Apply Now: Join the Department of Labor’s Chief Evaluation Office as an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Fellow
Are you interested in using your expertise to advance labor-related research at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)? Do you want to learn about federal evidence-building efforts for use in your permanent role at a state, local or tribal government, university, non-profit organization, or other eligible organization? Apply now to work with DOL’s Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) for up to two years as an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Fellow.
Read more below about CEO’s diverse needs for IPA Fellows, below, and apply by March 31st, 2023.
CEO IPA Program Overview
The Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) has partnered with the Partnership For Public Service to provide unique opportunities for experts to access and support DOL agencies with relevant and rigorous evidence-building activities through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Talent Program.
CEO’s IPA Fellow program allows individuals from academia, nonprofit organizations, and state, local and tribal governments to work with CEO and DOL sub-agencies on a reimbursable detail basis for up to two years, after which IPA Fellows return to their home institution or organization. Fellows may be in-person or remote workers, and CEO will offer remuneration at GS-13 (Associate Fellow) or GS-14 (Fellow) salary levels, depending on experience.
As a CEO IPA Fellow, you will have the opportunity to:
- Access and support DOL agencies in their efforts to make evidence-based decisions on important programs and policies that affect workers across the country;
- Gain unique experience in federally-funded labor research development without leaving your current job; and
- Expand your professional network of federal government officials and experts.
CEO IPA Fellow Qualifications
CEO IPA Fellows or Associate Fellows may conduct internal analyses with CEO’s data analytics team as a Mathematical Statistician Fellow, or support CEO’s research and evaluation portfolio as an Evaluation Research Fellow (see more on each role below). For either role, CEO is looking for individuals with established research expertise in any of the follow areas of strategic importance to the department, including:
- unemployment insurance,
- disability and employment,
- behavioral economics/behavioral interventions research,
- worker protection and enforcement,
- and/or those with statistical expertise in analytical methods that can be applied to labor-related data in support of DOL agency priorities.
We strongly encourage qualified candidates with any labor-related expertise, including those not listed above, to apply. Read more about CEO’s two IPA Fellow position types, below.
Mathematical Statistician Fellow with CEO’s Data Analytics Team
IPA Fellows selected to work with CEO’s Data Analytics team may support a variety of DOL agency requests to analyze existing internal and external data. The Data Analytics team works with DOL agency partners to provide technical assistance and analyses such as: applied econometric modeling, analytical project oversight, data provision, and statistical consulting. Fellows may work on one or many analytical projects in collaboration with DOL agencies, depending on their interests and areas of expertise.
Ideal IPA Fellow candidates for the Data Analytics team will have experience in advanced multivariate econometric modeling, using one or more of the major statistical software packages (e.g., SPSS, SAS, STATA, R). Strong applicants will have some of the following characteristics, typically obtained through an advanced degree: mastery-level knowledge of broad areas of statistics or econometrics and skill in applying them to social science problems; experience, gathering, cleaning, and using large datasets; and proficiency with machine learning and web scraping techniques.
Evaluation Research Fellow with CEO’s Research and Evaluation teams
IPA Fellows selected to work on CEO’s research and evaluation portfolio may support a variety of research efforts in collaboration with DOL agency partners. CEO develops evaluation research in a way that upholds the Department of Labor’s Evaluation Policy principles of rigor, relevance, transparency, independence and ethics. CEO is, in particular, looking for applicants with expertise in behavioral economics to support our Behavioral Interventions team, as well as those with topical or research expertise in: unemployment insurance, employment and training, disability and employment, and worker protection and enforcement, including research related to the work of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Wage and Hour Division (WHD), the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP), the Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). IPA fellows’ work may include designing, procuring and managing research contracts and grants, supporting a DOL agency’s entire research portfolio and strategy, and/or DOL-wide capacity-building efforts, such as professional trainings and events.
Ideal IPA Fellow candidates for CEO’s research and evaluation teams will have topical expertise in program implementation or research related to one of the priority areas outlined above, as well as advanced training in research methods, including experimental, quasi-experimental and mixed methods approaches. Those interested in working with CEO’s Behavioral Interventions research portfolio would ideally have relevant methodological expertise as well as familiarity with DOL’s worker protection and enforcement efforts. Candidates should be established professionals with program management or implementation experience, and/or experience in conducting academic-quality research.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for this program?
You must be a US citizen or a US national who is able to work full- or part-time at a federal agency for a span of 12-24 months and are a full-time employee of a:
- State or local government.
- Native American tribal government.
- Institution of higher education.
- Nonprofit organization.
- Federally funded research & development institution.
- Research institute.
- Scientific society.
- Hospital.
Can I work remotely if I am not in the Washington, DC area?
Yes, CEO IPA Fellows can work fully remotely.
When would I start?
Your start date is flexible and can be negotiated with CEO. You should indicate your ideal start date in your application materials.
How much will I be paid?
CEO will offer candidates remuneration at GS-13 (Associate Fellow) or GS-14 (Fellow) salary levels, depending on experience, and pay also varies by locality.
What is the application process?
Please see the Partnership for Public Service’s website to learn more about the application process and how to apply.