources policies; the economics of the law; international trade and investment; and government labor markets. The ideal candidate has a background and demonstrated competence in analyzing markets for petroleum and petroleum products, and public policy as it relates to those markets. Such a candidate would understand the relationship between energy markets and economic growth, determinants of prices of petroleum and petroleum products, and forecasts in such markets.

Qualifications: Applicants should have a Ph.D. in economics or a related discipline and a strong quantitative background, ability to clearly present their work orally and in writing, and a desire to work on issues of current legislative interest to the Congress. Successful candidates will be able to work independently and complete work in a timely manner.

Salary & Benefits: Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers excellent benefits and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Unofficial Academic Transcripts (if new or recent graduate)
• Contact Information for Three References
• Short Writing Sample

The Health and Human Resources Division is seeking health economists and health policy analysts.

The Health and Human Resources Division provides the Congress with analyses in the areas of health, income security, education, and employment. In the health area, topics span a range of areas from the large, federally sponsored health programs to the operation and regulation of the private health insurance market. Projects addressing the high level and growth rate of healthcare costs are especially relevant. Current and recently completed studies include an examination of critical issues in modifying the current health insurance system, the potential impact of health information technology on system performance and cost, the impact of preventive services on health status and spending, the effect of current and past obesity on health care costs, and an international comparison of health care systems. Other health policy studies are examining the circumstances of individuals without health insurance and analyzing drug patent challenges and the timing of generic entry.

The successful candidate will contribute to the full range of the division's responsibilities. Those include preparing longer term CBO studies and shorter term memoranda and testimonies, performing detailed analyses of proposed legislation, and assessing the impact on the private sector of a variety of legislative initiatives.

Qualifications: Applicants should have a strong quantitative background, excellent writing skills, and a desire to work on issues of current legislative interest to the Congress. Applicants should also have a Ph.D. in economics or a related discipline; applicants with master’s degrees and substantial experience may be considered. Several years of experience in health policy are preferred but not required.

Salary & Benefits: Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers an excellent benefits package and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Unofficial Academic Transcripts (if new or recent graduate)
• Contact Information for Three References
• Short Writing Sample

The Information Resources, Management and Technology Service Unit seeks a self-motivated Help Desk Specialist (Level II/III) with a strong work ethic to provide PC Desktop assistance to CBO staff. The successful candidate will report to the Chief Information Officer as part of a 12-person IT shop. The position encompasses all aspects of customer facing technical support for a PC based/LAN/WAN computing environment. Specific duties include PC software/hardware installation/troubleshooting; printer installation/troubleshooting; PC imaging and replacement; Windows active directory administration; and supporting a variety of PC client applications, to include Office 2007 and Outlook 2007.

Qualifications: Candidates should have a minimum of four years of solid IT experience. The position requires a well organized person with strong technical skills who can work independently and as a part of a team to accommodate rapidly changing priorities. The successful candidate must have the ability to handle multiple simultaneous tasks and complete projects under tight deadlines. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are required – the candidate must interact effectively with people at every level of the organization.

The position requires the ability to lift twenty five pounds on a recurring basis. We are especially interested in candidates who have experience in similarly sized organizations (300 – 500 people). Certifications in MS Windows, MS Exchange, MS SharePoint, MS Office and are considered highly desirable but are not required. An associate’s or bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field is also preferred.

Salary & Benefits: Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers excellent benefits and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Contact Information for Three References

The Human Resources Department seeks a detail oriented assistant with a strong work ethic. The successful candidate will provide support in broad range of human resources areas (benefits, recruitment, and payroll) as part of a 5-person HR shop. Duties are varied and will include applicant processing, recruitment support, personnel records management, timekeeping, and special projects.

Qualifications: Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in human resource management, business, or a related field or 2+ years of HR related experience. The candidate should have the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and accurately and complete projects under tight deadlines. Strong communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills, and the ability to deal discreetly with confidential information are a must. The position also requires a person who is flexible, a self-starter, and can work well as a part of a team. Candidates should have excellent skills in Microsoft Office Suite; experience with HRIS and databases preferred. Training/experience in human resources is desirable but not required. Candidates must successfully complete a Public Trust background investigation.

To ensure consideration, online applications should be submitted by March 10, 2009.

Salary & Benefits: Salary range is $35,000 to $60,000 per year and will be commensurate with education and related experience. CBO offers excellent benefits and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Contact Information for Three References

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) seeks a legal assistant to provide a variety of legal support services.

The candidate would be responsible for assisting in the management of (1) the ethics program, including confidential financial disclosure reports and annual trainings, (2) data use and security agreements, and (3) visa applications for CBO’s foreign employees. In addition, the candidate would verify citations and statutory references in CBO draft reports against original sources such as legal text, reports, Federal Reporter system, CFR, etc., making sure that they are correct and in compliance with source material.

The successful candidate will establish and maintain all file systems and tracking logs for the OGC’s legal work, including opinion letters, assignments, and due dates, and prepare reports as requested.

Qualifications: The position requires a detail oriented self-starter who can maintain strict confidentiality, work well with a number of senior staff members, and complete assignments in a timely manner. Candidates should have strong communication and organizational skills and learn to perform requested legal and factual research using both electronic (LEXIS/NEXIS and PACER) and manual library searches. Candidates should be able to perform office automation tasks in connection with monitoring and tracking internal deadlines and other aspects of office workload.

Candidates should have a bachelor's degree or at least two years of experience working with legal matters. Training or experience in government contracting, ethics or immigration is desirable but not required.

Salary & Benefits: Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with related experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers an excellent benefits package and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Unofficial Academic Transcripts (if new or recent graduate)
• Contact Information for Three References

The Management, Business, and Information Services division—which provides support services, including editorial and publishing services—seeks a production editor. The job involves laying out publications adhering to set specifications, incorporating revisions to page proofs, creating and formatting graphics and tables, and editing—usually copyediting and proofreading but sometimes substantive editing. The goal is to produce professional looking technical and analytical reports that are clear and accessible to a broad audience, including Members of Congress, Congressional staff, researchers, and other members of the public.

Qualifications: Candidates must have experience laying out professional publications in a desktop publishing program and must have experience editing (or demonstrated editorial ability). A bachelor’s degree is required. Proficiency with FrameMaker, Word, Excel, Acrobat Pro, and DeltaGraph is ideal; familiarity with PowerPoint, Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop is desirable. Candidates must have an eye for detail, a thorough understanding of English grammar and syntax, and sensitivity to style in writing. Experience with technical subjects and quantitative information presented in tables and graphs is desirable. Strong interpersonal skills; the ability to handle multiple tasks under difficult deadlines; and the flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends, as necessary, are important.

Please note - the writing samples we request as part of your application should be brief samples of production work and editing or writing.

Salary & Benefits: Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with related experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers an excellent benefits package and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Contact Information for Three References
• Short Writing Sample

The Projections Unit of the Budget Analysis Division seeks a programmer with an interest in public policy issues to continue development and maintenance of the system used to construct CBO’s multiyear budget projections and other analyses of the federal budget.

To generate the products that Congress needs in the budget process, the Projections Unit maintains a PC-based computer system that is used by about 70 analysts in the division. That system uses Visual Basic (soon to convert to VB.NET) to access a SQL server database and produce an expansive variety of reports using Crystal Reports. The output generated by the system is used by CBO to analyze budgetary trends and to create documents detailing its outlook for the budget; reports are also distributed to Congressional commit-tees for their own analysis. The successful candidate will provide programming support for the existing system, add new features to enhance its capabilities, and help troubleshoot for the division’s staff.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have at least two years of applications programming experience on a client-server platform as well as extensive experience in a PC network environment. In particular, knowledge of VB.NET, SQL server, and Crystal Reports is very desirable. The position also requires flexibility in dealing with varying work assignments and the ability to communicate clearly with the analysts and managers that use the division’s database system.

Salary & Benefits: Salary will be commensurate with experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers an excellent benefits package and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Unofficial Academic Transcripts (if new or recent graduate)
• Contact Information for Three References

The Tax Analysis Division is seeking a public finance economist, preferably with an interest and background in analyzing tax policies as they relate to energy and the environment.

The Tax Analysis Division is responsible for projecting federal revenues as part of the Congressional Budget Office’s official ten-year budget "baseline" and providing the Congress with analysis and evaluation of the effects of past and proposed changes to federal tax policies. The position offers the opportunity to conduct research on a broad range of federal tax policy issues. Responsibilities include conducting in-depth CBO studies, writing shorter-term memoranda and testimonies, and preparing detailed analyses of current legislative proposals. Staff members are encouraged to actively participate in the policy research community by presenting papers at conferences and publishing articles in conference volumes and academic journals.

Qualifications: Applicants should have a Ph.D. in economics or a related discipline and a proven record of accomplishment. They also should have strong quantitative skills, the ability to initiate and complete research projects independently and as a member of a team, the ability to clearly present their work orally and in writing to non-technical audiences, and a desire to work on issues of current or potential legislative interest to the Congress.

Salary & Benefits: Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers excellent benefits and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Unofficial Academic Transcripts (if new or recent graduate)
• Contact Information for Three References
• Short Writing Sample

The Macroeconomic Analysis Division is seeking a senior economist with a background in macroeconomic forecasting.

The Macroeconomic Analysis Division advises the Congress about the current state of the economy and financial markets and about likely economic developments, and produces the economic forecast on which the budget calculations are based. It also advises Congress about the likely macroeconomic effects of federal fiscal policy. The position requires writing CBO studies for Members of Congress and their staffs, as well as carrying out original research. CBO staff regularly publish research in professional journals.

Qualifications: Candidates must have at least ten years of experience in forecasting macroeconomic developments and familiarity with both model-based and judgment-based economic forecasting. A Ph.D. in economics or equivalent experience, a deep interest in contributing to the policy debate, and the ability to work well in a fluid policy environment are also necessary. The position will involve considerable writing for lay audiences, so the ability to communicate technical material in a clear manner is essential. Successful candidates will be able to work both independently and as the senior member of a team.

Salary & Benefits: Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers an excellent benefits package and an attractive work environment.

How to Apply: Please submit the following items using CBO's job application system:

• Cover Letter
• Résumé
• Salary History
• Unofficial Academic Transcripts (if new or recent graduate)
• Contact Information for Three References
• Short Writing Sample